Definition
A solid rivet with a low, broad, slightly rounded head originally used on aircraft skin where minimal air resistance was required without the need for a flush surface. The brazier head has a larger diameter and shallower profile than a roundhead rivet, providing good bearing strength on thin sheet metal while presenting less drag. It has been largely superseded by the universal-head rivet (AN470/MS20470) in modern aircraft construction.
Plain English
A type of metal fastener with a wide, low, gently domed head. It was used on aircraft skin to hold sheets together while keeping the bump on the outside small enough not to slow the airplane down too much.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance, especially in sheet-metal repair and rivet identification.
Derivation
The name comes from the head's resemblance to a brazier -- a shallow, broad metal pan used to hold burning coals. The wide, low, rounded shape of the rivet head looks like a small brazier sitting on the metal surface.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots involved in ownership, inspection, or restoration of older aircraft may see brazier-head rivets on legacy airframes. Knowing the type matters because replacement rivets must match the original in head style, material, and size to maintain the structural integrity and airworthiness of the repair.
Analogy
It looks more like a low, rounded button than a flat screw head.
Intuition Check
Do not confuse “brazier-head” with “brazed.” A brazier-head rivet is named for the shape of its head, not for a heating or metal-joining process.
Example Sentence 1
The mechanic identified the original fasteners on the wing skin as brazier-head rivets and ordered matching replacements for the patch repair.
Example Sentence 2
Brazier-head rivets were selected for the wing repair because they gave adequate strength while keeping drag low.