Seeking advice on peening SAK pins

[hsherzfeld]

I've disassembled and reassembled several 91mm SAKs, but I always struggle with peening the brass pins. No matter how hard I try, I can't get the head to mushroom out more than about 1-2 mm on all sides, which is only just enough of a lip to keep the bushing from sliding off.

This means that when I go to peen the other end of the pin (once the SAK is reassembled), the first end is below the surface of the bushing and doesn't contact the steel surface that I'm pounding against. This makes it difficult to achieve a good, tight lockup of all the parts.

Which brings me to my question:
I'd like to make the pin heads in such a way that they fill the inside of the bushing the way the factory pins do. Does anyone here know of a way to do that, or at least come close, using only hand tools?

Please note that I want my modded SAKs to still fit cellidor scales (without gluing, if possible), so any major alterations to the bushings are out.

Thanks in advance!

Moderators, please feel free to move this thread to the Mod Squad if you feel it belongs over there.

[zoidberg]

Yeah leave more pin length. And if the bushing fills up then you can file off any excess.

Another way is to pre form on one side.
Place a small length of pin stock in a cordless drill and rotate while tapping slightly off center to get the mushroom started.
Then add a bushing to the setup and continue tapping until the bushing fills up.
A light file or sandpaper will help everything fit just right and have that factory look.
Now side one will make contact and you can go about side two.

After you get a feel for the peening it is quite easy to work on both sides at once.
Work a little flip it over work a little flip it over...
I've found the knife has a better walk and talk when done like this.

Go slow and take time.
The mushroom can split at the edges if pushed to far.
This is mostly cosmetic so don't stress over it.
Hundreds of little taps is better than a few heavier hits.
Work somewhere with good lighting so you can see where and how the brass is moving.

Also a smaller ball peen hammer can be nice. Easier to be accurate with and less effort to use.

[magentus]

Yeah leave more pin length. And if the bushing fills up then you can file off any excess.

Another way is to pre form on one side.
Place a small length of pin stock in a cordless drill and rotate while tapping slightly off center to get the mushroom started.
Then add a bushing to the setup and continue tapping until the bushing fills up.
A light file or sandpaper will help everything fit just right and have that factory look.
Now side one will make contact and you can go about side two.

After you get a feel for the peening it is quite easy to work on both sides at once.
Work a little flip it over work a little flip it over...
I've found the knife has a better walk and talk when done like this.

Go slow and take time.
The mushroom can split at the edges if pushed to far.
This is mostly cosmetic so don't stress over it.
Hundreds of little taps is better than a few heavier hits.
Work somewhere with good lighting so you can see where and how the brass is moving.

Also a smaller ball peen hammer can be nice. Easier to be accurate with and less effort to use.

  The Crustacean is wise and correct

[pfrsantos]

The Crustacean is wise and correct

I concur with the secondary colour.

 

[Tasky]

I believe the Yale psychologist speaks truth