Did I do something Stupid??

[Crew Chief]

In the final assembly of the Kibler SMR. Put the lock in and put a flint in the lock and was suprised that I got no spark. I checked and double checked the position of the flint and still no spark. The only thing different is that I fire blued all the exposed parts. I put no direct fire on the face of the frizzen. Could that be the problem?

I am a novice when it comes the flintlocks. Been shooting percussion for a while. Any help is appreciate.

 

[64Springer]

Fire bluing requires a lot of heat. 550 degrees give or take. You may have annealed, or at least, softened the frizzen face. Putting heat on the back of the frizzen made no difference. The heat simply radiated to the frizzen face.

Did you fire blue the springs too? Did you disassemble the entire lock before you got started?

 

[deerstalkert]

draw a file across the face of the frizzen. if it cuts you have softened the face. it can be re hardened.

 

[Nemo Vir]

Someone needs to do a video on tuning or fixing a lock. It seems to me no one wants to talk about it as though it’s some trade secret.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Often time a inexperienced fellow will not understand how things will over lap in making and finishing an object. This is an example of that. Making the lock look pretty made it not work. The frizzen needs rehardened.

 

[Crew Chief]

Fire bluing requires a lot of heat. 550 degrees give or take. You may have annealed, or at least, softened the frizzen face. Putting heat on the back of the frizzen made no difference. The heat simply radiated to the frizzen face.

Did you fire blue the springs too? Did you disassemble the entire lock before you got started?

I disassembled the whole lock and did not heat any of the springs or internals. Only fire blued the lock plate, cock and back side of the frizzen.

 

[deerstalkert]

run that file across it. 10 seconds and you will know how bad it is
if that is a Kibler lock , Jim can probably get you a new feather.

 

[vintovka]

If heated hot enough and just left to cool or improperly quenched all those parts may now be altered to point of being unusable.

 

[Oberst]

Going to follow this as I have not yet browned the lock plate on my Kibler Colonial yet, I think I will brown just the plate and leave the rest bright. Plus browning only requires hot water so no risk of heat damage but am a novice with this so anxious to see your outcome. Good luck!

 

[Grenadier1758]

run that file across it. 10 seconds and you will know how bad it is
if that is a Kibler lock , Jim can probably get you a new feather.

I'm sure you meant frizzen or steel.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Crew Chief, the frizzen can be re heat treated and all will be fine, Call Kibler for instructions.
Oberst, browning will have no effect on a lock to include screws and frizzen. I did my first rifle lock with Plum Brown and it didn’t harm it at all.
all 492 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[PathfinderNC]

Perhaps Jim Kibler sells parts for his locks? If so, I would just buy a new frizzen. His locks throw sparks like no tomorrow.

 

[vintovka]

Wonder how the other parts will hold up to wear and stress???

 

[Flintfan69]

Yup, that is a soft frizzen. Either re-harden it yourself or get a replacement.

 

[TDM]

In the final assembly of the Kibler SMR. Put the lock in and put a flint in the lock and was suprised that I got no spark. I checked and double checked the position of the flint and still no spark. The only thing different is that I fire blued all the exposed parts. I put no direct fire on the face of the frizzen. Could that be the problem?

I am a novice when it comes the flintlocks. Been shooting percussion for a while. Any help is appreciate.

Your flint looks mighty dull to me. Put a fresh, sharp one on and try it.

 

[Tn mtn man]

Up on looking at your flint is dull not a sharp edge.!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[deerstalkert]

I'm sure you meant frizzen or steel.

doncha ya just love auto correct?

 

[BigD63]

Did I do something Stupid??​

I ask myself that almost every day...

 

[Crew Chief]

Wonder how the other parts will hold up to wear and stress???

With exception of the side plate, cock and frizzen, none of the other parts were heated. They are perfectly fine.

 

[Crew Chief]

Your flint looks mighty dull to me. Put a fresh, sharp one on and try it.

It is an illusion in the photo. The flint is brand new and sharp enough to cut my finger. Tried a different flint and nothing.