Mediterranean Leg Bent

[Kempton]

I just got a med finally, but one of the legs is bent towards the center. It is driving me crazy. What is the best way to bend it straight again. It is not like one continuous curve either. It is a sudden bend right were the base ends. If anyone has any experience bending lamps give me your advice. I can post pictures of needed.

[Autumn]

Bend it back with your fingers. If you need some practice try straightening out a paperclip to get an idea how the metal will react to being bent. You will likely need some kind of flat surface and maybe a rubber plugs and some kind of pliers to make it really straight.

[Rich C]

Metal has a "memory" and wants to bend back to where it was unless it has been bent beyond a certain point.  The trick is to try to bend it only at the point where it is currently bent.  Try to apply force immediately to either side of the spot where it is bent.  This doesn't allow you much leverage but is the best way to insure you don't bend it in a new spot.  If it isn't actually creased in any one spot, try unbending it from great distances to simply uncoil some of the curve of the metal.  Just bend it a little at a time and test it to see how it stands and add a little more bend as needed until it is back where you want it.  Go slow and do a little at a time.

 

From your description it sounds like it is bent in a crease.  Since getting ahold of one side of the bend would be tough since it soon joins the body of the base, try inserting a small tool such as a pencil or a metal rod on the base side of the bend and using that as a fulcrum to bend the leg back.  The closer the fulcrum is to the bend you are trying to undo, the more likely you will unbend that spot than create a new unwanted bend.

This would be so much easier to demonstrate in a video.....