Powder flask repair?

[Widows Son]

Hello all, hope everyone is doing well. I’m unsure of the proper forum place to post this question.
I’m attaching a picture of a brass powder flask that has come apart at the seam and spills precious and expensive blackpowder.
I did a field expedient repair with some packing tape but need to properly resolve the problem.
I’m assuming that solder of some kind is necessary. Any advice on how to proceed?

Kind regards and thank you for your consideration

 

[flntlokr]

I would first try polishing the brass along the split, including as much of the matching edges that you can. Then use a c-clamp to gently squeeze the sides back together. Apply a small amount of flux to the area that needs to be joined. Use a fairly hard solder, and apply it with a hot iron. The solder should flow into the joint as you progress. When you have gone all the way along the break, let it cool before you remove the clamp. I had to solder a piece of copper wire over the joint on one I did years ago. Good luck. (There is always JB Weld if the above doesn't work: I won't tell, honest!)

 

[LawrenceA]

That is a pretty severe split. Honestly this is not a simple fix in my experience.
I have fixed a couple of minor splits and am trying to fix one myself with a severe split (almost seperate halves). Mine is currently a mess as I do not have my soldering irons here. Well I hope that is the problem.

Solder is one option but even with the right tools it is hit and miss getting it to work and then there is a lot of cleaning to remove old solder. As well you need to be careful to not expand the split.
To hold the halves together a spring loaded clamp works well.

The issue is solder will only stick to clean metal and often the flux is not enough to cut through old oxidation.
If you were to solder then I would suggest you need to get a bit of sandpaper and sand the edges clean. You can forget about patina as this will be lost but can be encouraged by applying BP fouling with a wet rag to the flask after completion.
You then need to flux and preferably use an old fashioned soldering iron (the old lump of copper on an iron rod with wooden handle properly tinned) to draw the solder along the seam.
If you use a torch there is a tendency for the solder to fail to stick as the metal oxidizes too quickly.

Your other potential options are to use an epoxy or to basically encase the flask in leather.
The leather option has the advantage that it is reversible and will not alter the flask in any way as well as being historically correct. This is what I think I would do but you lose the design.

Like I said struggling with the same problem but at least I can help you not repeat my mistakes.
Let us know how you go. Please. Especially if you find a magic bullet.

 

[Widows Son]

I would first try polishing the brass along the split, including as much of the matching edges that you can. Then use a c-clamp to gently squeeze the sides back together. Apply a small amount of flux to the area that needs to be joined. Use a fairly hard solder, and apply it with a hot iron. The solder should flow into the joint as you progress. When you have gone all the way along the break, let it cool before you remove the clamp. I had to solder a piece of copper wire over the joint on one I did years ago. Good luck. (There is always JB Weld if the above doesn't work: I won't tell, honest!)

Thanks mate, I appreciate your help. As far as JB Weld goes, one of the shoulder strap clips came out and I tried JB. It didn’t last very long, dried and cracked off. So I’d rather try proper solder

 

[Widows Son]

That is a pretty severe split. Honestly this is not a simple fix in my experience.
I have fixed a couple of minor splits and am trying to fix one myself with a severe split (almost seperate halves). Mine is currently a mess as I do not have my soldering irons here. Well I hope that is the problem.

Solder is one option but even with the right tools it is hit and miss getting it to work and then there is a lot of cleaning to remove old solder. As well you need to be careful to not expand the split.
To hold the halves together a spring loaded clamp works well.

The issue is solder will only stick to clean metal and often the flux is not enough to cut through old oxidation.
If you were to solder then I would suggest you need to get a bit of sandpaper and sand the edges clean. You can forget about patina as this will be lost but can be encouraged by applying BP fouling with a wet rag to the flask after completion.
You then need to flux and preferably use an old fashioned soldering iron (the old lump of copper on an iron rod with wooden handle properly tinned) to draw the solder along the seam.
If you use a torch there is a tendency for the solder to fail to stick as the metal oxidizes too quickly.

Your other potential options are to use an epoxy or to basically encase the flask in leather.
The leather option has the advantage that it is reversible and will not alter the flask in any way as well as being historically correct. This is what I think I would do but you lose the design.

Like I said struggling with the same problem but at least I can help you not repeat my mistakes.
Let us know how you go. Please. Especially if you find a magic bullet.

Thank you for your help. My soldering skills are pretty shaky but as I understand it, solder can be cleaned up and try again.
There is a chemical option...there is a gooey substance that is poured into fuel tanks and sticks to the walls, and when it dries it seals all gaps. However I don’t know if it’s economical to buy such a little amount of this substance.

 

[LawrenceA]

Thank you for your help. My soldering skills are pretty shaky but as I understand it, solder can be cleaned up and try again.
There is a chemical option...there is a gooey substance that is poured into fuel tanks and sticks to the walls, and when it dries it seals all gaps. However I don’t know if it’s economical to buy such a little amount of this substance.

Perhaps see if they will do it for you???

 

[Rudyard]

If the flask is original it warrents great care .If its a replica give it the' boyancy test' and mend it with a new one .They where very cheap & I expect they still are .I once took a smaller' Florenteen' Italian flask embossed with the most gicky designe . I repeatedly painted it till the designe was drowned & sewed leather till it would admit of my fitting a nice double shutter top I added a ring before I covered it . It has served me well for many years . Some exellent Indian made flasks with various designs where and perhaps still are sold in recent years they varied but the ones I sold had good quality double shutter tops unlike the common tops of most of these military flasks .
Regards Rudyard

 

[Kansas Jake]

If it is a replica, then have fun trying to repair it as there is no great loss if it fails. Just make sure all the powder is gone before taking a soldering iron to it. I would try to clean up the edges, flux and clamp it together as suggested and see if my poor soldering skills would do the job. I've sweated some water pipes together so this would not be much different. It might not look pretty, but if it seals you can have the pride of repairing it yourself.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I am surprised no one mentioned that before trying to solder the flask you should wash it out with water several times to make sure all powder is removed!Many years ago I thought I had all of the gasoline removed from a gas tank by blowing compressed air through it for fifteen minutes before attempting to solder a hole in it. It blew across the shop and damaged the panel in the door! Safety first!

 

[Marc Schmidt]

Hello, I'm new to this forum but I'm very interested in muzzleloaders and always read the tips and advice on building or repairing muzzle-loaders and accessories. Here's a tip from me, hold the powder bottle together with wire. You can see how to do that here:
Youtube: making a Powder Flask (it's not me).
A clamp is normaly to strong and if you heat the bottle too much, the clamp will squeeze the bottle in the wrong direction or too much. And the soldering iron mustn't be too weak. Don't forget the flux and don't press the solder on it, but let it run along the edges as soon as the heat is sufficient.
Instead of pure flux, you can also use a fitting soldering paste (already contains tin), which you apply very thinly with a small spatula.
And since the solder will run down the edge, you have to clamp the bottle with the crack down and fix one side first and then the other side.

"Du schaffst das schon." as we say here.

 

[toot]

I would first try polishing the brass along the split, including as much of the matching edges that you can. Then use a c-clamp to gently squeeze the sides back together. Apply a small amount of flux to the area that needs to be joined. Use a fairly hard solder, and apply it with a hot iron. The solder should flow into the joint as you progress. When you have gone all the way along the break, let it cool before you remove the clamp. I had to solder a piece of copper wire over the joint on one I did years ago. Good luck. (There is always JB Weld if the above doesn't work: I won't tell, honest!)

make Shure that it has been rinsed out to get all of the powder residue is out before you apply heat too it. dust flashes faster than the speed of light!

 

[toot]

it looks' like a repro, if so chuck it and buy a new one, it just isn't worth the bother and agaraviation. they make new ones every day.

 

[Robby]

I like Rudyards' term 'buoyancy test' for replica's!!!! If I were to try a repair for a flask in such condition, the first thing I would do is completely disassemble it to where both halves of the flasks' edges could be properly addressed in preparation to being re-soldered.
Robby

 

[ZUG]

I would solder it - if it holds your a winner if not toss it and get a new one. I would use a soldering iron not a torch as the heat from the torch will open up the rest of the seam UNLESS you are very good with a torch. A large soldering iron maybe required to give enough local heat to get the solder to flow and stick the joint closed.

 

[ohio ramrod]

While at an Eastern several years ago I noticed my flask had separated at the seam. I got some tape from the medic and taped it for the week. I wrapped the flask with muslin and sewed it tight expecting to do a permanent repair when I got home. That was about six or seven years ago. The tape and muslin are still holding! Fancy? No. But still working.

 

[Eutycus]

I'd probably go with the J B Weld, I think it would hold a seam together unlike a shoulder strap clip. Besides I can't solder.

 

[Robby]

At one time you couldn't read or write either, learn. It is one of the things that makes life so enjoyable.
Robby