Thread: Unpinning without damaging scales

There are two other pitfalls to avoid:

1. Fast moving bits can heat the pin up and melt plastic scales, making the hole too large, so take a little bit off at a time.

2. Even the best flush-cutters will not solve the problem of a pin whose shank has swelled - some pins, especially those used without washers, tend to swell out towards the end when you pin them to form a mushroom end - the pin is straight-sided at the shank face of the scale then becomes gradually wider as you get to the face of the scale. A lot of the old ivory scales are like this. You can see how the method is used to flush-pin knife handles - no mushroom head at all, just a flush fitting pin. These ones need some form of drilling/reaming so that the sides cave in when drifted out.

On the whole I use Stefan's method though - covering with a layer of electrical tape and filing.

Regards,
Neil.

I used to use the electrical tape and file method, then drift the pin out using an old jewellery screwdriver. But now I have found that the easiest way is to used a pair of flush cutters. Just nip the old washer off and drift the pin out with a jewellery screwdriver.

I just used a cheap pair of wire cutters which I converted into flush cutters by filing and polishing the cutting surface until I had eliminated one bevel.

I used to drill out razor pins in order to try to save the little washer surrounding the pin, but that turns out to be false economy. Get some proper new washers to go with your new pin(s).

In any case, heat buildup from the turning drill bit can, indeed, become an issue and melt certain kinds of scales. Additionally, if the drill bit should wander off center one ends up damaging the scales.

I have returned to using a very fine metal file to take off the head of the rivet pin (and washer) and I, too, use protection around the rivet when doing the filing.

Instead of using something like electrical tape, I use a very thin piece of brass stock (.03 mm) with a hole drilled through it, that hole being just large enough to surround the rivet and washer. This piece of brass should be long enough to run along the scales a bit so that the hand holding the razor and scales simultaneously secures this protective strip in position. This thin brass protection assures that my scales remain undamaged.

When you have filed away all but the top .03mm of your original pin and washer, you will find that a few gentle taps with a small drift punch will suffice to push the rivet out.

Originally Posted by ignatz

Instead of using something like electrical tape, I use a very thin piece of brass stock (.03 mm) with a hole drilled through it, that hole being just large enough to surround the rivet and washer. This piece of brass should be long enough to run along the scales a bit so that the hand holding the razor and scales simultaneously secures this protective strip in position. This thin brass protection assures that my scales remain undamaged.

I do that same method with a piece of aluminum for pins that have a swelled shaft and need a touch of dremel. if the dremel drifts it doesn't damage the scales. but I only use it as a last resort.