Twisted Brass

[WALKERs210]

Have an old CVA pistol kit that was half way assembled but nothing ever fit and finished. Waiting for new barrel to come in but just started dry fitting parts and noticed the trigger guard is slightly twisted and bent to one side. Its not major but enough that would not look right. I have worked with metals of all type over the years and very proud of some of the work that I have been able to pull off. I have never tried to straighten or bend brass and afraid if I try to cold bend it might break. Was thinking that a propane torch might put enough heat without melting or damaging the trigger guard. Help and comments appreciated.

 

[jsn]

you could aneal it.

 

[rich pierce]

As said above, heat to dull red in a darkened room (quite dark in the room) and toss it in a bucket of water. Lay it on wood and pound it straight with a hardwood, plastic, lead-faced, or copper mallet.

 

[Zonie]

You'll probably find that it bends rather easily but I don't guarantee it.

For reasons I've never figured out some brass castings are as ductile as hard lard but others are quite brittle.

 

[bioprof]

You'll probably find that it bends rather easily but I don't guarantee it.

For reasons I've never figured out some brass castings are as ductile as hard lard but others are quite brittle.

I've heard it is because some brass castings are actually a bronze alloy which is brittle. The pure brass is very flexible. If it is brass, it should bend easily with little effort, unless it has work hardened.

For some reason, most of the sand castings are pure brass and are easy to bend. Many of the investment castings, which are more expensive, are brittle. As a beginning builder, I thought that investment castings would be easier to work with, but I actually found that the sand cast parts were really a lot easier to work with.

 

[matt denison]

You'll probably find that it bends rather easily but I don't guarantee it.

For reasons I've never figured out some brass castings are as ductile as hard lard but others are quite brittle.

I've heard it is because some brass castings are actually a bronze alloy which is brittle. The pure brass is very flexible. If it is brass, it should bend easily with little effort, unless it has work hardened.

For some reason, most of the sand castings are pure brass and are easy to bend. Many of the investment castings, which are more expensive, are brittle. As a beginning builder, I thought that investment castings would be easier to work with, but I actually found that the sand cast parts were really a lot easier to work with.

Right and wrong on both answers.

Many investment castings (lost wax process) especially the ones on less expensive guns are an alloy, not pure "yellow brass" hense they are stiffer and bittle and more prone to crack if manipulated too far. Some (like me) use only "best yellow brass" for investment castings. They are more expensive but a better product in the long run.

Now. Most but not all sand cast parts are more or less home brewed by small shops. They don't have the abillity to alloy the brass or a way to use the extreme heat needed for the alloys so they simplify and use best yellow brass. There are of course exceptions to all of this but you won't find many.

The best policy when bending brass is to anneal it - it's easy to do with a propane torch and won't hurt anything so why not. One more thing, it is not necessary to quench brass when annealing it. People say to dunk it in water but that is only an expedient so you can handle it right away. You can dunk it or air cool as your circumstances dictate.

 

[jerrywh]

Some of those guns have manganese bronze parts and they will not bend or anneal. Good luck. If it feels springy don't push your luck.

 

[necchi]

Another tip;
Anneal as above, but bend it just a tiny bit, then anneal again,,,etc,
,might take 3-4 times moving it a tiny bit each time.

 

[Birddog6]

I suggest you heat it red & carefully bend it where you want it. That way you don't have to worry about what it is made of.

If you bend it cold, real good chance of breaking it, especially if it has a casting flaw in it. :idunno:

Keith Lisle

 

[paulvallandigham]

Remember also that IF you are re-shaping a brass piece over a form- mandrill, pipe- etc., that any hammering of the brass when its COLD will begin to "work harden" the brass. Take the time to anneal the brass after ever couple of hammer blows.

[HINT: As brass hardens, its pitch rises ever so little an amount. If your hearing is good enough, you will hear the change in pitch. STOP. Anneal that brass again, ASAP.] :hmm:

 

[Vaino]

Have used "brass" castings from 3 different sources and have never softened the brass w/ heat. Sheet brass, yes, when making RR pipes, MCs and Pboxes. Am presently using TGs and BPs from Chambers and Goehring which are investment castings and sand castings from TOW and evidently all are made from alloys of "bendable" yellow brass. The Chambers and Goehring TGs are shaped and bent by hand as rec'd and the TOW sand castings are cut down quite a bit before shaping and bending. Built one LR using bronze parts and as they aged, the contrast w/ the yellow brass parts was quite vivid...never again will bronze parts be used. Every brass TG I've rec'd had to be bent or shaped and have never broken one, although it might pay to anneal brass parts from unknown sources.....Fred

 

[jerrywh]

Bending brass hot is not recomended by metalurgists or blacksmiths. http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/bending-brass-tuning-199138/

 

[LRB]

Yes. Most brass will break or crumble if bent hot. Anneal then bend a little, repeat until you have it where you want it.