MIG rods for pinning handles?

[Scott Hartman]

I picked up some 1/8" Silicon Bronze MIG welding rods. Anyone ever use them for pinning handles on a full tang knife?

 

[george tichbourne]

As long as they are not fluxed it would be OK, I use TIG welding rods because they are not fluxed.

 

[Fox Creek]

Tip o' the day. Whether it is brazing rod, or pin stock or some brass rod in a hobby pack from a craft store (or a piece of wire unwound off something old for that matter) always anneal it before trying to use it. Some wire/rod is work hardened in drawing to a surprising degree and is much too stiff to peen with out cracking.

 

[tnmike]

Ive used quite a bit of the oxy/acet rods that are fluxed. I just break the fux off and lightly sand them.

 

[howiesatwork]

A welding supply place has many things that can be used as pins.
You can get brass and stainless rod cheaper than most hobby shops.

 

[Will52100]

Just make sure you have a decent asortment of drill bits, 1/8" is not always 1/8", wether it's from a welding shop or knife supply shop.

I curently have 3 lbs. each of brazing rod and 308 stainless rod from a welding supply outfit. The brass is unfluxed torch brazing rod and the stainless is unfluxed tig rod. It'll take a couple of years to use it all up, and if I need to do some brazing in the meantime I'm good to go!

 

[Scott Hartman]

Hey guys, thanks for your input. I am still very new to knife making, but I do know I like using any "freebies" I find Everything has an intended purpose, and then there's "can I use it in the shop or put it in a knife" purpose.

 

[jim moyer]

Freebies are good. Glad to see you are re-cycling.

Jim

 

[Protactical]

Only problem with my rods is they come with little stamped marks along along the rod, I assume so one can tell how fast one is pushing the stuff in. Doesn't seem like the perfect stock with those marks.

 

[howiesatwork]

? with the brazing rods and stainless weld rods I have gotten are just clean, unmarked pins.

 

[Protactical]

My regular steel rods are pretty plain, just some copper coating, but the 316 ones (which I was told I could weld 304 with also) come with each end stamped with the 316 number, and every half inch a little anular groove. Very fancy. They probably know I need the help.