Rivet

Solid rivet
A solid rivet consists of a solid shaft with a head at one end. The tail of a solid rivet is deformed using a rivet gun or hammer to keep it in place.

Split rivet
A split rivet has a divided shaft to create more surface area after it has been passed through the joint. The rivet has a sharp end, and the added surface area keeps the rivet from pulling back through softer materials such as leather, wood, and plastic. Split rivets are commonly used in basic repair works at home, and they are not used in critical applications.

Blind rivet (pop rivet)
Blind rivets are suitable when one side of the joint cannot be seen or accessed. They are also known as 'pop rivets' and use a rivet gun to pull a mandrel through the hollow shaft of the rivet after being inserted through the hole joining two surfaces. The mandrel deforms the rivet's body and allows the riveter to fasten the materials with access to only one side of the surface. The mandrel snaps off at a 'necked' point where the mandrel is weakest, leaving it more or less flush with the head of the rivet.

Friction lock rivet
Also known as a self-plugging rivet, friction lock rivets are a type of blind rivet which use the internal pressure of a stem that is drawn through a hollow sleeve which expands the shaft and uses pressure within the shaft to join materials and plug the hole behind it.

Threaded rivet
Threaded rivets are blind rivets with internally threaded, hollow shafts. These rivets thread onto a mandrel on a rivet gun. The mandrel is pulled through the shaft, which upsets the shaft. These blind rivets are solid and sometimes feature external ridges that allow for better surface area contact within the pilot hole.

Semi-tubular rivet
Much like a solid rivet, a semi-tubular rivet has a hole at the end of the tail. The hole causes the shaft to roll outward when force is applied, hence requiring less force for application and assembly.