Copper Rivet Peening Problem

[DavidL]

I been peeing some copper rivets and had some success. My issue is that the backside has a bump when I peen it.

The issue may be because I hit the front too hard or I am not using a metal anvil (flat or curved?) The back also gets scratched easily on a poundo board (maybe a piece of leather in-between the board and rivet)

[RavenAus]

For copper you really do need a metal anvil on the backside. Even something small on top of the poundo will help, if you can't get an actual anvil. I use an old plane iron on my press for anything that requires a hard surface. Copper though I do on my anvil, since I've got it

[Dwight]

Go get a piece of 3/8 inch steel, . . . a 4 inch square piece will do the job, . . . cover it with one layer of masking tape.

Set it square over top of the leg on your table top, . . . and pound away.

Also, . . . copper rivets, . . . for me, mind you, . . . respond much better to the soft, tap, tap, tap, tap touch than they do to the whack, whack touch.

It also takes practice, . . . and maybe 5 bucks worth of copper rivets in a small piece of throw away leather. It actually is a good financial investment.

Only screwing up one project with a really bum rivet job, . . . have to take it out, . . . then ruin the piece, . . . and you'll see why I said that.

May God bless,

Dwight

[johnv474]

You want metal on metal, definitely. If you have nothing else, lie hammer on its side and pound against the side of the head.

[papaw]

Frist off make sure the rivet is not to long if it is cut it off. I start by hitting rivet on the very top but not real hard, I then start hiting it in a circle to work it out around and even it out and flat.

[DavidL]

thanks for the responses il pick up a small anvil and tap lighter.

[Ken Cook]

I just watched a How To video on copper rivets. Go to springfieldleather.com, Home Page and look for "Kevin's Helpful Hints Videos".

The Rivet Video is second from the top.

Good Luck,

Ken

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

I second everything stated in the above posts. One more tip- make absolutely sure your hole is at a 90* angle to the back side of the material, esp on thicker projects. If your hole is not square with the back side of the material, it will give you all sorts of trouble. This CAN easily happen on the heavier harness projects, like breeching ends and pad bridge layers near the square, where the top side may be at a different angle than the back. On projects like that I use a drill press.

[DavidL]

I just watched a How To video on copper rivets. Go to springfieldleather.com, Home Page and look for "Kevin's Helpful Hints Videos".

The Rivet Video is second from the top.

Good Luck,

Ken

Than you Ken. Watched the video and found out that my clippers aren't cutting the rivet post flush.

I second everything stated in the above posts. One more tip- make absolutely sure your hole is at a 90* angle to the back side of the material, esp on thicker projects. If your hole is not square with the back side of the material, it will give you all sorts of trouble. This CAN easily happen on the heavier harness projects, like breeching ends and pad bridge layers near the square, where the top side may be at a different angle than the back. On projects like that I use a drill press.

Il keep that in mind. Thanks.

[Spence]

Tapping is the way to go. You want to build up heat on the shaft of the rivet in order to peen the shaft over. Same goes with solid brass. Every time I even put anything behind the hammer, I bend the shaft. I now use the 6" ballpeen hammer from Harbor Freight. Just it's own weight and me guiding it to the head of the shaft is enough. I don't use copper anymore, but with solid brass, I do the peening on my granite with a piece of pigskin scrap under the head. Patience and practice.

[quirtevans]

I have good luck just using the chunk of granite countertop that I use for my tooling (if you can call it that!)

Then I trim the post a bit with an end nipper, and sometimes use a small file to smooth it out.....

[Nuttish]

Try a 1 lb or less brass blacksmithing hammer with the face dressed to be slightly convex. Peening rivets through leather is still ... cold forging.

[Ken Cook]

I like the Pig Skin under the rivet head idea.

[footrat]

I peen with the flat of the rivet directly on my granite slab. For thick folds, such as around buckles and whatnot, the alignment is tougher, so I might have to hang part of the piece off the edge of the slab to make sure I'm still setting and peening straight up and down. Any odd angles will make thick leather shift and lead to bent shafts on the rivets. You'll end up with the flat of the rivet digging in on one edge and sitting high on the other.

[Kevin]

One more hint, make the hole small enough that you have to force the rivet through it, this holds the rivet still while you work. Try holding a rivet between your fingers and peen it and you'll see what I'm talking about.

[earlthegoat2]

Ive never had a problem using using my 4" thick piece of granite that I also use for tooling. Why is everyone suggesting metal? I exclusively use copper rivets so I have done a few.