Agreed, thank you Cossack!!!! ![Ghotly :ghostly: :ghostly:](https://www.world-of-smilies.com/wos_sonstige/FettGrins.gif)
![Ghotly :ghostly: :ghostly:](https://www.world-of-smilies.com/wos_sonstige/FettGrins.gif)
OK. Thanks. That makes sense. Thanks again for your input.Hi Rickytl
As far as I know they used a combination of the big English lock horse pistol that the Indians make and some pictures of the Spanish made stock I sent to them.
Mendi - Spain - Sold various muzzleloaders in the 70s.
X - India - [Note, I was told this is an 'Indian' lock ... but I'm not so sure ... ] But arms makers in India did sell wheellock pistols through various US vendors going back about a decade ago or so. I also do know, from talking on the phone with the late Leonard Day Sr. (before he passed) that he had been experimenting with buying Indian-built W-L pistols and scavanging the locks to make carbines. But I never asked him where they got their locks.
If not mistaken, some of those used coil spring to power the locks, but I'll add the comment that I've yet to see a functioning 'wheellock' using coil springs (they have a long power curve, but are weak in the torque department). Now there are Japanese Tanegashima locks using coil springs of brass, but that is only powering a snap serpentine lock to drop it into the pan, and not rotating a heavy steel wheel, never mind against a pyrite bearing on it.
In both pictures below the Mendi lock is on top. For my comparison, plus when testing the springs for pressure and 'feel' (yes, albeit very subjective) they were compared to hand made wheellocks made by Brian Anderson of VT and Bolek Maciaszczyk who hails from Poland. I do not have a W-L lock from Rafal Ziółko (who also hails from Poland) to compare to.
Just thoughts that jump to mind, no real order, using 'S' for the Spanish Mendi lock and 'I' for the other:
Well ... looking back up ... there's not much of a comparison there, is there? LOL! Which leads me to again surmise that they indeed came out of the SAME factory. And I don't think it was in India.
- They appear identical, no idea which came first, but my guesstimates are that the Mendi came 1st and then Indian craftsmen either (a) copied the lock, or (2) bought out the supply on hand of the W-L locks whenever Mendi closed it's doors.
- Typically any lock originating from India is highly polished - but this 'I' lock is not, whether by a previous Owner (prior to our own RickyStl taking possesion) or if shpped that way (doubtful).
- Fit & Finish - I'd rate them as a tie. Please ignore the rust on the Mendi, this one is at the back of my bench with quite a few projects ahead of it.
- Parts - Again identical, and they'll even interchange, which leads me to the conclusion that Mendi made them both
- Dog - The 'I' lock actually functions better, as the toe on 'S' lock at the strirrup for the most forward position (puts the dog jaws parallel to the bore axis) was not hand fit, and the dog won't rotate to the right (as shown below) any further to the safe position.
- Dog Spring - Both rate as a tie, both well formed/shaped/polished prior to heat-treating and tempering to make a spring; impressed actually!
- Main Spring - Wow, very impressed here too! Excellent form/shape/polish, with ample torque on both, they wind easily, yet with stored power.
- Action - Very positive and both use the hardened ball bearing to trap the wheel. Note both locks were disassembled and greased/lubes prior to any function testing. This step I strongly advise to do to any new-to-you wheellock lock!
- Now to the most important function ... the Spark Test- Another tie! I tried 3 forms of pyrite in each; sawn cut cubes, raw nodules with a chiseled tip, and my infamous 'crumblies', which look like a large M&M-sized glob of rough beach sand glued together in a matrix (I've a post about such 'crumbly' pyrite pieces on here ... ) ... and they both sparked like a house a'fire with all 3 pyrite forms! Leaves me speechless ...
Summary - There's just no way i'd ever compare them to a lock from a reknown custom lock builder, however, if you're yearning to build or get into wheellocks and get the opportunity to buy one that looks EXACTLY like these locks ... then I'd go for it!
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I would think that with CNC machines that one could produce a simple but decent wheelock in batches of 100-500, sell them at a 'reasonable price', and still make a little bit of money. But you would have to know what you are doing on the manufacturing side and the design side.I'd say 'batch' produced, then yes. Wanna go in bizness?
About 1974or5 I had an Indian firm make me Wheellocks of the c 1660 German cheek stock rifle style since I took a friend's lock to India which they copied piecemeal in several different shops the idea being no rival could avail of MY development .but the assembled lock could hardly be perfect but I made two fine Rifles & retain one . Regardless of the point of making my lock exclusive the merchant couldn't resist peddling them to all & sundry . I gave up on India shorty after but at that time there wasn't much offered in the gunlock line not in UK at least I made a lot of flint shotguns with India locks & Bader Barrels which where probably Shaw Pittsburg barrels for BL gunmakers . only Bill Bader had them just threaded at the breach I bought mostly 12 bore but wish now Ide bought some 16 bores even 20 bores as well other than Local Trade there where no India barrels offered and no "Flint Type locks " as the merchant called them so I took out Lott & the Grice plus an original Nock export lock and they had parts of old English locks so we made them too calling them the A & B locks probably about the Time Bud Siler offered his kits ? .The same firm supplied the India Trade with Enfield's styles & bar locks . I was scrounging like you would for gun stuff in the shops of India bought good flask & moulds in Calcutta & Kathmandu then Lucknow & Cawnpore the Cawnpore dealer gave me a sample percussion lock in 1969. I bought many later Nothing wrong with them a capable artisan couldnt cure . & I bought 12 locks mostly EX E. I .Company ones in Caboul .10 shillings a piece seemed like a good score . Shades ofWould you consider these proof that a mass produced wheellock is a viable product?
Dear Skoda .Good on you I admire enterprise ,anyone's . Iv.e made 5 but cant pretend I have them down pat the biggest bogie being the Pyrites as on clay pigeons or 1/2 hour rifle match its a struggle too get consistency . If for hunting it isn't the same problem, I just use the Gem looking small pieces glued into short sections of 3/8" dowel shaped to fit the dog head & hold the fragment. I once walked 10 days in the local ranges shot 7 ferrol Goats ( considered vermin here in NZ ) But so are Deer .I would think that with CNC machines that one could produce a simple but decent wheelock in batches of 100-500, sell them at a 'reasonable price', and still make a little bit of money. But you would have to know what you are doing on the manufacturing side and the design side.
I used to make parts for a small European automobile manufacturer that way. It was profitable but not get rich profitable and most other jobs paid better per hour.
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