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OK, so what exactly are the features or specification of a great lock as opposed to a bad or mediocre one? Why can't a manufacturer take an excellent lock and make an inexpensive production lock with those features? The Chinese do that all the time.

Supposing that someone did get the (apparently mediocre) Traditions with their less-than-perfect lock; why can't the lock be tweaked into better functioning? What is the actual difference between a great and fast lock and one that is a few miliseconds slower? Could a few minutes with a dremmel...

I have had a hankerin for a flinter for a long while. Budget has been an issue, as well as time. So how about a thread? I love kits, especially those with most of the inletting done (I don't have time to learn to inlet a barrel and lock). I love the ease of take-down of my CVA with lugs...

Very interested. Did you shoot it much? How fast does it go off (what is the lock time)?

I finished my Frontier flintlock kit. This is one of those kits that comes in a clear plastic shell. Well of course that allows little dings and dents to happen, so there are some small dings in the wood I missed, oops. The under barrel rib was too short so I pinned another 5/16" on. (Weld...

I had a bright idea to mix my rancid oils with charcoal starter fluid and just burn it off in my barbeque on BBQ days. Bad idea. The smoke and smell isn't worth the effort. Perhaps during a bonfire or outdoor fire pit, but I suspect that the smoke would make the fire uncomfortable enough to...

My wife just returned from Europe where she had to close out her mother's estate. The apartment full of antiques was appraised for a tiny fraction of what it would have gone for a generation ago. Younger generations have little connection to antiques and little interest in collecting them.

I have most of a set and might want to lighten my load.

Thanks for that video! Wonderful!

I am in love!

I find a set of reading glasses that let me focus on the front sight and I am fine (as good as its gonna get). I can put a piece of skotch tape over my right lens about halfway across the right side of the lens or block that field of view that my right eye would see if I looked at the sight and...

By the way... Assume its loaded! Check! A ramrod or other stick or dowell should run down to the end of the barrel and when placed alongside of the barrel it should show that the ramrod went all the way down to the end.

So, it sounds something like what I observe with bicycles: Just use something! WD40 is OK, crankcase oil is OK, bear grease is OK, nothing is a problem. I have a customer who restores priceless Japanese swords. He uses drug-store mineral oil (the unadulterated laxative) as a preservative, but...

I ran several tests for rust prevention and was surprised that my top three preventitives were not al all what I thought. In order: 1. Marvel Mystery Oil 2. Howards Feed n Wax 3. Superblond shellac Ballistol and WD40 were down the list. A few, like FLITZ metal polish were actually corrosive...

There is the Smokey Valley Muzzle Loaders group that meets at Burro Canyon on the fourth Sunday. Nice bunch of old guys (and the obligtory curmudgeon or two).

I have had to tint ivory and celluloid plastic piano keys to match old yellowed key tops. Alcohol based analine dyes worked well, though be sure to use the lightest dillution possible first and work up to your needed tint. You could also try a strong coffee or tea solution if you want safe and...

No, bank safety deposit boxes are not always completely safe. Its not just our benevolent and all caring government that is interested in the contents of your safety deposit box.

I recently got one of these (a Wen). It was a bit too tall for my bench, so I trimed 4" off of the post and elevation rack with no problem (except for the warranty). The variable speed feature is interesting, but I was quite used to moving the belts and I suspect that it is a unnecessary...

Durn! Missed it!

I have a large older safe that I restored. To reset the combination I brought it to a locksmith who warned me that this was mostly a sheet-metal and concrete fire safe that could be hacked into with just a small hatchet. But it serves the purpose of keeping the local homeless and bad kids that...