How To Improve Your Kilt Pins

[Truitt]

Awhile back I read the following post:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=77933

Dale's comments about kilt pins inspired me to come up with a solution to sagging, 'fabric unfriendly' kilt pins.

Here are two typical kilt pins.

IMG_4080.jpg

And they have the typical pin on the back.

IMG_4081.jpg

So I used a rotary tool with a cutting wheel to carefully cut the pins off. The metal was fairly soft, so the cutting was pretty easy

IMG_4082.jpg

Then I used a fine file to get rid of the humps and burs.

IMG_4084.jpg

I bought some quick-set epoxy and some nickel-plated brass tie-tack posts for this project. Do a web search for tie-tack posts and you should be able to find something suitable.

IMG_4085.jpg

I used a grinding wheel on the rotary tool to fit the tie-tack posts to the cross and filed the edges smooth. Then I used the epoxy to glue the posts in place.

IMG_4086.jpg

IMG_4087.jpg

And here is the finished product after letting them sit for the epoxies four-hour set-up time.

IMG_4089.jpg

The epoxy seems more than sturdy enough to hold the pins in place. Time will tell. Silver solder might be another option for connecting the posts, but I was concerned about heat discoloring the pins. I'm sure a reputable jeweler could tack the posts on with silver solder, but I don't trust myself to do it.

This probably isn't something you would want to do to your heirloom sterling-silver kilt pin, but I think it would be safe enough for most pewter kilt pins.

[rlh2]

Very nice tutorial and pics. Thanks for taking the time to post this.

[Father Bill]

Great idea! Thanks for sharing!

[brewerpaul]

This is a good idea to replace the standard pin closure on the back of many kilt pins. I use these type posts to make all my kilt pins which run the gamut of stones to metal medallions. They work well and are fairly secure. The issues I have had is the backs pulling off without your knowing it. This has happened most often when I get into my car and my kilt pins gets sandwiched between my thigh and my steering wheel or if my kilt pin unknowingly gets snagged on something. I keep a couple of the backs in my sporran just in case I lose one. This is a nice alternative to the pins usually on the back of the kilt pins.

This pin has three post type attachments to the back, two at the top and one at the bottom to keep it well centered.

[Dale Seago]

Excellent creative solution

[Riverkilt]

Great idea. I wish I was such a craftsman.

I have replaced all my straight pin clamp thingies on my kilt pins with straight pins with a product called "Pin Keepers" They come a dozen to the bag, slip down over the pin, and have an allan screw on the side that you tighten with the supplied allan wrench so you don't have to worry about the clamp part coming off.

[AJBryant]

Brilliant! Thanks for the tip!

[JohntheBiker]

I have replaced all my straight pin clamp thingies on my kilt pins with straight pins with a product called "Pin Keepers" They come a dozen to the bag, slip down over the pin, and have an allan screw on the side that you tighten with the supplied allan wrench so you don't have to worry about the clamp part coming off.

The other advantage to pin keepers is that they don't have the sharp edges associated with the normal pin locks - no scraping on aprons.

[herminator]

I do that with all my kilt pins! Plus it makes it very easy to convert other stuff to kilt pins!

Shalom
Hermann

[Powermac]

This is awesome, but I'm not a fan of those posts. The backs always seem to fall off, defeating the purpose. I used pencil erasers for the pins on my letter jacket; that did the trick.