A blind rivet is a type of mechanical fastener that is used to join two or more pieces of material together. It consists of a cylindrical body with a mandrel through the center. The mandrel has a head on one end and is tapered on the other. To use a blind rivet, the mandrel is inserted through holes in the materials to be joined and the rivet is then placed in a setting tool. The tool pulls the mandrel head into the rivet body, causing the mandrel to expand and securely fasten the materials together. Blind rivets are commonly used in situations where access to the back side of the materials is not possible, hence the name "blind" rivet. steady-ind.com