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Starting point for lock making

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JQuigley

JQuigley

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Hello,
I’ve been wanting to get into lock making for a while now and I’m thinking about giving it a shot. Would anyone happen to have a good starting point? I know it won’t be easy but I’d like to try nonetheless. I know percussions will be easier but I’d like to try flints as well. I’ve been reading up and researching for a good long while now and just wanted to give it a shot. I’ve tinkered with the locks on my pieces before and I’m fairly confident in my ability to work them into shape. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. Is there anywhere I can find guides and such for laying out everything properly? I know there’s quite a few books out there but they can be hard to come by and/or expensive. Anyway thanks!
 
Get a set of castings and start filing & shaping.
After that you can explore forging the parts that you just built from the castings. Pick a easy lock to build. A large plate with no fly is the most simple.
A real simple lock would be the "builders" lock set where you shape the plate, drill holes and tap some of them.
Siler builder kits come with the internal parts already shaped.
This will help you get the tools, procedure and "feel" of the process before trying everything.
Good luck.
Please share your journey.
William
 
Yes thank you gentlemen. I was looking into them but I wasn’t sure if they came with an actual guide or if the holes were already pre marked for drilling
 
TRS kits may have a 'dimple' on the lock plate ... whether or not it truly is correctly positioned for where the hole should be, which is why I recommended the Chamber kit. Suggest you have a brief conversation with those @ Chambers.

What I'm doing, whereas I want to start making left-handed wheellocks (when I retire in bit ... ) is I'm taking existing locks and making replacement 'V' springs for them, wheellock or not, to learn that part of the build process.

You could take a lock you currently have, buy a cast replacement frizzen for it and see if you can correctly position, shape and harden it, etc. , you get the idea.
 
The most important part of a lock is the design, it’s a mechanical device and how the parts interact is what determines if it works well. Understanding each piece and its function is the difference. Get a Kibler CNC lock to to help you see and feel what a good lock is like.
 
American Pioneer videos sells a Mike Miller DVD on forging a flintlock, "from start to finish." I haven't seen the DVD to know how much information there is on lock geometry, but I would think it would contain some pertinent information.
 
You can find this book as a download online. Lots of lock building info. It is printed in a German version and an English version
 

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Flint62Smoothie said:
TRS kits may have a 'dimple' on the lock plate ... whether or not it truly is correctly positioned for where the hole should be,
Click to expand...
My experience with the one style lock I build from Rifle Shoppe parts is that the dimple is not in the correct position for a final drilling. I drill the hole undersized then enlarge with a round file to the position that matches the geometry I want. That geometry is based on the relative fit of the lock's internal parts. Starting with the sear.

I once asked the Rifle Shoppe to assemble the parts for me (at a fee, of course). I found they used the dimples for assemble which created some weird geometry.
 
Last edited:
JQuigley said:
Hello,
I’ve been wanting to get into lock making for a while now and I’m thinking about giving it a shot. Would anyone happen to have a good starting point? I know it won’t be easy but I’d like to try nonetheless. I know percussions will be easier but I’d like to try flints as well. I’ve been reading up and researching for a good long while now and just wanted to give it a shot. I’ve tinkered with the locks on my pieces before and I’m fairly confident in my ability to work them into shape. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. Is there anywhere I can find guides and such for laying out everything properly? I know there’s quite a few books out there but they can be hard to come by and/or expensive. Anyway thanks!
Click to expand...
I think the NMLRA has a series of videos; check with them. When I 'make' a lock, the 1st step is getting out my credit card to order one!:pGood luck, you must have great patience! Videos of some great artisans showing how to do such stuff.
 
stank said:
You can find this book as a download online. Lots of lock building info. It is printed in a German version and an English version
Click to expand...
Great thank you! I was able to find that one relatively easily. It’ll prove helpful.
stank said:
You can find this book as a download online. Lots of lock building info. It is printed in a German version and an English version
Click to expand...
 
There is a set of seven books written by the late Kit Ravenshear available from Track of the Wolf which discuss everything you ever wanted to know, including the intricacies of lock making. Though I've never built a lock, I found the books very instructive & readable. It is in my opinion money well spent. They aren't expensive, either. Get all seven.
 
Cruzatte said:
There is a set of seven books written by the late Kit Ravenshear available from Track of the Wolf which discuss everything you ever wanted to know, including the intricacies of lock making. Though I've never built a lock, I found the books very instructive & readable. It is in my opinion money well spent. They aren't expensive, either. Get all seven.
Click to expand...
Yeah I was looking at those the other day. Just waiting until payday to snag em. For the price can’t beat em
 
stank said:
You can find this book as a download online. Lots of lock building info. It is printed in a German version and an English version
Click to expand...
Just be aware that Lauber makes quite a few errors in his measurements and such. Does the same in all three books. P
the Percussion, The Flintlock and the Wheel lock books. I was recently out at the Oregon Gun Makers fair. William Baxter
gave a presentation on building wheelies. Said a lot of people use his books for the lockplate profiles. The other parts cannot
be built to design and end up with a working lock. So while helpful, you'll need to build each part to fit.

not a big deal if you are aware of this..

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan
 
Metalshaper said:
Just be aware that Lauber makes quite a few errors in his measurements and such. Does the same in all three books. P
the Percussion, The Flintlock and the Wheel lock books. I was recently out at the Oregon Gun Makers fair. William Baxter
gave a presentation on building wheelies. Said a lot of people use his books for the lockplate profiles. The other parts cannot
be built to design and end up with a working lock. So while helpful, you'll need to build each part to fit.

not a big deal if you are aware of this..

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan
Click to expand...
Thank you for the heads up on that. I’d rather find out now before I’m banging my head on the wall wondering why nothings working 😅
 
It's amazing to see the modern craftsmen that make guns from scratch; like you'll see at the Gun Maker's Fair, the Cabin Creek guys, and other hand made items of the highest quality. Of course you pay for labor, too, and the best ain't cheap!
 
Making locks from parts cast from originals has its own special challenges. And if one part is mid-drilled slightly “off” the whole mech is off. Whereas when forging or fabricating one can make a sear nose long and file to fit, for example. Same with a mainspring. If you’re forging it you can make it that 20 thousandths longer or shorter from bend to hook, as needed. If cast, it is what it is and if you drill the locating pin half a diameter off you may have some messing around to do.
 

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