Brand new and ignorant

[BillyC]

Excuse my ignorance but what is the definition of a round faced lock? And as compared to what, a square faced lock?
Also, what is tow, and I don’t mean track of the wolf.

 

[longcruise]

Welcome to the forum.

Round face refers to the shape of the lock plate. It is rounded rarher than flat. Tow is the by product of refining flax into linen. Some shooters prefer to use it to wipe or clean the bore.

If you go to TOW (not the linen by product. ) and look through the photos of locks you will see the difference.

 

[ZDC]

Welcome to the forum Billy. I see your from Pittsburgh glad to see people from western Pa, welcome from Lawrence county.

I think longcruise did a good job explaining it.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Round face;

Flat faced;

 

[azmntman]

Lotta folks use tow for shooting round balls in smooth bores as well, powder (maybe an over powder card) wad of tow and a RB. Kinda acts as a patch and gas seal? I still need a smoothie though so my resppnse is not from expeierence as I never used any myself

 

[nchawkeye]

Typically we consider round faces locks made in England and flat faced made in Germany...Before the Revolution, most locks and barrels were imported into the Colonies...This gives us also a sense of where areas such as Old Salem received their goods from...

 

[BillyC]

I see the difference, thanks for the responses.
BTW my Kibler SMR kit arrived at 2:00pm, just called it a day and already have the barrel, lock, butt plate and triggers inlet. Lots of polishing and finishing to go.

 

[Songwriter]

Well, then… you’re not TOO ignorant!

 

[springfield art]

Excuse my ignorance but what is the definition of a round faced lock? And as compared to what, a square faced lock?
Also, what is tow, and I don’t mean track of the wolf.

Yeah, the lock plate itself is kind of "rounded", a bit dome-like. A flat one of course is just that, flat as a pool table surface!

 

[springfield art]

Newbys would benefit from Eric Bye's book: Flintlocks- A Guide To Their Use, Appreciation, and Care, available from the NMLRA website; all new revised edition now available. (I have no connection with sales of this book, it's just really helpful and interesting.)

 

[BillyC]

Here is my finished SMR

 

[andy52]

Here is my finished SMR

Very nice job on the build, the SMR style is my favorite, nice balance and pointability
I have one though not a Kibler in .45 handiest flinter I own for whitetail deer.

 

[NARC50]

Very nice rifle. Great job finishing it!

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Don't feel too bad. I've been shooting muzzleloaders since at least the mid-1980's and never heard of tow until a year or so ago. Duelist 1954 on YouTube enlightened me.

 

[deerstalkert]

Here is my finished SMR

Well i hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that rifle is all wrong! if you would like it fixed just send it to me. i guarantee i will return it in a decade or two!
Lordy that's some beautiful work. both yours and natures!
spectacular figure, and when one can tear their eyes of that tiger and look at the work done it falls into the spectacular realm also!

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Here is my finished SMR

Now that is a gorgeous rifle!