Another bolt handle question

[Spector]

I have seen hand tools that have brass handles. People have laid brazing rod onto broken handles and then ground to final dimensions. Most of these efforts look crude at best, but serves the prupose well.

 

I have wondered for some time about a bolt handle done the same way. I fabricated a beefy butter knife bolt handle out of yellow brass about 35 years ago, but never tried to use it.

 

I am curious if anyone has ever successfully bent a bolt handle or welded on a steel under frame for strength, for building up a layer of brazing on top of it. Unless the pin holes I usually observe with heavily brazed handles are a given it seems to me that a nice looking bolt handle might be fabricated using this method.

 

I know it would require handling the heat, and that the look of it might not be everyones cup of tea, but I'm just curious if anyone has any experience in trying to use this technique in the past?..........Mike

[Guest MorgansBoss]

I'm not sure what you're asking. If anyone has used a brass bolt handle or if a bolt handle can be brazed. Never saw a brass bolt handle on a rifle but it'd sure be different. I have silver soldered (essentially brazing) a couple bolt handles - one on a .22RF, one on a Swede - but its not the most desirable method. Don't quote me but I heard somewhere the later M70's have silver soldered bolt handles. Don't own one and never thought to check it out when I have handled them. Done correctly silver solder can produce a servicable job but welding is much more sure plus silver solder or braze will leave an un-blueable line at the joint.

[Spector]

What I am attempting to describe is welding on a steel bolt handle that is undersized in girth onto the bolt. Then dressing the root and leaving a nice step down at the root. Taking an oxy/acetelene torch and applying (melting) brazing rod all over the surface of the undersized steel bolt handle in effect leaving a relatively thin brass shell over the steel that is bonded (brazed) to the steel. Then finish contouring the bolt handle and eventually polishing to a pleasing shine as you would a steel bolt handle. When the brass is dressed down and finished to the level of the root it should leave a neat line at the step where the steel in the root stops and the brass in the bolt handle begins.

 

I have seen aged brass in different applications on firarms that I find pleasing after the gaudy shine of the brass is gone. My only reason for finishing to a shine in the first place would be to get a finish that would feel as good as a properly finished steel bolt handle would in the hand.

 

I hope this clarifies what I am trying to ask. This look would not be everyones cup of tea I'm sure, but I think a two tone bolt might look nice especially when the brass was aged through use or was artifically aged.........Mike

[Horsefly]

You sure have an original idea there spector.I don't know what I think of it yet,still wallowering it around in my head.Maybe it would look pretty good if you done the safety and trigger the same way.I've worked on several shotguns that had been brazed on,and the brass does age in a pleasing way,but man do they look patched up.At first I thought you were talking about welding a bolt on with a groove around the joint,and then filling that with brass,leaving a band.Your idea will sure make it your gun and will look a hell of a lot better than those bent bolt add ons that have the set screw.I hope you do one,"cause it's sounds pretty interesting.Just be careful with the heat! Jerry

[Spector]

I suppose a brass bolt handle could be fabricated, then drilled and tapped down through it's length for a threaded steel underfame. The steel underframe could then be welded to the bolt root, with that weld dressed down neatly into a shallow step. The brass bolt handle would then be threaded onto the underframe. Then only a small amount of brazing would need to be added to seal the deal at the root. Of course the brass alloy used in the bolt would need to closely match the brazing rod being used.

 

I realize this is simply a cosmetic effect, and that taken over-all it would be weaker than a conventional welded steel bolt handle. Still if the layer of brazing was kept thin there should be sufficint steel and weld underneath for adequate strength.

 

I guess other alloys could be substituted for brass, like german silver, or even high tin content silver solder, but that effort would lose the striking two tone effect and not be as durable as brass I believe.

 

A brasss bolt handle could be engraved or acid etched and silver solder added in these areas. Once the solder was dressed down it could create some nice two tone patterns in the handle surface. Art or initials come to mind that might look much like wire inlays.

 

Pretty labor intensive....huh? These ideas came from a young mind and now that mind is 58. Sounds like a lot of work now, but some of you guys seem to thrive on that.........Mike

 

PS....I just noticed this from a thread on another site.

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''I'm in the process of getting a Greek M-S 1903/14 "1930 System" rifle. It's a parts gun, but the bore is very nice. The previous owner decided to gild the stock furniture, triggerguard and bolt handle with brass! It's on there pretty good. How can I bet get that crud off of there?''

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Apparently not everyone likes brass bolt handles and trigger guards. ha ha He'd better hope this is just plating of some kind.