Changing pitch of cast buttplate

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Hi All,
I have a silly question, because I'm sure the answer is obvious, just not to me and I don't recall seeing it mentioned in any books or videos I've watched. My cast brass (bronze?) buttplate is set for a pitch of about 1". For me, with a big chest, that digs in at the toe and I need about 6" pitch. If I align the butt portion, it leaves the part at the heel jutting up at an ugly angle. How do I bend it down without hosing up the complex curves? I'm guessing it involves a torch, a vise, maybe a couple wooden blocks and
maybe a mallet? Also don't be alarmed, this is a construction lumber practice stock to help me figure out all my dimensions and to work out some of my mistakes before I get to the fancy maple.
Jim Kibler has a video showing how he tweets one for his Fowler before shipping. Might help.
 
No. Not true.
really after working as a jeweler and 21 years at federal cartridge running brass lines. even as cast, brass when working it does need to be annealed periodically for it to remain workable. bending cast leads to work hardening and cracks. can it be done? yes but for a novice why not error on the side of caution.
 
A LOT of the early 60's - 70's and 80's "brass" cast butt plates and trigger guards were not pure brass. They were some sort of an alloy some were all bronze and dickens to file. I've bent a few very small amounts to get them to fit the contour of a stock but not a lot. I did not have to anneal them when I bent them.

I would re-profile the wood to fit the butt plate and bend the butt plate a SMALL amount to get the final fit if needed.
 
really after working as a jeweler and 21 years at federal cartridge running brass lines. even as cast, brass when working it does need to be annealed periodically for it to remain workable. bending cast leads to work hardening and cracks. can it be done? yes but for a novice why not error on the side of caution.
I believe Jim was referring to the need to water quench after heating. That part was not true. Brass can be heated and allowed to air-cool to anneal.
 
I was just cleaning up a "brass" trigger guard and it snapped at the end of the trigger bow. I attempted to solder it back together. Map gas on high for over 5 minutes and the "brass" never got red, never changed colors, and of course, would not solder.

I'll make my own brass TG.
 
I was just cleaning up a "brass" trigger guard and it snapped at the end of the trigger bow. I attempted to solder it back together. Map gas on high for over 5 minutes and the "brass" never got red, never changed colors, and of course, would not solder.
Been there, done that, see post #18 above. My fix: ordered parts kit with new trigger guard.
 
Been there, done that, see post #18 above. My fix: ordered parts kit with new trigger guard.
I decided to just make my own TG from sheet brass. I watched a step by step on the "how to". I can silver solder and have brass silver solder on hand.

After hammering out a buttcap for my pistol, the TG will be a piece of cake. (Yeah.....cake?)
 
I was just cleaning up a "brass" trigger guard and it snapped at the end of the trigger bow. I attempted to solder it back together. Map gas on high for over 5 minutes and the "brass" never got red, never changed colors, and of course, would not solder.

I'll make my own brass TG.
It’s doesn’t take much heat to solder. You definitely don’t want the metal to change colors
 
Makes no difference.

Jim Kibler
Metallurgist
LOL
Ok, Jim - since you're the expert here (not being snarky), please enlighten us. How come we've broken brass parts (I broke a dragoon brass backstrap) and you've never had a problem?
 
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