Razor Peening Tips for Beginners

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this thread. If I'm in the wrong forum, I hope the Mods will help sort it out.

Last night I had a great conversation with one of the true masters on this forum, Glen (GSSixGun), about what new guys should have to help keep their razors in top shape. Despite the frequent discussions on the site, our conversation was not about hones and stones.

Glen was advising me about how to care for the razor in other senses. In particular, he stressed the importance of being able to tighten up a razor and suggested that he would encourage me to pick up a small chasing hammer and a jewler's block so that I have a good surface to repeen scales when they are loose. Based on this recommendation, I surfed the net and found what I thought was a good solution for under $16 shipped to my door (I have no affiliation whatsoever with this vendor):

http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/...er-anvil/BDF15
http://www.widgetsupply.com/product/WC08.html


Even more important than his guidance on the tools to acquire, though, was Glen's excellent way of describing how hard to peen a razor. He told me to take my hammer when I get it and tap my thumb just around the cuticle. If it hurts, I know I'm using too much force. This really brought it into perspective for me.

This is what makes this forum so valuable. It's guys like Glen, and the countless others, who so generously give their time and share their experiences. Thanks SRP!

I'd read his guide on peening pressure and thought it was a brilliantly clear illustration.

His help honing & stoning - heck most anything he posts on or helps with. One of the greats on this forum.

Ya, Glen is alright.....I guess...

Good post though, I concur!

I moved this over to the Workshop and linked it in the Sticky...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...wers-here.html

This set that Bill found is a great price, and whether you ever get into Restoration or not it gives you a inexpensive and accurate way to keep your razors tight...

Thanks for linking it all Bill

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Originally Posted by LegalBeagle

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this thread. If I'm in the wrong forum, I hope the Mods will help sort it out.

Last night I had a great conversation with one of the true masters on this forum, Glen (GSSixGun), about what new guys should have to help keep their razors in top shape. Despite the frequent discussions on the site, our conversation was not about hones and stones.

Glen was advising me about how to care for the razor in other senses. In particular, he stressed the importance of being able to tighten up a razor and suggested that he would encourage me to pick up a small chasing hammer and a jewler's block so that I have a good surface to repeen scales when they are loose. Based on this recommendation, I surfed the net and found what I thought was a good solution for under $16 shipped to my door (I have no affiliation whatsoever with this vendor):

http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/...er-anvil/BDF15
http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/...il/XUP1-8339CH

Even more important than his guidance on the tools to acquire, though, was Glen's excellent way of describing how hard to peen a razor. He told me to take my hammer when I get it and tap my thumb just around the cuticle. If it hurts, I know I'm using too much force. This really brought it into perspective for me.

This is what makes this forum so valuable. It's guys like Glen, and the countless others, who so generously give their time and share their experiences. Thanks SRP!

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Just a quick question. What size chasing hammer would be ideal. I don't think the link to the hammer worked, but would a 6oz hammer be the ideal weight?

Fixed the link :D

The hammer I always recommend is 2-4 ounces the one Bill found is 3 oz :)

I have used a 6 oz but it is a touch heavy for this work...

I like the 4 oz the best for getting my pins started, but really like the half round to get a bigger mushroom...........:)

Have fun,

Lynn

Don't mean to hijack the discussion here, but can I ask some questions?

First, don't I really need an anvil with some little dimples in it (I think it's called a "dapping" block) so that the round pins stay round when they are being tightened? I currently use a block of smooth, really hard stone (not a hone!), and I notice that the round pin heads get flattened and crushed a bit as they are being pounded. Would a dapping block or anvil help that, or does Glen prefer a flat surface?

Second, I don't understand how using a little round hammer to hit the round surface of a pin head isn't going to leave flat spots wherever the hammer contacts the pin. I dont need to tighten scales that often, but it seems like, when I do it, the nice round pin heads just get dented or flattened. I've tried putting a curved spoon on top of the pin when I'm hitting it so that the hammer isn't hitting the pin directly but instead is hitting the spoon which then pushes on the pin, but even this seems like a bad way to go about it. Shouldn't there be some kind of little, metal dowel or rod that has a concave dimple at one end and a hitting surface at the other end so that you can tighten pins AND keep their shape? If anyone knows where to buy one of these, I would be first in line.

Thanks!

Jeff if you actually watch the Video that Alex did it will explain a lot to you...

Polished Flat surface + Polished Ballpeen surface = polished pins :)

You have to realize that the razor nor the pins are struck flat we are constantly moving the razor and the hammer so that on both sides it is a glancing blow...

A small 1/8 inch divot (not a Dapping Block) helps when you first start doing this but, you will soon move to just a polished surface for the best results...

The cupped surface can be also done using what is called a "Nail Set" I do NOT recommend them, as they bring and entirely new element to the game, and that can result in cracked scales....

Two questions from me, too:

1. What is a half round? Lynn mentions it in his post.

2. Where can I find the video that Alex posted on peening?

Edit: Found the videos.
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4uwwk16CLY
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vihhWXSbPQY

Another Edit: I wanted to add that JoeD taught me to buff pins (with some polishing compound; I use black emery) after peening them to remove any hammer marks and make them smooth. I don't know if you guys have tried this, but it works well.

Would a light weight tack hammer work too?

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Originally Posted by heirkb

Another Edit: I wanted to add that JoeD taught me to buff pins (with some polishing compound; I use black emery) after peening them to remove any hammer marks and make them smooth. I don't know if you guys have tried this, but it works well.

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Brown micromesh does a nice job of shining them up and smoothing them out as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dbseney

Would a light weight tack hammer work too?

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When I first started pinning razors I couldn't find a small hammer with any kind of ball head.
I bought a 4oz tack hammer and rounded the head with a bench grinder, then sanded and polished it to a mirror surface. It worked just fine.

Yep, I did the same with a tack hammer until I found what I needed in the beading section of hobby lobby. You need that round head to properly peen.

I couldnt find a small enough hammer either - until Christmas came along and I found a child's tool set with a small peening hammer included. Now I have a nice light hammer that works for me...and a partial set of childrens tools. lol

This is what I use.

Watchmaker's Hammer.