I am getting ready to bend the lever on a Martini Cadet to match a new stock with a pistol grip. Any tips on how to approach this task so as to get a good match to the stock shape? I know it has to be heated

I heat the lever and bend it by eye until I get it right. I know, not a scientific method. If you wanted to do a production run, you would machine a template out of aluminum and use that for bending them. You could use wet wood for one.

Thanks. I think I may try to make an aluminum pattern to match the grip and then force the lever against it while it is heated. I don’t think I could get a good match bending the lever by eye.

All close tolerance bending I've used a jig.

Dave

Nothing close tolerance about a Martini lever. Just hast to match the wood, which can be changed too.

Don't get the cams hot, they have to remain hard otherwise you will get breech block droop.

Les Brooks has experience with this.

i'v redone a dozen or so using a sheet metal roller and doing them cold

Thanks Russ. I was thinking to use some of Brownell’s heat stop paste in addition to watching my flame. Or would you recommend wrapping the cams in a wet rag rather than the heat stop paste?