Thread: Loose Pins

Howdy all,

I had a problem that I hope you can help with.

I was shaving today and I notice how my blade was loose in the scales and would swing on me. It would stay fully closed, but if I opened it it would start to swing at certain points.

Does anyone know what causes this? It was tight when I got it but why would it loosen after a few shaves?

Also I hear a few light hammer taps on the pin will fix it up. Does the razor have to be closed or should I open it to those swing spots?

Closed. You can use a spoon to tighten the pins. Check the wiki on pinning or tightening pins. Tap the pin only as hard as you can stand the spoon hittingyour fingernail.

Razor should be closed. You can tighten it by the use of a spoon believe it or not. Place the razor on a cutting board and tap the pin. Only tap the pin as hard as you can stand tapping your fingernail. You can find more in the wiki...

Originally Posted by shooter74743

Razor should be closed. You can tighten it by the use of a spoon believe it or not. Place the razor on a cutting board and tap the pin. Only tap the pin as hard as you can stand tapping your fingernail. You can find more in the wiki...

So wait. You tighten the pins by tapping with your fingernail??

He's referencing how hard to tap the pin. If you hit too hard your pin could bend and could crack scales and other bad stuff.

I seem to recall someone once saying that there is a particular side of the pin to tap. There's a difference in the pin head either side of the scales.
So don't do anything just yet and I'm sure someone will explain further.

Let me share my thinking on the correct side to tap the pin with the caveat that I am very much of a newbie on this topic and might be way offbase. Imagine the razor laying flat on one side with the toe of the blade off center and rubbing against the scale on the bottom side. Assuming the tang is straight, which might not be the case, if you were to push down on the tang near the pin hole, a seesaw effect would imply that the heel would fall and the toe would rise. This logic implies tapping the pin on the top side is correct. Seems to sometimes work for me with the opposite action accentuating, rather than correcting, the problem.

If I might clarify a bit here

First put your finger on what ever hard surface you are going to use then take the Ballpeen hammer(2oz-6oz) or the spoon and smack your finger with it right at the edge of your fingernail, that real sensitive spot... If it hurts your tapping to hard...

Second the side to hit:

Newer razors like Dovo's and TI etc: have a solid head pin, it should be on the front side of the razor, it looks like a little bullseye, there is another thread on here with pics.. Some vintage razors have this too.... Tapping on the solid head does nothing good, it does not tighten the pin... In fact you are very likely to bend it, or crack a scale... The correct side has a washer and the pin peened over,,, tap that side... Now if both sides have a peen then tap both sides...

When tapping you should tap around the peen, try not to hit dead square straight down, you want to mushroom the peen, not crush the pin...

Glen, great info for me and otherrs as well. Many thanks