Bending Stainless Steel Tips?

[Vtgw938]

Anybody have any tips on bending stainless steel without it breaking? Would like to make a slight modification to a 686 grip frame that would involve bending a narrowed portion.

Thanks

 

[jjrr]

Don't take this to mean you should just "do it" but I have bent stainless sheet metal and tubing and pipe same as regular steel. As I recall it takes more effort than steel to work and there are many grades of ss so lot more to know about the revolver frame before you do it. This may not be any help with your project except to say that it probably can be done.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Most stainless guns are 410 or 416, or some of both. It will bend some without cracking. SS has a lot of springback, so you have to overbend it to get it to end up where you want it. This takes a few tries, bending some, checking, bending a little more, checking, etc.

We don't know how tight a bend you want to do, you may need to apply some heat. You may need to bend around a mandrel to prevent kinks.

This is only generic information, as we have few specifics to go on.

We would like to see how it turns out, if possible.

 

[dave1918a2]

What part are You bending and how much bend?? More info please.

 

[Vtgw938]

I would like to do a Farrant "cut" on the front toe of the frame. The gun has already been altered so I'm not concerned about de-valuing it. I would like to remove some material from the front toe but keep the serial # intact so it would kind of be a tab after the cuts are made above. The tab would than be "bent" over the cut portion and welded. If successful, I would end up with a frame that has the angle cut required of the Farrant style cut frame grips but the serial # would be intact and still connected to the frame without relying on the welds. My understand of the federal law is that no serial #, regardless how may places it is on the frame can not be removed. This would give me the cut and still keep the serial # intact and attached. If it breaks at the bend, it creates a problem.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Can you post a picture of one grip panel on the frame so we can see how much and what shape is getting removed?

 

[Vtgw938]

The grips are in the mail, but I will post a pic. of the gun & grips together when I get them, along with the cut needed marked out on the frame. Attached is a couple pics of the grips. You see why I feel the need to get them on a gun. Two piece, Guy Hogue's. I have a set of Joe Blackford grips with the frame cut that I had pondered putting on a gun but the Hogue's are about as good as they get.

 

[Protocall_Design]

The Hogue grips are very good ones. I may not be understanding, but it looks like the grip frame could go inside the grips without being altered?

 

[Imissedagain]

Always appreciate when pics of grips show the outside, inside and aft view.
View from the front is nice as well.

Thx,
RT

 

[Vtgw938]

Here is the front and bottom. That's all I got until I get them in hand.

 

[steelslaver]

Grip frames bend pretty easy. Red heat will make it easier and I would use it unless your only moving it a little bit If you do use head spread it around in the area you want bend. If you only heat a small spot all the bend will occur there. It shouldn't crack unless your real move it in a tight bend. A grip frame could be welded with no problems. My solution on the serial number was to cut some out by the rear strap then bend rear and front strap at same time and then weld. I have modified 2 grip frames relocating the serial number but at no time was it ever completely detached from the gun.

 

[Vtgw938]

Got the grips and some great advice. already "cut" the frame, it didn't require going into the serial #. No where near as radical as the Farrant's. I still have a Blackford set that will require the radical cut though. I will post pics. when I get a chance to take some nice pics. Thanks all.

 

[Vtgw938]

Here are the pics of the new Hogue's, how much I had to take off but still kept the numbers and the Blackford grips. the Blackford's has the more traditional and radical cut. Mr. Hogue must have been conscious of the serial numbers.

I still have to do some fitting of the grips to the frame. I am surprised they are off as much as they are but all correctable. Thanks.

938