What I did this weekend

**Wolfhawk** · 12th May 09, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by jgcunningham

Lastly, here's my kilt pin. It was a 3" duplex nail in another life, until a took a hammer and file to it.
I'm very pleased with the end results. If you make it to the Texas Scottish Festival next month, you'll see me sporting them proudly.

Jimbo

I am VERY impressed with this kilt pin. If you decide to make any more, please place me on your 'wish list' and I will buy one from you.

**Mipi** · 12th May 09, 11:31 PM

You are very versatile DIYer. Kilt and sporran are good, but idea of making kilt pin out of nail is FANTASTIC. Now I know why I read this forum almost every day!

Any additional hints on kilt pin or it's secret?

Mipi

**jgcunningham** · 14th May 09, 10:46 AM

I'm trying to find a camera that will take a good close-up of the back of the pin. My little digital camera just turns out a blurry mess with no detail.

I also just finished making a matching tam and had enough pieces left to make a fly plaid too.

Jimbo

**Mipi** · 14th May 09, 11:50 PM

Hm....
Any hints on hammering the nail into pin?

THX!

**jgcunningham** · 15th May 09, 05:40 AM

After a couple of starts, I found that if I rushed it, the head would snap off. Take your time and use several hits, working up and down the nail, to flatten it out. I had a small anvil and used a 2# ball peen hammer first and then switched to a 16 oz. after I got the shape right. You don't have to use a lot of swing either, just let the weight of the hammer head do the work for you. All you do is guide it down to hit where you want. Once you get it down flat enough, then take a file to it to get the angles and point right. It's easier to hold the nail and slide it along the file rather than holding the file. I clamped the file down to a worktable to keep it in place. I only shaped one side of it. The back side was left flat to accommodate a brooch pin. You can secure the pin (found in Crafts area at Wal-Mart) to the back with super glue or JB Weld. Just for extra security, when I wound the wire around the handle, I took a turn of it around the pin as well.

Jimbo

**jgcunningham** · 15th May 09, 03:30 PM

Okay. Here's a pic of the front and back of the kilt pin that was formerly a 3" (16d) duplex (double-headed) nail.

**Mipi** · 16th May 09, 08:16 AM

Thanks! That helps!

**vorpallemur** · 16th May 09, 10:03 PM

Duplex nail means one of the ones used for concrete forms, which have two heads, so they can be pulled out easily?

**Canuck** · 17th May 09, 03:58 AM

I guess you didn't hit the "nail on the head"

**jgcunningham** · 17th May 09, 06:21 AM

Originally Posted by vorpallemur

Duplex nail means one of the ones used for concrete forms, which have two heads, so they can be pulled out easily?

You are correct, sir! The only problems I ran into, other than the head snapping off if I hit it too hard, was the nail isn't galvanized and wants to rust. A quick spritz of spray lacquer sealed it from moisture.