German silver trigger guard issue

[Gaeckle]

Working on a German silver trigger  guard that has bunches of small pin hole voids scattered all over it. Seems like the more I  polish it, using files and sandpaper, the more appear. I am thinking of filling these things with regular old solder, sanding off the excess. Anybody ever run into a problem like this?

[smylee grouch]

Would " tinning " the surface with a low temp silver solder be over kill and then dress it down with fine sand paper? 

[Daryl]

I would expect leaving it might be better, or "tinning" with high temp silver solder.

[Birddog6]

And metal you add to fill the holes will be obvious unless you keep it brightly polished all the time.

[Robby]

If you have any scrap german silver make slivers and tap them into the holes. You may have to prep the holed by enlarging them with a slight undercut.
Robby

[Mike Brooks]

I have never worked with GS. But i have filled in holes with solder, no big deal. pin holes in originals did seem to be a big deal.

[Frozen Run]

pin holes in originals did seem to be a big deal.

Could you please elaborate on this, I am not sure what you mean here? Thank you.

[T*O*F]

it might be better, or "tinning" with high temp silver solder.

Overheating GS will cause the zinc to fizz out of the piece.  Then you've got more problems.

[Mike Brooks]

pin holes in originals did seem to be a big deal.

Could you please elaborate on this, I am not sure what you mean here? Thank you.

I have seen a few originals with pin holes. some of them are covered with them. I think there is one in the Moravian books

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

They'd match some of the guns stocks I've seen you use, Mike.

[Mike Brooks]

They'd match some of the guns stocks I've seen you use, Mike.

[Gaeckle]

After further consideration I think this is a lost cause. I'm thinking that I'd be better off getting another.

[Stoner creek]

That should be fixable. Fix it with soft solder at a low heat. Lots of flux.

[Scott Bumpus]

Get a new one. Most suppliers will swap them out when that happens

[dstock]

Yes you can fix this problem but you will always look at it and see the repair, even though other people might not be able to see them. Because you know they are there.
If you can find someone else’s castings buy them and be done with the problem.
That’s some pretty bad voids and there may be others that show up and cause a failure.

[Mike Brooks]

Repairs don't bother me.

[Ed Wenger]

I’m with Wayne, I’d try a fix.  Solder as he said, heat from below.  It’s worth a shot.  Also, and this is just my feelings/opinion, so take it for what it’s worth, but we live in such a disposable world now that it seems like if anything isn’t “perfect”, we throw it out and buy new.  Not saying that’s typically you, or us as a group, but a general reflection on our society today.  In the 18th Century, that was very much not the case.  Socks were darned, clothes patched.  If a sword was broken, knives would be made from the blade. 

To me, something like this is part of the journey, fun, and educational experience of 18th Century gun manufacture, especially in Colonial America.  Like Mike pointed out, pin holes and small inclusions are present on a number of original rifles.  Most aren’t to the extent in the posted photo, but who knows what was done by the original builder to “fix”, or mitigate the existing “flaw”.

Like I said, just my feelings on the topic, and certainly no criticism is intended.  I’d give fixing it a try and see how it turns out.  If it doesn’t work out, so be it, you can always purchase a new one, and you might pick up some new information, and have a little fun along the way.   Best,


           Ed

[G_T]

Just my opinion, from a hobby of bench jewelry work. I'd saw off that part and fabricate a replacement, then silver solder in place. That's if I couldn't get a replacement. That's a defective casting.

Gerald

[Gaeckle]

I ran some solder in it, but really, I'm not impressed.On Saturday I'll be at the Log Cabin and I'll see what they have.

[Chocktaw Brave]

That’s pretty bad, i would try a return, I mean unless it was a one of a kind, or antique, is it worth messing with.
I’m big on repair vs replace on most everything, but when I buy something That isn’t made well,or defective,  I return it.

[Bob Gerard]

It’s got the Pox.

[Curtis]

I’m with Wayne, I’d try a fix.  Solder as he said, heat from below.  It’s worth a shot.  Also, and this is just my feelings/opinion, so take it for what it’s worth, but we live in such a disposable world now that it seems like if anything isn’t “perfect”, we throw it out and buy new.  Not saying that’s typically you, or us as a group, but a general reflection on our society today.  In the 18th Century, that was very much not the case.  Socks were darned, clothes patched.  If a sword was broken, knives would be made from the blade. 

To me, something like this is part of the journey, fun, and educational experience of 18th Century gun manufacture, especially in Colonial America.  Like Mike pointed out, pin holes and small inclusions are present on a number of original rifles.  Most aren’t to the extent in the posted photo, but who knows what was done by the original builder to “fix”, or mitigate the existing “flaw”.

Like I said, just my feelings on the topic, and certainly no criticism is intended.  I’d give fixing it a try and see how it turns out.  If it doesn’t work out, so be it, you can always purchase a new one, and you might pick up some new information, and have a little fun along the way.   Best,


           Ed

Plus 2!  I like what Ed and Mike said!!!!!

Curtis

[Gaeckle]

I got the guard at the Log Cabin originally and it was in the "bargain" bin, 10 bucks if I remember. Sometimes you win, Sometimes not. I'm not annoyed or upset, I've worked with sand castings long enough to understand there is some give and take. Need to take a somewhat creative approach to them.

[Birddog6]

You got what you paid for. $10. worth.   

Now go buy a good one. 

[davec2]

Unless there is no way around it, for me, life is far too short to try fixing what, in this case, is a junk casting.  I make castings all the time and if I ever make one with even 10% of that kind of porosity, I remelt it and try again.  If you want to try to solder up that kind of porosity, all the interior surface of all those little holes needs to be perfectly clean (i.e. no "as cast" surface) and then well fluxed or the solder will not fill the voids.  Just thinking about trying to run a bur inside every void and then solder repairing that mess makes me think of what an inspecting officer once said to me in the Navy about the state of my shoes at a formal inspection....he said my shoes looked like I had tried to spit shine them with a chocolate bar and a Brillo pad. 

Of course, if you like "make work" types of projects, you could try mowing your lawn with nail clippers......