In the softer materials I barb the pins and use dovetail bolsters (most the time)

If using dove tails on both ends there is no reason I see to CHANCE braking your materials by
peened pins so I just barb them and use Epoxy
NOW peening pins in metal to medal is another story,

yes by all means peen the pins, though I don't use epoxies on these pins because you
will end up with a ring around the pin that you will see,,
if you pin metal (bolsters) and use 1/8' pins as I use
most the time in straight Blades

I leave a little more then the width on both ends I cone the ends at about 60
degree's and the shoulder of the cones should end up at just about
the surface of the almost finished surface ,
the hole should be tapered just a little part way in,, a Tapered reamer will work
( i place dummy pins in to get to the almost finished state)

when you peen the cone of the pin, by hit it striaght down
you in effect drive a column of pin material inside it self
expanding the inner pin out against the slight taper you put in and
not driving the pin against it self inside bending it
now you may end up with a little space in between the tang and the bolsters ,

before you are done peening take a piece of leather and lay it on the anvil and peen
again, this will drive the pin through the bolsters just enough and tighten the
bolster against the tang then finish peen with out the leather(buffer)
(this amount of extra pin should give you just enough to finish off.)

The next set of bolsters I do I will add pictures to this

this is the way I do it just a little different then other makers
but for the reasons I have said..just the way I do it.