I've been making a few deep reach clamps and have challenges retaining the steel pins where they pass through the wood (no problem with the one location they pass through steel). I've been using old bolts to make the pins, and they're somewhat variable in diameter, a few thousandths at the very least less than 1/4" ... the amount I've drilled the holes. My success at "enlarging" the ends to keep them from slipping through is not very promising.
Would steel rod be closer to the correct diameter? Would I be able to cut and then peen over hardened rod (W1, A2, etc)?