Silver pins for inlays

[n stephenson]

I am building a rifle with quite a few silver inlays. My question is two fold . What size rod do most prefer , for pins? Where is a good place to get it?   My inlays are coin silver.

[ltdann]

I get my silver from Rio Grande Jewelry.  You can get it 6-32 gauge, dead soft .999 silver.  Last project, I bought a foot of each of three different sizes but ended up using wire .064 (14 gauge) the most.

Dan

[David Rase]

I make my silver nails for inlays out of 18g .040" diameter sterling wire.  I made a nail header by sharpening a small twist drill with an approximately 80 degree angle.  I used this drill to counter sink the nail header and also to make a matching countersink on my inlay.
David

[JCKelly]

I believe old silver inlays - at least on early 19th century rifles - were held by iron pins. Not silver.
Iron pins work better, too

[Mike Brooks]

I use odd bits left over from old silver coins I have cut inlays out of. I hammer these bits square with a taper. They are good and stiff after they are hammered. I was just looking at an old gun with a lot of silver inlay the other day. those pins appeared to be rectangular in shape, as if they may have been cut out of rolled sheet.

[JCKelly]

Applause to the man who can still use a hammer.

[Tim Crosby]

 This would have been helpful if PB had let things be. May still be able to get the gist.

 http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=15.0

  Tim C.