Riveting Tools

Rivet head formers for shaping the closing head

A rivet head former shapes the closing head: the round head you form yourself on the back of the rivet. The tool head contains a recess in the desired shape, giving you a smooth domed head instead of a flattened shank.

Our rivet former set consists of seven head formers in sizes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 mm, made from chrome vanadium and manufactured to DIN 6435. The octagonal shank sits securely in your hand and won't roll away on your workbench.

First upset the protruding part of the shank with one of our forging hammers, then shape the head with the head former. In the trade you'll also hear the names dolly and snap for the same tool.

Rivet sets for drawing up rivets

A rivet set draws up the rivet: you use it to hammer the parts tightly together before riveting. The tool has a hole that fits the rivet shank exactly, so you press the sheet parts together without touching the existing head.

Beginners often skip this step, and you can see it in the joint. If any play remains between the parts, the riveted joint will never close fully and the rivet will work loose under load.

The rivet set kit contains seven sets in sizes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 mm, made from chrome vanadium and to DIN 6434. The shank of every set is octagonal. Other names for this tool are drift and set punch.

Rivet block as a backing tool for riveting

A rivet block is the backing tool for riveting: the block absorbs the blow on the head side while you hammer on the other side. Without a backing tool, your striking force is lost in the workpiece and the existing head deforms.

The block is made of hardened steel and measures approximately 100 x 100 x 20 mm. It is suitable for rivets with a shank diameter between 2 and 20 mm, so also for heavier rivets than the header and drift sets can handle.

You place the base on your anvil or clamp it in a heavy-duty bench vise, depending on the height at which you want to work. A solid surface saves blows and produces a neater head.

Rivet cutter for knocking off a rivet head

With a rivet cutter you knock the head off a fitted rivet, for example during restoration work or when a joint has to come apart. The model in our range weighs 1.5 kg and comes with a handle.

A rivet head that has been knocked off flies away at high speed. So keep the danger zone clear and work with a guard or another safety measure.

Which size of riveting tool suits your rivets?

The size of your riveting tool follows the shank diameter of the rivet, not the diameter of the head. So a 6 mm rivet calls for a 6 mm header and a 6 mm drift.

The sets between 2 and 10 mm cover everyday work: sheet metal, fittings, toolboxes and decorative ironwork. The rivet base goes up to 20 mm and therefore remains usable if you take on heavier work later on.

Let the shank protrude about one and a half times the diameter of the rivet before you start. If too little sticks out, you won't get the head full; if too much sticks out, the shank will bend sideways instead of upsetting.

Buying riveting tools

You can buy riveting tools at Parrot Shopping as a single size or as a complete set. It is A-quality tooling: chrome vanadium for the headers and drifts, hardened steel for the base. 

Not sure which sizes you need for your project? Feel free to ask us: we think along based on what you're making, not on what is most expensive. Shipping is free from 50 euros.