<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <html><head><style type="text/css"></style><title>Nature of tuning pins</title></head><body> <div><font face="Arial" color="#000000">? Hi Kendall<br> ? Our pin of choice are Blued, Diamond brand pins. On occasions we use the Japanese pins.? The difference for us is that the Diamond Blued pins clearly have a cut thread that is not blued over & they are far more consistent in true size.? The Nippon Denro typically run on average .002 smaller than the stated size, which can be a good thing when repinning an original block that doens't need a true sized pin.? They also make a 3 1/2 size pin.? Nifty aye?<br> ? The diamond nickel /chrome plated pins appear to have had the threads cut & then plated?over which I dislike & don't trust this though I ahve used them at one time.<br> ? For my Shop made 1/4 cut maple blocks I've had the best uniform fit from the Diamond made pins.<br> ? For years Trix miked all the pins in a set & put the largest in the bass & smallest in the trebles. Finding something truly round is about as consistent as finding something truly straight.? Just try running a micrometer on a few sets and on differing points on the pin & you'll see. It's a good thing wood is pliable & forgiving.<br> ?? My friends once had a set of the Diamond that was oblong/out of round?but to my knowledge this was the only one we've ever heard of. This anomaly occurred during the time when we mic'd every pin... every set.? ughh.? SO diamonds are? more expensive but not when you consider we don't mic pins very often anymore?& they are as reliable as any we've tried<br> ??<br> <br> ?regards</font></div> <x-sigsep><pre>-- </pre></x-sigsep> <div><br> Regards,<br> <br> Jon Page</div> </body> </html>