Bending prongs on old skull?

[solovei]

I would like to hear everyone's opinion on this. How does the solder on the prongs hold up on these SS Danziger skulls? When you get a skull with a bent prong in an awkward shape like this (below), is it generally safe to straighten it out or is there a high risk of snapping?

Forgive me if this seems like a silly question but I understand these are typically soldered on, not welded, right? So it makes me worry that if I try to move a nearly century old solder joint it might snap.

[Dos]

It's always a risk you take with such old solder joint, But i've done it a few times to display these skulls better. My tip is that if you decide to do it and you have some small pliers. You grip them just after the solder joint on the prong and bent them from there with another small plier so you don't put alot of stress on the skull or solder joint.

Goodluck,

Dos

[rbminis]

It's always a risk you take with such old solder joint, But i've done it a few times to display these skulls better. My tip is that if you decide to do it and you have some small pliers. You grip them just after the solder joint on the prong and bent them from there with another small plier so you don't put alot of stress on the skull or solder joint.

Goodluck,

Dos

And, use pliers that have no "teeth" on the jaws.
And, be gentle.
Ralph.

[Aldo]

I am not confident at all in the strength of these prongs when you consider that they have probably already been bent numerous times while affixing to a cap then subsequently removing them. I usually avoid buying skulls that have prongs bent so severely because the temptation to move them for better display is too much for me. I have bent a prong or two before but never one so far out of its normal range. Good luck

[carlsson1982]

It's typically bent like when taken off a cap with "no care".

[Watchdog]

The best advice is don't do it unless you really need to. That said, in my experience the biggest danger is of the prong itself snapping rather than the solder coming away. This is because the metal of the prong has either been weakened by previous bending several times or and this is a similar sort of thing, the metal has become what metalsmiths call "work hardened" making it brittle (I won't bore with the techno babble here). There is a way to improve the situation but you need a skill level approaching that of a jeweller plus a jewellers blow torch (really tiny flame). That is (and this only works on copper alloys such as brass/tombak so if they are zinc forget it) to "anneal" the metal which means heating it to a dull cherry red colour then allowing it to cool naturally. The process restore the original maleable nature of the alloy. If you quench it or cool it quickly it will become more brittle. This is tricky on something so small and you should use a heat sink to avoid the heat affecting the solder or the badge itself. So as I say don't do it unless you are confident in your skill level.

As suggested above the first thing to consider is cold bending against a firm support (to ensure you only bend the bit you are aiming for) using smooth jawed pliers (ideally put electrical tape around the jaws) and again as stated above be very gentle. Also do not do more than you have to do. Don't be tempted to give it "another tweek" as that road leads to the "Vale of Tears"!

Overall it is a risk whichever way you go and the only 100% safe way is not to bend the prongs at all

I hope this helps.

Regards

Mark

[toot]

I use needle nose pliers to get in tight to the soldier area.

[toot]

that is the reason that items that have prongs/ eagles/ skulls ETC. are sold with them missing. taken off of an item 70+years ago with out the least care it it broke or not. it was a suoviner to the victor! also as said we want to display them flat in a RIKER MOUNT, they give up the ghost!

[Watchdog]

I use needle nose pliers to get in tight to the soldier area.

Ideal, and if you use the locking type (Mole grips in UK not sure about the US) they make a good heatsink if you want to use heat.

Regards

Mark