I am in the final year of the model Themis. Doing the rigging and spars.  Love this part because every step is unique.  I made so many blocks, hearts and dead eyes in the past, that I can just open a canister and find the size I need.  But not for the belaying pins.

Belaying pins go through holes in pinrails and used to secure rigging lines.  Also could be used in ship fights as a club.  Think of them as a billy club that cops used to carry around.

Now, at the scale I am using, these should be about 18 inches long.

Many years ago I did not know how to make these so I ordered a package from a model fittings supplier.  Horribly over scale, yet many model builders use them.  So I determined to make my own.  I used the lovely boxwood and the mini lathe that Blaine gave me many years ago.  Tiny lathe work but so happy at the results.

The picture on the left is a pin in the lathe nearing completion.  The picture on the right is the result of about 6 hours of work.

The little pin at the bottom left is one of the belaying pins I purchased many years ago.  You can see why I make my own.  They would be like a thick softball bat.