Pinning anvil

[gpjoe]

So, I've got some inexpensive ebay razors (and a few nice ebay projects), small ball-peen hammer, brass rod, washers, and inexpensive plastic scales from Maggard. I also picked up from Amazon a small "anvil" disk, with silicone base, to hammer on.

No divot in my anvil, and doing a search here, I see a split: pro-divot and anti-divot (tape, anyone?) and see the same on yootoob. So I wanted to get a feeling for where the current membership stands on divots for peening.

And a related question:

Are washers required between the razor and scales?1

 

[psfred]

I use a smooth anvil. but a divot will help quite a bit in keeping the assembly from sliding around, and hence protect scales from hammer divots.

I have not seen washers between the blade and scales on any of my old razors, but with wooden scales they do isolate the steel from the wood and will prevent stains. It's not a "sin" to use them, but they are not a requirement.

 

[gpjoe]

I use a smooth anvil. but a divot will help quite a bit in keeping the assembly from sliding around, and hence protect scales from hammer divots.

I have not seen washers between the blade and scales on any of my old razors, but with wooden scales they do isolate the steel from the wood and will prevent stains. It's not a "sin" to use them, but they are not a requirement.

That makes perfect sense, especially for an amateur like me. Sliding around would be bad.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

I put a couple dimples in my anvil, different diameters, but I don't always use them. It's one of those things where it doesn't hurt to try it and see what works for you.

Basically, if you use the dimple, you need to control your hammer to peen around the full edge of the pin. If you use the flat of the anvil, you can rock the razor to control where the hammer is hitting while keeping your stroke essentially consistent. I don't think there is necessity a right or a wrong here but you may find you have better control one way or the other.

 

[Legion]

Gotta have the dimple if you want to get a nice domed pin, IMO. Otherwise the underside can get flattened as you tap on the top from different angles to get it round.

You don't need inner washers if you don't want. I only put them in is the scales originally had them so I have them handy. If I make new scales myself I don't bother.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

I have a shallow divot on one end of my pinning anvil, a 6-inch piece of small gage railroad track, with a polished face.

The divot is a 1/8th in drill about a 1/16th in deep, just enough to hold the razor from moving when starting the second pin.

I start the first pin on an old drill press Jacob Chuck domed just enough to hold the collar in place and start the dome.

Once I start the dome, I pin the back side of the pin on the smooth face of the anvil. I have not had an issue with flattening the back side, even when making large domed pins a la Robeson or Case pins, you should not be hitting the pin that hard.

Thrust washers between the scales and razor tang make for smooth operation, keep the scales off the tang should you get the pivot wet and create enough friction to hold the razor open without over tensioning the pin. Make honing and stropping easier and safer.

I always use thrust washers. I make thin thrust washers by smashing brass 0 wide, Micro Fasteners washers with a hammer on a polished anvil face, you can get them as thin as you wish with a few hammer blows. You will need to re-drill the hole, I use a 1/16“drill in a pin vise.

I have also been using PETE thrust washers made from clear water bottles with a plyers style leather punch, ¼ inch and punch the center with 1/16th in punch. PETE is very strong and will not oxidize and stain like brass will. When use on translucent or Ivory scale they are almost invisible.

Here is a post on how to make them. (Spacer Washers - Optional or Required?) post 11.

Once you get the pins domed don’t stress on making them smooth and even, make a mask with a piece of PETE water bottle and make a hole the size of the collar, tape to the scale and sand with a piece of 600 wet & dry on your finger. Your finger will conform to the pin and smooth the dome nicely.

Then polish with any good metal polish on a folded paper towel on the bench and briskly rub the pin on the polish. Or I just buff on a buffer with Stainless compound it will shape and polish the pin and collar. A shot of WD40 and toothbrush will remove all the black residue.

Pinning seems tedious and difficult, it really is not. Worst case, if you do not like the pin, just file off the head and lift the scale off the pin and make a new pin.

Do not punch the pin through. If the pin is bent even slightly, it will blow out the scale on the back side.

Practice by pinning 3 popsicle sticks, if you can get them tight without cracking the sticks, you are ready for the real deal.

 

[Gamma]

I use an old 5 lb balance scale weight. No divot. Works well.

 

[Legion]

I use a short length of rail line (with divot at one end), but I’m planning to make one out of a flat topped toe ball.

 

[J B Addis]

It's entirely possible to get a respectable dome on both sides with a flat anvil. Once the initial heading or peening is complete and the assembly is clinched well enough that nothing will come out of alignment, one can start making light, angled hits in a circular motion around the pin while rolling the razor around on the anvil so that it forms a mirror image of the hammer strikes on the other side. True it up by turning the razor over a couple of times during the process. I don't know how comprehensible this description is, but it's a simple technique in practice