Hardening and Tempering steel

I visited Alchemy Studios in Bath, Ontario to meet Mitchell Elliott. He was kind enough to show me how to harden and temper steel to make some tools.

Until now, I have been limited in the kinds of tools I can offer. I haven't been offering a reed replacement solution because I haven't been able to make a proper pin for reed removal. What I have been able to come up with until now has been too small and quite brittle. Now that's changed.

These pins are hardened, tempered and one is also polished.

This is for reed removal:

The pin is easy to align. Its tip is small to drive out the rivet without warping the reed plate. It's hard enough to last a lifetime. It's tempered so it won't shatter.

I'll be putting together a complete reed replacement kit which will include an M1.4 tap, pin vise and Stainless Steel M1.4 screws. The kit will be available soon. Stay tuned!