Brass pins to attach wood handle to metal

[Daniel Rode]

Apparently this spatula has sentimental value and I've been asked to fix it. The steel is simple enough to sort out and making the wooden handle should be as well.
I understand how these handles are attached (although more info is always appreciated). I don't know what to use for the pins or where to get it. They appear to be about 1/8" brass. The holes in the steel are slightly over 1/8" diameter. I need about 3" total length for this project but I'd like to but enough for 3-4 handles. So, a foot or so?

332505

[Steve Voigt]

Any good Ace hardware store should have it. Should only cost a couple bucks. There's usually a little display area with foot-long pieces of brass and stainless rod, tube, and thin strips (the latter good for inlaying wear strips in marking gauges).
I recommend you make very small countersinks (just a few thousandths) on both sides of the handle and peen the brass. Makes for a better job. Also, I like a mill-tooth or vixen file for filing the brass flush. Regular files and sandpaper will tend to embed brass dust in the wood.

[Jim Koepke]

This may be what you are looking to find:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/hardware/page.aspx?p=40386&cat=3,41306,41327

You may find them also available in a local hardware store.

Here is one application of mine:

332508

I couldn't get the cropped image to upload so please excuse the messy counter. This spatula originally had a plastic handle. It was left in the oven and the plastic was a mess.

To install these a brad point bit is used counter bore for the head about 1/16" deep. Then the shaft size can be bored through. It is a little tricky to get this from both sides. The metal of the spatula can be used to lay out the holes. If it is easier to line things up the counter bore can be drilled after the shaft hole. The brad point bit leaves a nice dimple for lining up the shaft size drill.

Make the handle a little oversize so it can be taken to size with a belt sander or what ever adjustment method you may have.

jtk

[Daniel Rode]

Most of the area hardware stores have closed. I couldn't find brass rod at the orange borg, so I bought a foot of #6 copper wire. I experimented with that a bit. I could maybe get it to work, but I think it's a little too soft. However, after seeing the cutlers rivets Jim posted, I think I may order some of those. I'd like to order them from LV, but the shipping for small orders is steep.

I think I'm going to get some brass rod as well. ...And some thin brass plate. I don't intend to do much metal working but it keeps creeping in.

[Dave Beauchesne]

If you know a welder, he may have some 1/8'' brass brazing rod that you just have to knock the flux off of.

Good luck -

Dave B

[george wilson]

Brazing rod is usually quite hard . I'd recommend getting some brass rod from a model maker's selection.

But,the over riding question: IS that spatula from SPATULA CITY?

[bob blakeborough]

You can get brass rods from almost any knife making supply house...

[Daniel Rode]

Thanks George! I would have thought brazing rod was soft.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BUDwj_mXKE


Brazing rod is usually quite hard . I'd recommend getting some brass rod from a model maker's selection.

But,the over riding question: IS that spatula from SPATULA CITY?

[Daniel Rode]

I ordered some of the cutlers rivets from a knife making supply place today. I still want to experiment with brass rod, tho.


You can get brass rods from almost any knife making supply house...

[george wilson]

"I liked the spatula so much,I bought the factory!!":)

Do any of you know where these quotes are from?

I could be wrong about ALL brazing rods being hard. But,all the ones I have tried using are quite hard. So are those rods they make for soldering aluminum at low temperatures. Hard as blazes! And,they seem to work only on fairly THIN aluminum.

[Jim Koepke]

I think Spatula City was an eastern US kind of thing.

Really, how many spatulas does one need?

My wife used to get upset when I called those things spatulas, "those are flippers!" The plastic things for stirring are spatulas.

Okay, looked up Spatula City... Should have known it had something to do with weird Al Yankovic.

jtk

[Ken Fitzgerald]

My local Ace Hardware has those brass rivets.

Make a few phone calls.

[Mark Godlesky]

Spatula City is from the movie UHF with Weird Al Yankovic.