You can buy rivets at a hardware or auto supply that do not require any special tools.

https://www.dogids.com/product/two-piece-rivets/?utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase&cvsfa=3973&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=49442d3030353033&gclid=CJeFr7atm8gCFQFsfgodXjcNXQ

Just a regular hammer, rock whatever handy and something like this. Search on "Rivet Set Tool".

Creighton

You don't have to use ribbits instead use Sugino Chainring Bolts. You just put throgh hole on cymbal and screw them together. Here is a photo of what they look like very easy to do. you also find them on E bay or any hardware they come in many sizes and colors.

Thanks a lot. I tried doing one with just a standard hammer, but the results were not pretty. The rivet bent even though my aim is true :)

I've already bought these Zildjian rivets, which were fairly inexpensive, and I only need 6 of the 10 that came in the bag, so it's OK if I mess up a few. I'll try using the tapered punch if I can get my hands on one. I'm not going to buy one. I'll just borrow one. :)

I've also got a bunch of Zildjian rivets and haven't had luck getting them to spread, even after buying a tapered punch to do it. I have heard of people just using a hammer to flatten the end, although that's not as nice as getting the flare. What I've taken to doing is use a small piece of masking tape to create a little "flag" on the end of the rivet. Wind the flag around the rivet to put it in and then unfurl the flag and that keeps it from jumping out. This method works on Zildjian tube rivets as well as split rivets. You fold the tape back on itself (sticky bits together) after starting it off with the sticky part on the rivet itself.

[img]http://black.net.nz/cym2015/rivet-tape.png[/img]

And in use:

[img]http://black.net.nz/cym2015/rivet-tape-in-use.jpg[/img]

I've found this works pretty well, although I did have one rivet jump out in use when the tape had been pulled away through repeated insertion and removal.

For those who are posting alternatives which screw together, diameter matters! Standard holes for rivets in cymbal are 3/16" in diameter (ref: Zildjian info included in rivet packet). I have yet to find a screw together rivet which fits a hole that small. If any of you can find a supply of these which is known to fit loosely through a 3/16" hole then I'm keen for a link. So far, nada. I know that some people drill out their rivet holes to be larger in order to use some of the screw together rivets. I'm not doing that on my vintage Zildjians, thank you. There is even one cymbal company which uses the screw type rivets and larger than standard holes. Their name escapes me at the moment.

Those old brass split binder rivets for holding punched paper together? Probably too wide..,

Those hollow end rivets can be easily spread by using a couple of different sizes of ball bearings and clamping them in a vice... but it's a two person job... someone needs to support the cymbal...does attain a nice and consistent flare though..

Cheers

John

They fit. I use them when I want a really light rivet. And if you want more sizzle mass you can put a tension bolt washer on with one. Not exactly the same sizzle as a purpose made cymbal sizzle, but closer than the brass split paper brad on its own.

That sounds like a good method. More controlled than a hammer. If I get access to a vice I might have a go.

Yes, it says just that on the Zildjian rivet instruction card - 3/16" in diameter. Thanks for the tip, zenstats. It's a good idea, but I'd like to install them for good and just leave that cymbal as a sizzler.

I was hammering one of those rivets over a concrete surface and I missed and struck a hefty hammer blow to the cymbal. There was no damage, but when I flipped the cymbal over there was a nice ding on my beloved Super-Zyn where the playing surface was in contact with the concrete. DOH