pin material

[skull-collector]

I'm looking at getting some stainless steel rod for use as pins on my knife handles, it seems to me that the easiest to get hold of is stainless steel rod (grade 304) is this grade suitable or if not then what grade should I be looking for?

Thanks in advance for your replies

Carl

[Nice65]

That should do you fine mate, it's good quality.

[shing]

I would practice on brass pins first, stainless is quite hard to start of with and work hardens very quickly so after a few blows from the hammer assuming you are peening it, it gets much harder to expand the head. If you want to use a white metal, nickel silver is a good metal and softer than stainless.

[goat]

I've used them on one knide and even though not peening just epoxying they are much harder than brass or nickel silver and its takes a lot of extra care to avoid the wood abrading quicker than the pins leaving them feeling slightly proud

[tatsumi]

With brass you can grind off the excess quick and without too much heat build up(important to keep that low) but as said its tougher and not as forgiving so better prep is needed, pins to the whole thickness of tang and scales plus a few mm max and go steady on low grit belts to minimise deep scratches.

[jameswood]

this is where files are sooo under valued!

[skull-collector]

Thanks for the advice on the stainless work hardening......that would probably explain why I found it so tough in the past.

Managed to get myself some nickel silver pins, just got to wait on mr postman now

[TB_London]

this is where files are sooo under valued!

+1 it's really easy to take the excess down with a file

[paulm]

Thanks for the advice on the stainless work hardening......that would probably explain why I found it so tough in the past.

Managed to get myself some nickel silver pins, just got to wait on mr postman now

Where did you get your nickel silver pins from ?

Cheers, Paul

[skull-collector]

Where did you get your nickel silver pins from ?

Cheers, Paul

Got them from ebay

[Nice65]

Where did you get your nickel silver pins from ?

Cheers, Paul

www.metalsmith.co.uk do nickel-silver rod in various sizes.

[paulm]

www.metalsmith.co.uk do nickel-silver rod in various sizes.

Perfect !

Thanks, couldn't find any in the right sizes on ebay, may not have looked for long enough though

Cheers, Paul

[Nice65]

Perfect !

Thanks, couldn't find any in the right sizes on ebay, may not have looked for long enough though

Cheers, Paul

Good good. You'll need to phone, min order is a fiver, you'll find him a great bloke to deal with.