Opinions on Doll's Heads and other stuff

[B. Dudley]

Originally Posted by Breck Gorman

I have seen very few dolls head extensions that were pattern welded. The vast majority are fluid steel. I don’t know why, but I have a theory.
The barrels, lug and dolls head extension were assembled and fitted to the action using an indexing screw through the dolls head extension. Once fitted, the assembly was brazed together. This was done at a much higher temperature than soldering, usually 800+ degrees to make the braze flow. Perhaps using similar fluid steel in the lup and dolls head extension was more controllable during brazing than dissimilar metals..
I really don’t know the true answer, and just posing a theory. Thanks

The rib extensions are not brazed on. The locking lug and tubes are, but not the extension. They are soft soldered just like the ribs. I have removed many of them with a normal torch right along with the ribs. In addition to the solder, they are held on with a single screw that is flush fitted to the rib surface along with the soft solder.

[B. Dudley]

Originally Posted by Aaron Beck

From what I can tell, sometimes the screw is visible in the rib extension and sometimes not. I would have thought that it would have been possible to blind tap it but if it was always through bored, then logically it would be easier to hide the screw in a similar steel material with no pattern.

The screw starts out high headed and once the extension is fitted to the barrels/action, it is dressed down along with the rib to eliminate the slot. I have observed one or two examples where the slot is just barely left and filled with solder. As in the slot was a bit deep to be completely eliminated in the rib profiling.

[Aaron Beck]

Brian,
that makes a lot more sense from a process and manufacturing angle. Does the solder color with the rust blue? I would assume not but maybe, Its hard to even tell where the rib extension starts on my vh.

[Bill Murphy]

OK, so the non functional extension on a Parker is soldered in place, and with a screw. How is the functional extension on a Lefever attached? Is solder strong enough to hold it in place?

[B. Dudley]

Lefevers are brazed, as the extension is also the bolting for the gun. The same goes for smiths and foxes.

[Breck Gorman]

I think Brian is right about the dolls head extension being soldered after The indexing screw is set and after the lug is brazed. The rib extension was soldered, but the lug was definitely brazed