Ooh, here's an aggravating physics topic...

Kalindras · Aug 25, 2000

Hello, all,

Before I begin, I'd like to thank everyone who piped up and offered the suggestions for spot-tempering an already-hardened blade. I wound up having to torch them in spots, but it appears that I've not destroyed the temper, owing to some tips I got from that thread.

Now, on to business...I'm trying to use a length of 3/16" brass to make a D-Guard for a piece I'm working on, currently. I figured that it would be easy enough to put a pair of gentle bends in it, to form the curve, right? I should know by now...

Well, as most of you have probably already guessed, you can't really cold-bend stock thats that thick (at least my girly butt evidently can't). No problem, though--I've been practicing a lot with my trusty propane torch, lately, remember? So, I slap that puppy in the vise, and go to town. Ten minutes of holding the brass at the apex of a blue flame later, the stock is only mildly uncomfortable to the touch, but my vise is hot enough to bake a chicken on. That's right, kids...I may have invented the world's most oddly-shaped heat sink.

So, my question is: How the HE!! do I get this stuff bent for this guard? I don't have any machine shops handy, or I'd throw myself on their mercy. I have basic tools, a grinder, a drill press, and a torch (FIRE! FIRE!!! Heh,heh,heh!) but nothing much more complex. Ooooooh, I'm dyin' again!

Thanks for anything anybody can offer, folks.

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Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy, and good with ketchup...

Bart student · Aug 25, 2000

Why don't you get a bigger log of brass and stochremoval the whole thing? With some coarse wood files (rasps) they get in shape very fast.
I would use a 2'x 2' x 1' block.

Matt Shade · Aug 25, 2000

I hope he meant to say 2" by 2"by 1' peice of brass. If not you'd have some time to look forward to filing away at a half ton block of brass

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It'll feel better when it stops hurting.

richard rosvall · Aug 25, 2000

K- there are lots of different brass alloys and they can act differently. If it was me, I'd anneal the whole piece, let it cool, bend a little, then anneal again,etc... I've had a lot of brass crack or break because I work hardened it and went too far. Hope this helps.

Jerry Hossom · Aug 25, 2000

I built a D-guard bowie once by cold bending some 3/16" 440C. I just put it in a vise and banged on it with a big hammer until it succumbed. I did use a 1" pipe to help shape the bends, but had no trouble with cracking. Are you committed to brass?

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Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
The Tom & Jerry Show

TJ Smith · Aug 25, 2000

If you heat the brass to a light cherry red and then quench in water it will bend a lot easier.Also get a plastic hammer or leather and hammer the annealed brass around a 3-4 inch wooden form
Take Care
TJ Smith

Ed Caffrey · Aug 26, 2000

TJ has the right idea. Most non-ferrous metals are annealed by heat to high cherry red and quenching. As you bend a piece of non-ferrous it will work harden, and the process must be repeated as you work.
300 series brass is usually one of the most workable grades. 360 brass is what I always liked.

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Ed Caffrey "The Montana Bladesmith"
ABS Mastersmith
www.caffreyknives.com

Kalindras · Aug 28, 2000

Thanks, everybody!

As usual, I've gotten some great ideas to work with. This weekend, I also discovered that the piece of 3/32" stock that I was originally going to use will work, after all. I had been concerned that it wouldn't be stiff enough for a guard (thus, the larger chunk-o-stock), but once it was formed and I test-fitted it, it showed acceptable rigidity. I think I'm going to keep that larger stock for bolsters or other types of guards. Now that I think about it, something that massive in a D-Guard would've horribly overbalanced the handle.

Now, I'm just trying to prioritize my remaining projects. I have too many irons in the fire (pardon the pun)...I need to take this up full-time. Somehow, though, I don't think it would be conducive to my making the ole' mortgage payments, though...

Oh, well, back to the grind (I swear to the Gods, these puns just keeping slipping out...)

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Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy, and good with ketchup...