Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Craftsmanship => Gun Building and Repair => Topic started by: SAWMA on March 02, 2009, 01:28:15 PM

Title: Silver Bend!
Post by: SAWMA on March 02, 2009, 01:28:15 PM

I have some silver that i would like to bend. Some say to heat the piece then plunge it red hot into cold water to soften the silver before correcting the bend. Has anyone done this, or can it just be hammered when hot?  

Any assistance would be appreciated, thanks!

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Post by: Indiana on March 02, 2009, 02:25:12 PM

Once you anneal it (heat and cool) it should be pretty easy to bend once cool.  I don't think there is any need to keep it hot while bending, I think that'd just be more trouble than you need.  Once it has been annealed, it should bend just fine for you.

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Post by: LRB on March 02, 2009, 05:56:07 PM

No, don't plunge into water immediately. Let it air cool for a few minutes then you can put it in water. You really don't have to put it in water at all. Just get it red hot, and let it cool. I have had it become brittle from quenching in water at red hot. May have been a bad batch of silver, but it was an expensive lesson.

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Post by: SAWMA on March 03, 2009, 08:22:57 AM

Will not use the water, thanks guys!