peened pins

[forginhill]

I apologize if this topic has already been discussed.

How do you put together a full tang handle if you want to peen the pins, and not sand them completely flush to the slabs? It seems like you would have to completely shape and finish them before gluing things together. I'm not sure how to go about that.

Does anyone peen your pins and then sand them flush to the slabs?

[sasquatch]

I've done full tangs with pins but never bothered peening them when glued(apart from my very first knife!). I sand them flush, they haven't gone anywhere. I've peened pins on friction folders and cut-throats but they've had rivets underneath them and I left them proud.

I could well be wrong but if you want a fulltang with proud pins I wouldn't bother to glue them. Shape it and finish it then add pins and peen last I guess. Post some pics if you do as I'd like to see the finished product!

[Everything Mac]

leave a small counter sunk hole and pean into that?

[FGYT]

most peened pins ive seen on wood handles are recessed then peened over a washer to clamp the handle (also stops splitting the wood)

if its for decorative effect and the scales are glued as normal i would cut he pins over long and sand to a dome then hammer a decorative effect on each end wit ha ball pein hammer ( dril a hole thro a scrap bit of wood to hold them upright on the anvil ) then glue in the holes so the domes are proud . etc
ATB

Duncan

[Hoodoo]

Make sure you anneal the pins so they are easier to peen. Could be a long day if you don't

[addo]

This is the way I was shown and it worked very well on my first go.
I put a thin layer of glue to hold the slabs in place, and stop the wood effecting the steel.
Shape as normal, countersink holes.
Add pins, with about 2mm proud either side.
Start to hit dead centre to swell the pins, then move onto the edges with the ball peen, to blend into the countersink.
Swap sides after several hits to make sure the riveted heads are an even size on both ends and each pin.



The handle then had a light sanding (but you could put in a few dings for effect, but the main thing was I wanted the pins to not be glued. I did plan to make another with no glue at all but haven't got round to it yet. Theres a bit of a ding in the LH hole in the wood as I slipped

[forginhill]

Thank you, that is helpful.

I've done it before with a stick tang, but it was easy to shape and finish the handle first. I don't know how to do it with slabs without gluing them on first.

Do you think there is any structural advantage or disadvantage to peening the pins vs. gluing them? Or is it just a cosmetic issue?

[addo]

I think that just glueing them in place is the easy modern way, and peening/riveting is a little bit more traditional and skilled (structurally strong too if done properly). Its personal preference though and other makers could probably shed a little light on this.
Good luck with your project.

[Everything Mac]

haven't used pins for a while but the last one I did was glued into place then given a light hammering on either side with the pins left overly long.

I was thinking that it would bulk out the pin slightly before I sanded back to flush. - might be totally wrong of course but no harm was done.

Andy