Pinning scales... not so good results.

Friends,

Finally got a hold of 1/16" brass rod and some washers and unpinned the Hoffritz I had picked up at the bay to clean her up. You can see her here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...ing-blade.html

Unpinning was rather unnerving but I got it done - the pins were horribly bent, and they gave me some difficulties on the way out. I wasn't looking to restore and make this pristine, but it had a lot of rust on the tail that needed to be taken out. In case you are wondering, the goldwash is history. I feel it would have probably rubbed off with a finger.

Anywhoo, I cleaned it up up and all that, polished it some with some Mother's and did the same with the scales. Now to put it together, which means pinning the thing. Tapped the loose end, put the washer, run it through the scales, trimmed it to size and filed it down.

Tappity-tap for a while and it's tight. Just my peening isn't up to par it seems. The edges are rough to the touch, and no matter how hard I tried or how long I tried to peen the edges they are still rough and feel kind of sharp.

I've watched the videos more than once, and I think I had the right technique, but the results are obvious. What's not so obvious is what I'm doing wrong. Understanding that without being there it's a hard call... can anyone venture a guess of what I should be concentrating on or trying to get this better?

I know you guys love pics, and I will post in the next day or so, as soon as I get the camera out. She looks pretty to me, but as stated, this isn't a restore, it's basically a cleanup to be able to shave with it.

Thanks,


Marcos

I know you shouldn't count taps, but I find that I can make well over 1000 very light taps on each side when I pin a razor. Actually, I don't even count any more - I just keep tap-tap-tapping until the razor is tight, and the pin heads are smooth. Patience is key.

I usually sand the pin really flat with 200 - 400 grit sandpaper after I file it level, and before I start peening.

The smoother and shinier your ball peen hammer, the better. I sanded mine down to 1000 grit and and polished it with some Mother's Aluminum polish. Also, what is the side you aren't peening resting on while you work? You could be roughing up what you just worked on every time you flip it over.

These are all tips I read about here, and they all have worked for me.

Good luck, and let us know what finally works for you!

I use a club hammer ( I don't know if you guy's use the same term over the pond it's a large rectangular hammer used for striking bolster chisels and the like, for chopping out brickwork for example), I have drilled a series of small divots of varying diameter and depth in the unused flat side of the hammer which are then dressed with a small round nosed diamond burr then polished with felt cone buffer and Autosol (Autosol is what we tend to use in the UK for polishing metals and chrome).
What you end up with is a home brewed dapping block, I use this as an anvil for peening over pins (and small rivets) the polished depressions act as a second hammer, I start peening one side of the pin as usual then flip it over locating the newly peened end in one of the polished depressions, then keep peening and flipping, the combination of a highly polished ball end on the peening hammer and the polished depression results in nice uniform shiny domed pins, I find that a combination of very light blows but a lot of them gives the best results.

John

I would try it without using the divots.

Sounds like you are striking softly, but I'll state anyway. My 2 ounce ball peen, with polished head, I only raise about an inch, letting the hammer head weight create the striking force.

I have a polished flat jewelers block that I use. Just a smooth flat solid piece of steel.

Razor kept at an angle, rocking and rotating it around as I strike.

Burrs I dont think I have ever had. Dings if the strike is forced I have.

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.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

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.

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That is a very, very good idea.