POW! How I test my hardened steel reed removal pin
Don't try this at home!
My reed replacement tools are made with hardened steel. I harden and temper the steel myself by hand. This is how I test the tip of the reed removal pin. It's tough enough to poke itself into a steel bar like a nail into wood!
The sharp tip is ground down - it needs to be flat at the tip to push the rivet out, not spit it in the middle!