Silver plumbing solder for pin stock?

R

R.C.Reichert

Joined
Jul 26, 2008
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I was wondering if a lead free silver plumbing solder like the one in the picture would be any good as an alternative to steel or nickel silver for pin stock. I like to peen my pins in place and was thinking this would be a lot easier to peen than the mild steel rod I was using and more readily available than nickel silver. Thoughts?

20190824-051511.jpg



One other question... Is it really necessary to make the holes in the tang much bigger than the pin stock for peening? Even on the handles I've taken apart, I've never seen the pin stock expand in the middle, only flare out on the very ends from peening. Maybe it's different for bolsters but...I've only ever made the holes in the tang slip-fit the pin stock...just slightly smaller to pass though. I haven't had any problems so just kinda curious about it. Thanks.
 
john april said:
too soft. i can bite it in half :rolleyes: if you have absolutely nothing, use coat hanger. at least its cheap steel.
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Naw, I got plenty of other stuff to use...brass rod...steel. I was just curious if this would work. I assume you are just speculating that it might be too soft, but have you ever actually tried it? I understand you could bite it with your teeth, but on a knife scale the directional forces are a liittle different. I think it would still take a shit ton of force to detach the scales using this stuff. So I'm not convinced... I'm going to do up a test piece and see how much abuse it takes compared to a handle with brass rod for pins.
 
R.C.Reichert said:
I assume you are just speculating that it might be too soft, but have you ever actually tried it?
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No I would bet he has not, due to all the years of experience and expertise he has the ability to look at a soft silver solder, spaghetti noodle or soda straw would not be advisable to use as a mechanical fastener.
 
Good luck trying it. Like others have said I suspect it's too soft. Plus you will have to get the piece you are using absolutely straight off of the spool. There are just too many other better alternatives in my opinion.
 
If you want really easy to peen with a silvery look... Get some aluminum rod. It's cheap and can usually be found in a hardware store just like plumbing solder.

My 2 year old daughter can bend plumbing solder with ease... Way too soft for anything other than its intended use!
 
Find a local welding shop

Look at the TIG welding rod, Stainless, Bronze, brass, High Nickle - they have it all, you can see it in person, it's straight, you can buy single rods, no shipping.
 
12345678910 said:
Find a local welding shop

Look at the TIG welding rod, Stainless, Bronze, brass, High Nickle - they have it all, you can see it in person, it's straight, you can buy single rods, no shipping.
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Cool! And here I thought all they made was that brass looking stuff. I'm gonna go pic some up. It actually peens pretty nice
 
For a pin to peen properly, it has to have some hardness. You only expand the ends, not the center.
Soft materials like soft solder will simply bend, rather than peen.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
For a pin to peen properly, it has to have some hardness. You only expand the ends, not the center.
Soft materials like soft solder will simply bend, rather than peen.
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Ok that makes sense. Thanks. :) So it will bend even despite being supported by the surrounding material? That's interesting.
 
R.C.Reichert said:
Ok that makes sense. Thanks. :) So it will bend even despite being supported by the surrounding material? That's interesting.
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The holes should be a bit larger then the pin. Peening soft solder would smash the ends and not fill the ID of the hole throughout.
 
AVigil said:
The holes should be a bit larger then the pin. Peening soft solder would smash the ends and not fill the ID of the hole throughout.
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Ok. I thought that was the point....gently tap to just mushroom the very end. If I hit so hard that it expands the pin the whole length through, that seems excessive.
 
R.C.Reichert said:
Ok. I thought that was the point....gently tap to just mushroom the very end. If I hit so hard that it expands the pin the whole length through, that seems excessive.
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You taper the holes in the handle material then you peen the pin, the pin will swell to match the tapered I.D. of the hole.

That is the proper way to install pins.
 
R.C.Reichert said:
Ok. I thought that was the point....gently tap to just mushroom the very end. If I hit so hard that it expands the pin the whole length through, that seems excessive.
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It is impossible to do that on knife handle ...............even with ten tons press:)
 
AVigil said:
You taper the holes in the handle material then you peen the pin, the pin will swell to match the tapered I.D. of the hole.

That is the proper way to install pins.
Click to expand...

Okay, that's what I've been doing.

I asked the question because I just read this other post here and was curious because he said he makes a 1/4" hole in the tang for 3/16" pins. I would always just make a 3/16" hole in the tang and use a 3/16" pin. If the pin was too tight, I would just spin it a bit on my sander until it slid through the hole in the tang smoothly. I never made such a larger hole like that....25-50% larger?

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/peening-pins-and-handle-construction.1544794/
 
Ok ... this came up for me in another discussion. HOW (for a newbe) do you create a tapered hole? A step drill???
 
R.C.Reichert said:
Okay, that's what I've been doing.

I asked the question because I just read this other post here and was curious because he said he makes a 1/4" hole in the tang for 3/16" pins. I would always just make a 3/16" hole in the tang and use a 3/16" pin. If the pin was too tight, I would just spin it a bit on my sander until it slid through the hole in the tang smoothly. I never made such a larger hole like that....25-50% larger?

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/peening-pins-and-handle-construction.1544794/
Click to expand...

I do same way , if I use 3mm pins I drill 3mm hole .I never understood why someone recommended large hole ??????????
 
R.C.Reichert said:
Okay, that's what I've been doing.

I asked the question because I just read this other post here and was curious because he said he makes a 1/4" hole in the tang for 3/16" pins. I would always just make a 3/16" hole in the tang and use a 3/16" pin. If the pin was too tight, I would just spin it a bit on my sander until it slid through the hole in the tang smoothly. I never made such a larger hole like that....25-50% larger?

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/peening-pins-and-handle-construction.1544794/
Click to expand...

I just make the hole a few thou over just enough for the pin to clear.
 
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