Thread: pin tightening advice

My first straight razor a Torrey is in good shape but the pivot pin is loose. It closes quickly and has some side to side play, it requires a lot of care closing it.
I've been trying to tighen the pin with a tack hammer. Tapping the pin like 10 time one side of the pin then flipping it and 10 times on the other. I did that for about 30 mins and it isn't getting any tighter.
I just wanted to make sure I'm on the right track, or should I take a diffrent approach?
Thanks

Try using a small ball peen hammer. Use the ball end. I guess a tack hammer could work too. Make sure the backside of pin is on something solid like a vise or anvil. Careful not to crack the scales’ it happens. Maybe somebody else will chime in, kind of surprised no one did. Good luck.
MIke

are the scales straight?
Also what are you using for your pining surface under the razor?

DO NOT make the mistake of hitting harder...

The pins should tighten rather easily if everything is done correctly, in fact you can tighten pins with a tablespoon..

NEVER use more pressure then you would hit your own finger with, no really, put your finger on the table and tap it with the hammer, yep right there at the edge of yer fingernail, that is a sensitive spot.. If it hurts yer tapping to hard..

The problem that sometimes occurs is that the pin is bent inside it looks kinda like this > in there only not quite that bad
This creates a spring effect when you try and tighten the pins, which means you hit harder, and bend the pin worse, and hit harder and SNAP !!!!

If it doesn't tighten after you make sure you are doing everything right then STOP.... it needs a new pin

The sticky at the top of the workshop forum has Illustrated guides and Vids on how to tighten pins... and if need be how to make and replace them..

Welcome to the Workshop: How do I / Where do I / What do I / answers are here


PS: There are some pics of bent pins coming out of scales on a few of those threads in the sticky it illustrates how bad some actually are in there...

Thanks for help everyone. I got it!
I was resting it on a wood bench before. Then I switched to the back of a vice, a metal surface - that made all the diffrence because it tightened up in like 5 minuets. Its great now, closes nice and centered. Its still maybe a little loose at about 1/4 open but I didn't want to risk over tighening.
The tack hammer worked well. Its small and easy to control, its less than 4 oz I think. My ball peen hammer is much heavier, maybe 6 or 8oz.