Krag Collectors Association Forum

Just remembered I have an old tool that we used to make electrical connectors for oil field exploration. Parts became obsolete more than 15 years ago. The tool has been collecting dust. I purchased it set up to bend the wire and I have zero experience setting it up. Just checked and the company that built this bender is still there. I think there is a real possibility that I could send this thing back to them and have them set it up to build hand guard clips.

So, the question is does anyone have a pair of pristine originals loose from a broken hand guard?

On the photos of this little machine are a couple of the wires we bent. The tool did a really professional looking job.

I'm of little help, on this. I don't have any loose hand-guard 'clips'.

IMO - Unless someone is going into the business of reproducing Krag hand-guards, there would be little demand for these parts.

Well, we will keep our eyes and ears open. I already have the tool, it might not cost much to send it off and have it set up to bend the forms. That unused dodad on the top looks like it could be the right size to bend Krag clips. The fellow I bought it from seemed to be a whiz at this stuff. I made those wires for years with no adjustment to the machine. Seemed like black magic, stick the wire in turn the handle and you got a perfectly formed wire.

The samples will tell us thickness, temper, and fill in a lot of blanks. No reason to damage them or anything, they can be returned to live another day on a repro handguard.

Are the front and rear clips identical? I remember you all saying to put a larger coin in the rear one when storing it off the rifle or carbine, but that does not necessarily mean they measure different.

The front and rear hand-guard clips 'encompass' different diameters.

The thickness and width of the two 'springy' sheet-metal pieces is the same. (The rivets may be spaced the same. I'm not totally sure).
The rear clip is made of a longer piece of metal 'stock' and the radius is not as tight as on the front clip.

butlersrangers wrote: ↑Tue Nov 15, 2022 5:03 am The front and rear hand-guard clips 'encompass' different diameters.

The thickness and width of the two 'springy' sheet-metal pieces is the same. (The rivets may be spaced the same. I'm not totally sure).
The rear clip is made of a longer piece of metal 'stock' and the radius is not as tight as on the front clip.

I needed to know that. That does make it more complicated, if setting this tool up to make them is cheap and easy and changing from front to back is positive and also easy, I might pull the trigger on this. If not easy and cheap, I might sell the tool to someone that needs it.
Thanks

Some photo views to help visualize job:

Paying attention to the details now, I can see one uniform radius from end to end. With the 2 rivets and not being installed on the barrel, the clips are trying to close putting the hand guard under stress. It all makes sense now. Uniform shape from end to end makes them relatively easy to shape though.
1/2 wide strapping has been suggested before, seems like it would not have enough spring pressure. I need to have a pair in my hands for a bit.

The tool has been sitting around here for almost 20 years since Welex went out of business, so a couple more will not hurt.
Thanks Br.

The software is getting predictive. It was trying to change that to thanks for breakfast! If we are not careful, we are going to have some strange posts in the future.