# Bending Ears On Dankung



## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

I really don't want to give up on my Dankung Jungle Hunter II, but I also don't want to develop a completely different shooting style for one rarely used frame. My idea is to bend the ears toward the shooter at about a 15 degree angle to make tube centering easier. I wonder if standard steel bending technique will work; i.e. heat the area until it turns red and apply force. Has anyone tried this with stainless steel? I've done it with stainless steel rod and it worked OK. Advice, suggestions?


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## pop shot (Sep 29, 2011)

Hey Henry,
I've done this and variations of this to my black palm thunder and that one you got. on the palm thunder i put the ears in a vise and bent it about 20 deg to keep the tubes from rolling. on that one you got, i bent each ear on its vert. axis, rotating the outer part of each ear toward the shooter, hoping to get a better sight picture, instead i got a more uncomfortable grip. i ended up bending it back and still use it. the palm thunder shoots better, it's easier to finger brace than it was before. of all the dankungs, the most comfy to shoot for me is the micro luck rings.


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## pop shot (Sep 29, 2011)

and to answer your question, i did it cold, with no cracks whatsoever. even when i bent it back.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

pop shot said:


> Hey Henry,
> I've done this and variations of this to my black palm thunder and that one you got. on the palm thunder i put the ears in a vise and bent it about 20 deg to keep the tubes from rolling. on that one you got, i bent each ear on its vert. axis, rotating the outer part of each ear toward the shooter, hoping to get a better sight picture, instead i got a more uncomfortable grip. i ended up bending it back and still use it. the palm thunder shoots better, it's easier to finger brace than it was before. of all the dankungs, the most comfy to shoot for me is the micro luck rings.


Thanks, I just went out to my work bench and chucked the fork up in my big vise and bent the ears back about 25 degrees. It made a big difference. I think the next step is a wooden handle.


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## newconvert (Dec 12, 2011)

interesting you two!


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## lunasling (Apr 5, 2015)

I have a black palm thunder and also dont care for the tube rolling its annoying

do you have a pic of the modifacation ?


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Here are a couple of pics of my Jungle Hunter II after bending. This cured my tube centering problem.


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## AZshooter (May 1, 2011)

Henry...You might also try using a round file a cutting slight grooves on the TOP and FACE of the slingshot loops...you have plenty of metal to work with...after this is done you can work out the roughness with buffing compound worked into heavy cotton cord and worked vigorously...PHIL


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

Some smart advice for a smart mod..... Yeah, you and the frame....

My experience with Dankung stainless finds it to be rather soft, almost annealed,and quite friendly to this type of cold-work... Looks like a nice improvement to a great utilitarian frame.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

AZ, I have a track record of screwing things up with files, and I don't think it would help much since the tubes now center correctly anyway. I can see how it would help if I tilted the forks forward, but for my style, this works fine.


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## lunasling (Apr 5, 2015)

When you shoot is the bend pointed twoards you or away from you ?


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## lunasling (Apr 5, 2015)

I was also thinking about grinding a small half moon divit to the tops of the forks on my palm thunder that

woould surely cure the problem of rolling


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## you'llshootyereyeout (Apr 5, 2014)

I just got a Dankung in the mail yesterday and at this moment am on my way to the shop to do this mod!!! Thanks!


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

you'llshootyereyeout said:


> I just got a Dankung in the mail yesterday and at this moment am on my way to the shop to do this mod!!! Thanks!


If you had an anvil, short section of 1/4" round stock, tongs, and the confidence to do so, I could walk you through it, blacksmith style!! Make the bends and scallop the tips in both forks...... With two solid thumps of a hammer! Hehe


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

lunasling said:


> When you shoot is the bend pointed twoards you or away from you ?


The bend points toward me.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Lee Silva said:


> you'llshootyereyeout said:
> 
> 
> > I just got a Dankung in the mail yesterday and at this moment am on my way to the shop to do this mod!!! Thanks!
> ...


Sounds like a good way for a klutz like me to ruin a fork. I bent mine cold in a shop vise.


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## you'llshootyereyeout (Apr 5, 2014)

I put the fork tips in the vise (protected with wood) and bent with my hands. It was softer than I thought it would be. Or the very realistic possibility that I'm yoked yo! (Is it huge in here or is it just me?) Anyways that worked like gangbusters so I took the paracord off (I didn't like how it was wrapped from the factory) and bent the handle. I used a cutoff from the handle of a natural I made the ithe day to bend around. I had to use a quick clamp to bend the handle. So maybe my yokeitude is not as massive as I suspected. I'm happy with how it turned out. A little more messing with the wrapping and I'll have a lanyard to boot!!!


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

Henry in Panama said:


> Lee Silva said:
> 
> 
> > you'llshootyereyeout said:
> ...


True! Could be a major malfunction for a lot of folks! I'm glad you got yours done, and done well, and w/o too much blood or foul-ups.... I know Matt pretty well and have confidence in his capacity for smart work, and communication... I wouldn't make such a suggestion If he were anyone else.. Save a few others, of course... He aint THAT good!! Hahahahaha


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## lunasling (Apr 5, 2015)

Guess ill give it a go with my palm thunder if i screw it up lol just get another one cant be that diffacult but it is smaller than the lager version


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

Or maybe he is! That looks great, Matt!


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

you'llshootyereyeout said:


> I put the fork tips in the vise (protected with wood) and bent with my hands. It was softer than I thought it would be. Or the very realistic possibility that I'm yoked yo! (Is it huge in here or is it just me?) Anyways that worked like gangbusters so I took the paracord off (I didn't like how it was wrapped from the factory) and bent the handle. I used a cutoff from the handle of a natural I made the ithe day to bend around. I had to use a quick clamp to bend the handle. So maybe my yokeitude is not as massive as I suspected. I'm happy with how it turned out. A little more messing with the wrapping and I'll have a lanyard to boot!!!


Well done! Looks factory.


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## Nobodo (Nov 5, 2014)

I have to wonder why more of the Dankungs aren't either bent or have grooves for the tubes.

Maybe if they did then "Category of Western Dankung" would have too many slingshots in it!


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## lunasling (Apr 5, 2015)

I'm gonna try my luck and groove the top of the forks of my black palm thunder,that should stabilize the tube set.


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