Thread: Pinning scales... not so good results.

Sounds to me like you cut your pins a little long. If there's too much sticking up, they will kind of mushroom over, instead of peening fully. A picture or five, or better yet a video, would help tremendously.

Iv'e found that if it looks to short, you probably got it right and start peening!!! Sometimes no matter how you try, after peening a sharp edge will present itself. I look very closely useing a jewelers loupe[which is french for "Loupe"], just kidding, and I peen right down on were I actually see the sharp edge, and if needed I use fine abrasive paper and then my dremel to buff it until it shines up nice. Don't worry, you will get better at it, this requires practice and one pinning isn't all but the beginning of getting proficiant at some thing like this, beleive me!!

Just like the Guitar, practice, practice, practice!!

Good Luck, tinkersd

Peen down the sharp edges very gently with your hammer... Go in at about a 45 degree angle, make a full circle around the pin until there is no more sharp edge. You're probably cutting the pin too long and/or using too much pressure. Most common beginner errors. Tap the pins no harder than you would your fingernail, it will take a few minutes, but the results speak for themselves.

Thanks for all the advise; I gather I'm cutting the pin too long and not striking it long enough. I was at it for quite some time, but after a while there was no noticeable improvement. Sadly I made no video of this, but I can try and take a couple of close ups of the pins when I get home. The plan was to take some pics tonight to add to this post (and to the original one, although I vowed not to if I couldn't save the goldwash.)

I used a small anvil I got at HF several months ago just for this. No divots yet, but it's on the list of things to do if everything else fails. My smallest peen hammer is 3.5 Oz, so I'll stop by the store on the way home and pick up a 2 Oz. one and see if that helps. Never lifted over one inch, and let the weigh of the hammer do the... well, hammering.

My guess is that I have to start over as I don't see a way to rescue these pins. I may try tapping them for another while before I cut bait, but if they are too long and already worked over it seems there's no rescuing them.

Again, thank you for all your input.


Marcos

Marcos,
It definitely sounds like you are cutting your pins too long. We've all been there! I wouldn't waste money on a two ounce hammer just yet. I have an 8 and a 2. I use the 8. It feels like I can control the hammer a little bit better that way. Pinning is one of the hardest things to master. It takes doing it over and over and over, exactly the same way every time. I'm no where near, not even in the ball park, compared to most of the guys here.

One thing to do, buy some sand paper and polish the head of your hammer until it's mirror finished. It will help the finished pins come out cleaner.

Cut your losses, and start over with new pins.

HTH, Brian

Polish the ball until it has a mirror finish, and then use lots of light taps.

The only way I get a smooth pin surface without any facets or rough edges is to buff the pin after I'm done hammering. Yes, a polished hammer head will help, as will a polished anvil top, but buffing can more than make up for both (and other factors that cause imperfections). I would go so far as to say no matter what your hammer and anvil look like, you'll never get a smooth surface if you don't buff (or sand, or burnish, or whatever).

If you don't have access to a buffer, get some thin brass sheet, drill out a hole to whatever size you need, and play with sanding/steel wool/whatever you have to get a nice, smooth dome. And if you polish the washers in the process, I'd say that's an added bonus.