My first 10-speed was a late 60's Raleigh Record given to me by my next-door neighbor. Probably 1982-ish. I just rescued it from purgatory in my parents' damp cellar where it sat for about 25 years. The fork turned out to be badly bent. I don't remember crashing the bike, and when I took the fork out, I found that the steerer tube was also bent (loose headset at time of crash?) There was heavy wear on the steerer at the lower headset cup, so I must've ridden this too-big (I was 10) deathtrap all over town, no helmet either.
Cut to last night; I clamped in an old Sturmey front hub, put a big honking piece of iron pipe on the fork and wedged it in the stairs to the barn loft; several strategic "oomphs" and semi-scientific sightings along a metal meter stick and it was done good enough for the mellow riding I have planned for it.

"BEFORE" pic:

Thread title already put a smile on my face, but to have it work out well now that's the icing on the cake. Good on you my man.

I have straightened a couple of kids' bike forks with a heavy iron pipe that just fits over the steerer tube, and with the fork ends on a 2x4 applying pressure to the fork crown area (i.e. standing on it). I have not tried any valuable bikes' forks yet, but it worked fine.

You have to put a better spin on what you just did. You didn't just bend the fork back with a big ol" pipe. You used a unique cold setting alignment process with a leverage device. That sounds more expensive and high faluting!

You might want to let a frame builder take a look at that fork just for good measure.

You're right, but I'm all set. I appreciate the concern. There won't be any 40mph descending on this bike. I just want to say, "I'm riding my first 10-speed again", probably on a rail trail at kid speed.

[MENTION=260407]jeirvine[/MENTION] , you seriously strain the meaning of "valuable" in this context.

I gave this fork a bit more rake using a 3 foot piece of galvanized pipe. I matched it to the rake of the original, which I had already used on another bike.

Is that an AVA "death" stem, too?

And apparently it worked!

I'm going to try; Mr. Stuck Seatpost, meet Mr. Propane Torch

And I can't wait to use; Mr. Stuck Cotter, meet Mr. Sledgehammer and his brother Mr. High Speed Drill!

You are correct sir! It has the beginning of a crack... I'm going drill the relief hole that should have been designed in.

This thread is offering some awful advice, in my opinion.

I have no issue with cold setting a tube but I do NOT pass the stress through a brazed or silver soldered tube/lug joint. The tubing can withstand the stress of cold setting. The brazed or silver solder joint, not nearly as much. And...

Drilling a hole will help to end a crack, that is true. But the death stem got its name for a very good reason. Trying to repair an already weakened one is, in my opinion, not a good idea at all.

But doesn't that happen too with a garden variety rear dropout cold set? The chain stay brazings are going to take some of that stress, no?

At a shop I worked at, we had a 3 foot segment of 2" pipe that had one end wrapped in Velox cloth tape for grip. The other end had some tape applied to the inside to protect tools it was used upon. His name was "Mr. Leverage". He was used for all sorts of stuff. Huffy smashing, fork "straightening", and of course being used to apply some extra leverage, especially when being applied to Italian fixed cups.

I miss that guy.

Daredevil.

I'm not saying everyone should do this. But I'm doing it.