Scale pinning question

[SteelMyHeart85420]

This is more of a "sequence of events" question than a "how to". I bought an older ('78) Case stockman 6375 on the Bay, after receiving it, I noticed a scale pin was missing it's head, allowing the bone to pull away from the liner a bit. Nearly guaranteeing eventual breakage if I carried it. So, after a $15 + shipping quote from Case, I removed the remainder of the pin (wasn't long enough to re-peen), filed/ sanded a new pin to fit, my question is---without disassembling the knife, will a head (small as it may be) form on the liner side as I'm peening the outer/ scale side? Recommendations on epoxying, as well? On a knife that didn't matter much to me, I'd just go for it and see....but, I'd really like to do this one as right as I can. BTW, I'm using a Dewalt flatbar for a peening surface....As always, any advice appreciated.

[muskrat man]

divot the liner side of the pin with a small round burr in a dremel or V cut it with a tri file so it will flare or splay out when you hit it. I'm assuming your using the flat bar inside the knife like the horn on a stiddy?

[#goldpan]

From what I can see in the pics, The pin length will have to be longer than the thickness of the handle+ liner. If you drop an unfinished pin in from the scale side with the knife already on the flat bar you are using. Then you can peen a little at a time. Check to see if the head is forming on the inside of the liner. It should. When the head is sized about right the head on the outside should start to form. If the pin starts to bend. Stop. Trim it shorter if its still usable. If not restart with a slightly shorter pin. I don't know anything about the flat bar your using. It should be hardened with no flex. When I do this I use my stiddy. Other may do this different, just my two cents worth. Hope it helps!

Randy

[orvet]

If the flat bar is held in a vise and it is thin enough to get inside the knife it should work like the horn of an stiddy, though you may need to thin the bar a bit first.

I would follow MM suggestion of making an indentation at the hole with a small burr and also of filing a slot in the end of the pin. Depending on the location of the pin, it is possible that the tang of the blade may rub the left over pin stock if there is too much pin left sticking above the liner. If the pin is at the tip end of the blade a little extra pin material won't hurt anything.

If the leftover pin material is rubbing the tang, you will have to file it out with a small flat jewelers file.

[SteelMyHeart85420]

I just started to smile reading the simple, but genius, tip of making a slit in the end of the pin to splay out while peening. Not sure I have a Dremel bit small enough for the end of this pin, (currently too lazy to make a new one, with divot put in first), will have to split the pin with a razor blade...there just ain't a lot of pin there. But, Imma give it a go today, will post up results. Many thanks to the responders. No mention of epoxy, so I won't use any, suppose it's a lot easier to fix a mistake without it

[orvet]

Epoxy is not absolutely necessary, but if I am the least bit doubtful I will use it.
If I were doing your project, I would use epoxy just as an extra measure of insurance.
Nothing worse than to finish a knife and have the scale pin pop out in a day or two!

[SteelMyHeart85420]

I still say the flatbar was a field-expedient bit of genius when you find yourself stiddyless---however, I should have followed Dale's advice on grinding it a little bit slimmer, so it fully fits between the liners to peen the pin. I was going good until it slipped just a tad and I drove the pin too deep and split the handle. Grrrr, Ordered some Zap-A-Gap, will try mending it all back together and use a wee bit less zeal with my hammer next time. A painful lesson