Pivot Pin Trick

Peter Atwood

Peter Atwood

Joined
Oct 26, 2000
Messages
2,468
Here's one that I may have read about here before, but I'm not sure. Since I don't have a lathe I have been frustrated with the way my lug ended pivot pins have been coming out. I have found them to be very hard to grind down and file flat on the end. I decided yesterday that I wanted a domed end so I chucked the pin up in my drill press and tried filing and sanding the end that way. The results were very so-so.

Then I go the bright idea to stick the pin in my electric drill. I stuck it against the belt grinder and voila! Wiht some careful grinding, quenching and rocking up and down I had a rough dome in no time. Then I switched off to 400 grit and got it looking even better. Finally I held some 1200 grit paper in my palm and drilled into that for a minute or two. Excellent results! Super shine and it looks like it was turned on a lathe. And it took all of about two minutes to do. I followed up with the screw and the palm held paper trick and the set really looks great.
 
Peter,
Have you tried the pivots that are threaded from both ends? You can adjust each screw to get the blade to pivot exactly how you want and even adjust them so the blade sits in th emiddle of the handle when closed.
Chuck
 
Peter,
Have you tried the pivots that are threaded from both ends? You can adjust each screw to get the blade to pivot exactly how you want and even adjust them so the blade sits in the middle of the handle when closed. I buy them from halpern and use flathead 4-40 screws, not the torx that they sell, which are extra$
Chuck
 
Actually Chuck, the two screw type were what I had been using but I hate them. I have been trying to get away from that type of pin entirely. Have you ever seen a professional custom folder in the last few years with that type of pin? I haven't, which tells me all I need to know about them.

The nice thing about the step pivots is that you have the opportunity to do something decorative or unique with the end. As an artist, that is much more appealing to me than a screw on both ends which doesn't give me a lot of options. Also, the two screw barrel pivots are apain in the butt to take apart and put back together since one or the other wants to come apart and the screws are way too short. Nothing but a pain.

With the step pivot you can press fit one side so that you get an anti-rotation benefit as well.
 
Some of you might be thinking that this is Answer Peter night for me:)

The handiest tool in my shop is the Skil Power Twist screwdriver with the keyless chuck. I cut the heads of pivots down, chamfer holes in liners/bolsters/blades with a countersink, and use a turned down and tapped piece of rod to put the screws in to shine them up, on a Beartex wheel. Best $15 I ever spent.
 
Thanks for all the good info Kit!:)

I bought the Skil Twist driver and the keyless chuck at your suggestion and I have used it for tapping quite a bit. The torque is just right and I have never broken a tap. But mine has a wobble in it that always makes me nervous. I guess for $15 you can't be too picky....
 
Perer,try hitting that pivot on the buffer with a little green chrome after the 1200 grit finnish.But keep the pivot in the drill and spin it while your polishing, were talking major mirror polish.I've been doing it this way for a long time with great results I also use the skill twist drill like Kit was refering to.(thanks again Kit for the pointer)

Aloha!!! Ken Onion
kenonionknives.com
 
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