Brass rivets

[Barry Smoger]

I want to remove and restore the bronze hardware on the wooden spars of my 32' Dickerson ketch.
They are held in with brass rivets. How do I do this? Is there a source of replacements to refit them? What is the process to replace them? I have never used rivets (except for pop-rivets). Thanks!

[jason stumpf]

barry,
are you sure they're not copper? that's alot more common for rivets. in any event, most rivets start out life as a nail and a burr (or a washer). the nail is driven through a pre-drilled hole, the burr is put over the pointy end, the extra nail is cut off, and the little stub is peened over with--drum roll--a ball peen hammer. to remove, simply grind away the mushroomed head. then drive out the nail with a drift pin.
jason