SHOT COPPER & GARY GAVE ME A RELIC I RUINED

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

well i'm embarassed but here goes.we hit a big field today.i got a shot copper & my gary dug a bent keeper portion of a belt plate.he gave it to me so i could complete my belt plate.i heated it and slowly started to apply pressure and it popped :O( I was bummed out and figured screw it..solder it and paint it.nothin i can do about it now.i can see the worn benchmark.should i have done something different?

[del]

bent metal is one thing but when it is bent a bit to far and or has a good crease in it the metal is stressed and then you have to be extra careful , especially old brass and copper alloys as they tend to get brittle over time Dave . my questions are ...

how hot did you get the item ? how did you apply the pressure by hitting or tapping or did you use force like in a vice , very slowly or quick??

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

bent metal is one thing but when it is bent a bit to far and or has a good crease in it the metal is stressed and then you have to be extra careful , especially old brass and copper alloys as they tend to get brittle over time Dave . my questions are ...

how hot did you get the item ? how did you apply the pressure by hitting or tapping or did you use force like in a vice , very slowly or quick??

i heated it up with a torch not glowing red hot kinda kept the flame off to the side of it and slowly & softly tapped it with a hammer on a hard metal surface.it was almost flat when POP!