How I dome and polish pins

It's always best to learn as many different methods as possible and then use the one that gives you the BEST results. Faster is not always BETTER.
I truly appreciate all of the time that the more experienced makers devote to helping those of us just getting started.
Locking a post is a good way to keep people from crapping in it. That shouldn't be necessary, but it is affective.
 
There is no one right or best way to do anything. Leave your videos up. They are a great help. Let people decide which method works best for them. Maybe someone else will be able to use your method and be able to get the pins done even faster. Let Bill offer his method. I'd rather have access to more information and choose the one that works for me, or I can mix'n'match if needed. Or maybe it just gives me an idea which I take in a completely different direction. It shouldn't be a competition. In any case, I'm glad I downloaded the vids already. :)
 
i4Marc,
I need to learn how to do that! I want those videos so that I can continue o the tool, before I forget the details. Oldtimers sucks!
Fred
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Great videos, but it shouldn't take more than 3 minutes to finish a pin.
Here's how I do it:
Peen the pin heads with a 1.5 oz. flat faced hammer -flaring and tapping the edges down. Use a smooth, hard anvil for the rear of the pin.
You can use a cupped punch if you need to be really careful, or you can skip that part and simply buff the pin head. Tap one side with the punch, turn the knife over and place the rounded head on your anvil, and punch the other side. Using the cupped punch can help keep the head nicely rounded but it still has to be finished on the buffer. It helps if you have 3 hands.
Most of the knives I restore use 9-10 pins each.
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Bill, can you please a vid of how you do your pins in 3 minutes? I think it would be interesting for us to see.

I'm not sure what your commentary accomplishes? It doesn't come across all that well. If you don't agree with his methods then you have option of not commenting. Or you could post your alternatives so that others can see.

Nick, I found the vids really informative. Of course they took some time since you were talking directly to the camera. I very much like your attention to details and looking for better ways to accomplish some mundane tasks. This is what makes us better or we realize that we made something more complicated then it needed to be but that is a learning experience. Thanks for taking the time to shoot, edit, and post the vids. Many if us appreciate it very much. Thanks,
 
Hmmmmmm. You know, I didn't get the feeling reading Bill's remarks that there was any attitude or malice there. I think he was just offering advice based on his perspective and personal experience. I too would be interested in Bill posting a video of his technique if he has the capability to post vids. I think we all feel a bit protective of Nick since he does so much to share with us but there is room for all opinions and techniques. Besides, Nick's a big boy. He knows how to defend himself if he perceives he's been challenged.

Pelallito, I'm on a Mac system. I use a free program called Mac Tubes. There should be info on the web about where to download it and how to use it. If you are on a PC there should be a number of similar programs designed for your system. Basically in the program I have I would open the video in You Tube. I highlight and copy the title of the video that appears under the video window. I plug that title into the search bar in Mac Tubes and it returns a list of videos with similar content. I have my search organized so the video I want appears at the top of the list. I double click the video in the list to play it. When the video opens up there will be a player menu button in the bottom left of the window. That gives me a pull down with some options among which will be the option to download as MP4 or higher quality if available.
 
Chill, Nick! Put your videos back up.
There is nothing "wrong" with the way you do it. It's just that you are doing it the long, hard way. But, it would be hard to make a mistake doing it your way. And your fixtures are really neat!
I understand that peening and finishing pin heads is difficult for most people. I was only offering advice to help you and others. Each of us have developed and use our own methods of doing things. If it works for you, then do it that way.
 
I'm not sure if I have the capability to do a video. Do you guys upload them to Photobucket, and then post them?
i do have a pair of video glasses that I have never used. I'm charging them now.
 
I went to a jeweler once when I was a kid and showed him something I made. It was a Kennedy half dollar that I carefully drilled out around the inner rim of stars, and around the eagle. I then made a small chisel and cut between the holes, leaving the eagle cut out, but attached at his feet and wingtips. The jeweler asked me how long it took me to drill, chisel and file the piece. I told him 4 hours.
He said, " I can show you how to do that by drilling 3-4 holes and using a jewelers saw. You can cut it out completely in 20 minutes without any filing." I was amazed. He hired me, by the way.
 
2 minutes, 45 seconds-and I dropped and lost the first pin.
 
Burl Source said:
There is a BIG difference between "good enough" and "as good as it can get".
There are lots of people who are satisfied with "good enough".
But it takes having pride in your work to want to do things as good as it can get.
Takes a bit more time too.
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Well said Mark. I think taking the extra 17min and not screwing up a $2000 dollar knife is well worth it.
 
BenR.T-
It's not uncommon for me to work on knives worth many-even ten thousands of dollars.
I think I'm pretty qualified to peen pins on most things. I don't screw things up.
I'm shure Nick doesn't either.
 
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This is what BF is all about.
It's always a pleasure to watch Nick work- even if it's a technique I might not use, just seeing the care he takes inspires me to do betta.
Then to have not one but two methods in one thread....GOLDEN.
Thank you, Gentlemen.
 
I meant no disrespect towards you Bill. I think for most people, including myself, taking it slow is best.
 
I know diddly squat about doming pins but it was hard to tell what Bill Deshivs pin looked like when finished. If i'm not mistaken I believe comparing brass to stainless pins is like apple to oranges. I have a hard time believing that a 2:45 minute pin is going to be on the same level as one that takes 20 when both fellas are craftsman. I'm not putting Bill down at all but with all the videos Nick has put out you can't question his skill, organization,and willingness to help other people of the knife world. Nicks shop Always looks like he has a French maid cleaning the place:D. I guess my main point is unless there are better pictures of Bills and the materials are equal it's hard to say whose method is best. I mean no offence to anyone. Thanks for the videos from both!
 
Nick has put out a lot of videos and is a damned fine knifemaker.
I'm sorry that my video was not very good quality. It's the first I have ever done.
I have been peening knife pins since before Nick was born, however. In case you didn't notice, I was peening very thin mother of pearl, which is pretty fragile. I did use brass, but stainless peens the same way-it's just harder.
I'm not saying my method is best-just that there are other ways. Our procedures are basically the same, by the way.
 
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