Cleaning under the lock.

[Jarikeen]

Thankyou all, for answering my different questions - I'm sure to wear out my welcome soon.

Just one more question please.

What is the best way to remove the BP residue from the stock under the lock without damaging the timber. Should this part of the stock be treated with a special finish.

Regards Peter

 

[Herz_aus_Stahl]

I use an old toothbrush, works fine.

 

[roundball]

Thankyou all, for answering my different questions - I'm sure to wear out my welcome soon.

Just one more question please.

What is the best way to remove the BP residue from the stock under the lock without damaging the timber. Should this part of the stock be treated with a special finish.

Regards Peter

In addition, you might be able to adjust the lock's fit into the mortise so it's tight up against the breech/barrel.

Ideally, the lock should fit so tight against the breech/barrel that nothing gets down into the lock mortise...so that when you remove the lock, there should just be a line of residue stuck on the side of the breech/barrel where the edge of the lock was located.

 

[Toomuch_36]

Use the old tooth brush to brush away the larger fouling and hose it off liberaly with WD-40, let drain off and re-lube and you're ready to go again.

If you are getting a lot of loose powder and fouling down behind the lock, it is letting too far away from the barrel. the lock mortice should be inlet so that the lock sets up against the barrel. If you can slide a light weight business card between the lock and barrel it is too far away.

Toomuch
.......
Shoot Flint

 

[TANSTAAFL]

In addition, you might be able to adjust the lock's fit into the mortise so it's tight up against the breech/barrel.

Ideally, the lock should fit so tight against the breech/barrel that nothing gets down into the lock mortise...so that when you remove the lock, there should just be a line of residue stuck on the side of the breech/barrel where the edge of the lock was located.

Ditto, I agree with your summation.

 

[Stumpkiller]

A slightly damp patch with saliva or other blackpowder solvent followed by a wipe of the metal with an oily patch. Just a tad of either on a patch. I hit the cleaned wood occasionally with a good paste wax rubbed in well and buffed out. Beeswax works, too.

Be sure not to oil the face of the frizzen.

 

after i clean area, i spray it with PLEDGE. this makes cleaning it easy next time.

 

[Jarikeen]

Thankyou for your responses. Being new to blackpodwer and particularly flintlock, it's hard to know what is normal or expected. I wasn't sure if residue behind the lock was a normal part of a flintlock. Looks like I will need to make the fitting better. Think I might use a fibreglass resin and talc powder bog to take up the fit. I know it's not really authentic period approach, but no one will see it, yeh? The rifle needs a complete makeover anyway - just got to find the time, but I am luv'n it!

 

[Jarikeen]

Yes I just realised that bogging it wont work, but the fitting does need to be closer - and there is some room to take out a little timber for a closer fit.
Cheers and thanks

 

[Mike Brooks]

Yep , you need to inlet the lock a little farther. You fellows should never have to clean powder residue out of a lock mortise. Sure sign of a gun with some real quality issues.

 

[Jarikeen]

Yes you're probably right. The vent is also possibly a little too slow - in fact the hole is intersected in half by the pan, and a small side channel feeds down to it.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Right on Mike.

Another thing to keep in mind, if the lock/bbl gap is large, one can get priming fines down into the lock mortise. Get enough priming BP in there, and one can have a potential IED, right in front of the face.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I've had good results with forcing beeswax into the gap between the pan and the barrel. It keeps the fouling and moisture out (did that for years with my Dixie Tennessee instead of fixing it proper).

 

[Kentuckywindage]

ive been using rubbing alcohol to clean the bp crud off. I even use it to clean out my barrel. Works nice. Then i usually run a few patches with rem oil to keep rust out.