Clay Smith Trade Gun Build

[TDM]

That's odd. Go to mikebrooksflintlocks.com and drop me an email when you get a chance.

Will do.

 

[TDM]

Got back to work on the stock today. Finished inletting the barrel and marked, measured, drilled, and pinned the barrel. The little marking tool a made a month or so ago came in handy. Next step is inletting the lock plate.

 

[TDM]

That's odd. Go to mikebrooksflintlocks.com and drop me an email when you get a chance.

Mike, I did send you an email yesterday.

 

[TDM]

Enletted the lock plate today. It was a little tedious for a couple of reasons, this was only my 2nd time to do this and the pre-inlet was for a round tail lock. Actually had a very slight gap on the bottom left to start with. Forgot to take a photo to show what I started with. And I over did one of my first cuts at the top behind the pan. I’ve since cut and glued a sliver of maple there, so that gap will disappear. Thought I’d spend 2 or 3 hours deburring and polishing the lock parts, but that was not to be. I take back every bad word I’ve said against L & R locks! This Davis lock, at least the one I have, is not good at all. Casting marks and flash everywhere. The plate cleaned up ok, but not great. Where I really spent time was on the frizzen. It was ugly, the good thing was that it was hard, the bad thing was that it was hard, so it took a number of different methods to smooth the front. I used diamond needle files and finally some fine dremal bits to get rid of the scale. Still not happy with it, but it was enough for the day. Tomorrow I’ll finish going over the lock and finish the inletting.

 

[WALT53]

Got back to work on the stock today. Finished inletting the barrel and marked, measured, drilled, and pinned the barrel. The little marking tool a made a month or so ago came in handy. Next step is inletting the lock plate.

Sir what is the size of wire holding in your barrel ( barrel pins).thanks walt

 

[TDM]

Sir what is the size of wire holding in your barrel ( barrel pins).thanks walt

They’re 1/16”, I’ll use 3/32” for the trigger pin.

 

[PathfinderNC]

The frizzen looks much better than how it came. Lots of love going into your build. Keep it going!

 

[TDM]

Thanks @PathfinderNC

 

[TDM]

Only took a day and a half, but the lock is polished and back together. There wasn’t one piece that didn’t need attention. I hadn’t noticed that the frizzen spring suffered from the same flash and burrs as the mainspring. Everything had burrs. Surprisingly the tumbler wasn’t too ratty, still needed a good stoning but not much worse than normal. Everything else needed time and effort. On the plus side, the lock is smooth now and throws very good sparks. Only fired it a few times, but it appears to be fairly quick for such a long throw lock. So all is good. Here’s a before and some after photos.

 

[TDM]

Spent most of the day getting my corn patch planted but still put a few hours into fully inletting the lock. It function checks, still need to do some cleaning up.

 

[PathfinderNC]

It’s coming along nicely. You have good patience and determination in getting that lock in order.

 

[Rob M.]

Enletted the lock plate today. It was a little tedious for a couple of reasons, this was only my 2nd time to do this and the pre-inlet was for a round tail lock. Actually had a very slight gap on the bottom left to start with. Forgot to take a photo to show what I started with. And I over did one of my first cuts at the top behind the pan. I’ve since cut and glued a sliver of maple there, so that gap will disappear. Thought I’d spend 2 or 3 hours deburring and polishing the lock parts, but that was not to be. I take back every bad word I’ve said against L & R locks! This Davis lock, at least the one I have, is not good at all. Casting marks and flash everywhere. The plate cleaned up ok, but not great. Where I really spent time was on the frizzen. It was ugly, the good thing was that it was hard, the bad thing was that it was hard, so it took a number of different methods to smooth the front. I used diamond needle files and finally some fine dremal bits to get rid of the scale. Still not happy with it, but it was enough for the day. Tomorrow I’ll finish going over the lock and finish the inletting.

Looks good . I just bought one of these from Log Cabin today ...all they had was one after months of telling me " any day now we'll have some " ....and the problems you said of your lock ....sounds just like dealing with L&R ! Lordy .... Looks good bud . keep up the good work

 

[TDM]

Looks good . I just bought one of these from Log Cabin today ...all they had was one after months of telling me " any day now we'll have some " ....and the problems you said of your lock ....sounds just like drsling with L&R ! Lordy .... Looks good bud . keep up the good work

Thanks Rob, I almost called Log Cabin this morning to tell them about the issues with the lock, but I didn’t. But I definitely want a spare mainspring.

 

[Bnewberry]

That is pretty! I bought one of these at the Kalamazoo show and I have to say it looks to be a bit better finished.

 

[WALT53]

Thanks Rob, I almost called Log Cabin this morning to tell them about the issues with the lock, but I didn’t. But I definitely want a spare mainspring.

That’s what you call low quality high cost not like before when itwas high quality low cost.coming along nicely tdm.
Walt.

 

[TDM]

I agree @WALT53. Thanks.

 

[Rob M.]

Only took a day and a half, but the lock is polished and back together. There wasn’t one piece that didn’t need attention. I hadn’t noticed that the frizzen spring suffered from the same flash and burrs as the mainspring. Everything had burrs. Surprisingly the tumbler wasn’t too ratty, still needed a good stoning but not much worse than normal. Everything else needed time and effort. On the plus side, the lock is smooth now and throws very good sparks. Only fired it a few times, but it appears to be fairly quick for such a long throw lock. So all is good. Here’s a before and some after photos.

Got my lock today ... tried to get two but ....oh well.....but any way , it has some nasty flashing on it esp. on the frikken Frizzen ! The hardest part and most prominent part on the d@mn lock .... Not cool . Glad to get the lock but there is no sense in that .... I'll be tearing of apart soon and de burying it welding up all the " engraving " on it . Sure like it better than that d@mn Curly lock !!

 

[TDM]

Got my lock today ... tried to get two but ....oh well.....but any way , it has some nasty flashing on it esp. on the frikken Frizzen ! The hardest part and most prominent part on the d@mn lock .... Not cool . Glad to get the lock but there is no sense in that .... I'll be tearing of apart soon and de burying it welding up all the " engraving " on it . Sure like it better than that d@mn Curly lock !! View attachment 210613View attachment 210614

Yep, that's the way mine was. And I found more and more issues as I disassembled it. The frizzen spring was as bad, if not worse, than the mainspring. Spent a lot of time cleaning mine up.

 

[Rob M.]

Yep, that's the way mine was. And I found more and more issues as I disassembled it. The frizzen spring was as bad, if not worse, than the mainspring. Spent a lot of time cleaning mine up.

I sure wish she had Larry Zornes making them again ...

 

[TDM]

@Rob M. another surprise was the lack of finish on the cock jaw bolt and the cock retaining screw. Both had deep machine swirls that couldn't be polished out. Had to put them in a drill chuck and work through sand paper grits to get them smooth. Never saw that condition before.