Thread: Beginner pinning

I'm at the stage in this hobby (15 months whooo) where I want to buy old razors and shine them up. I have some old junkers that I got from the local antique shop and a few from a combo buy on ebay, so I took them apart, shined them up and repinned them.

Thanks to:
gssixgun - the videos and especially the point on filing the pin
Charlie - the video on using an anvil with a hole to hold the pin in place. Before I finally did that it was becoming quite comical.
Lynn - I copied your flush-cutters and jewelers hammer (found them on Amazon)

I bought #0 brass washers from microfasteners, 100 pack, I should have bought 1000 the way I kept dropping them on the floor LOL and I got 1/16 brass rod from hobby lobby.

It was a challenge to figure out the right length for the pins and still can't get them as round as I would like. I'm using the flush-cutters to cut the rod and they take a bite out of one side of the rod. They look decent from a distance LOL. I will probably cut them off and keep practicing. Of the six pins I did, I only broke one scale

Sounds like you are on your way; one scale, I broke 2 in one day and still have to finish the restorations.
Get us some pictures soon.
Keep up the good work.

I still have to say that the stars have to line up just right for my Pinning to go right.
I take a best guess as the the finnished length of the pin and remove it, chuck it up in my dremel tool and finish the end so it will look a little better after all the tapping required to rivel the washers in place.
What I do is put a very flat end to the pin and then a slight chamfer so that the head of the rivel ends up somewhat even it it's roundness.
Thats my tupense, have a great shave and don't give up, you'll get better at it, as I will in time.


tinkersd

My advice is to cut it shorter than you think you need. Try half the width of the stock above the scale and go from there. Just remember, lots of little taps and move the pin metal where you want it to go by directing your hammer blows.

+1 to the advice above, you don't need much to pin, maybe 1/32-1/16, even 1/16" is too much for the one's I do. Be gentle with the taps, never hit straight down, and keep hitting all around the edge in a circular motion, after that, it's just practice. Also, when you cut the rod with the flush cutters, cut it a little over 1/16" and use a file(any file will do) and file it down to the height you want. That will make sure you start with a completely flat surface.

here are few tips and "Taps"



gssixgun, straight razor repair, pinning.wmv - YouTube