Aluminum for pins and thong holes?

stingray4540

stingray4540

Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
2,798
Just wondering what you guys thought of using aluminum pins and tubes? Are there any disadvantages? They would be light. The reason I ask is because I don't like brass and my local hobby shop only has aluminum, piano wire, and brass stuff.
 
It deforms very easly! I am trying to fix that very problem on a knife handle rite now.
 
stainless steel. I can get you stainless tubing and pin stock cheap. I threw about 20 ft of small pieces 1/2, 3/8 and 1/4 away at work just the other day. A 20' ft piece of 3/8 stainless tubing should be under $25 bucks at Familian (a major piping supplier). Go to a welding supply for the pin stock. They should have stainless tig wire in 1/16, 3/32, 1/8, and 5/32. Various grades of stainless, brass, and steels and most sell it by the lb and a small knife show may get you a couple pieces of it free.
 
Ok, thanks guys, I totally forgot about the oxidation thing, I don't know why as I have plenty of first hand experiece with oxidation.

I guess there are a few other places I could check, not many more that I can think of though. The only thing is that I want to find some locally because I want to try putting a couple of mosaic pins together and I wouldn't know what size pins I need unless I can physically put it all together.

My quest for SS continues!
 
Go to ebay and look for the scrap from some of the sellers. They cut it up into 12" pieces usually and can get a good sized bundle for less than $15 with shipping.
 
You could even have some fun and anodize the aluminum a cool color. It might not wear as well but it would be pretty to start out.

Syn
 
I have used old aluminum arrow cutoffs as thong holes and not had any oxidation problems. Arrows are a harder alloy but I think the thong just keeps it buffed. If you know any one who makes arrows he will probably give you the cuts.
 
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