Bald Baron
36 Cal.
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- Sep 1, 2003
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Well I just put a replacement L&R RPL Flintlock on my rifle. The rifle hardware is blue, but would like to brown it someday. That
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Finishing a Lock
- Thread starter Bald Baron
- Start date
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I put an L&R RPL lock in my Lyman and just left it in the white. It looked fine and then just naturally started browning itself in spots. I decided to help it along a little and degreased the lock plate, took the hammer off the lock and rubbed sweat all over the lock plate and left it set a couple days. Has a nice natural brown now, not too even, but looks good. Take care, Rick.
If your wanting Brown, I would suggest Birchwood Caseys Plum Brown. It is a Hot process and you really don't want the stuff running into the tumbler (hammer pivot) hole SO you will need to take the lock apart.
By "Hot process" I'm talkin about 280-300 degrees F. If you have a GOOD vent hood (the fumes given off are not for breathing) for your kitchen stove you can set the oven temp at 300F and heat the parts up and have real good success. Be sure to degrease the parts before starting (I use Lacquer thinner). Do this process twice to get a uniform color.
If you buy the Plum Brown from a supplier, it's recommended you buy a mainspring vise too. I've used Vise Grips but their an iffy way to relax the main spring pressure to get the spring out.
To remove the hammer (cock) unscrew the cocks retaining screw and remove the tumbler bridle inside the lock (Note: The bridle is the only thing holding the "FLY" in the tumbler and this very little part is easy to loose. Without it, the lock will not work with a "set trigger"). Support the lock plate on a vise (or a few blocks of wood) with the tumbler hanging (not clamped) down between the vise jaws. Screw a longer screw (it's either a #6 or #8-32) into the hammer screw hole until it bottoms in the threads but does NOT tighten against the cock. A light tap or two on the screw head with a hammer will drive the tumbler out of the hammer. The screw head keeps the tumbler from falling on the floor and skidding under the work bench. Optional: use a nail that fits down inside the threads and rests on the bottom of the hole. If you use this method watch where the tumbler goes.
I do not recommend prying the hammer off with a screw driver. This will fudge up the square hole in the cock.
Happy browning!
By "Hot process" I'm talkin about 280-300 degrees F. If you have a GOOD vent hood (the fumes given off are not for breathing) for your kitchen stove you can set the oven temp at 300F and heat the parts up and have real good success. Be sure to degrease the parts before starting (I use Lacquer thinner). Do this process twice to get a uniform color.
If you buy the Plum Brown from a supplier, it's recommended you buy a mainspring vise too. I've used Vise Grips but their an iffy way to relax the main spring pressure to get the spring out.
To remove the hammer (cock) unscrew the cocks retaining screw and remove the tumbler bridle inside the lock (Note: The bridle is the only thing holding the "FLY" in the tumbler and this very little part is easy to loose. Without it, the lock will not work with a "set trigger"). Support the lock plate on a vise (or a few blocks of wood) with the tumbler hanging (not clamped) down between the vise jaws. Screw a longer screw (it's either a #6 or #8-32) into the hammer screw hole until it bottoms in the threads but does NOT tighten against the cock. A light tap or two on the screw head with a hammer will drive the tumbler out of the hammer. The screw head keeps the tumbler from falling on the floor and skidding under the work bench. Optional: use a nail that fits down inside the threads and rests on the bottom of the hole. If you use this method watch where the tumbler goes.
I do not recommend prying the hammer off with a screw driver. This will fudge up the square hole in the cock.
Happy browning!
..or just lay a pair of pliers on a flat surface, lay the lock plate across the plier handles, and a light tap with hammer & punch on the tumbler's hammer shaft will drop the tumbler down and away from the hammer and you don't have to go looking for the tumbler...
PS:
One of the best things I ever did was buy one of those rolling Sears automotive tool chests that stands about waist high and has a few big pull out drawers, etc.
I bolted a 4 foot wide by 2 foot deep 3/4" piece of plywood across the top of it, then put a piece of thick soft carpet on top and it's been the best firearms work bench I could imagine.
All supplies like bore cleaner, patches, oil, brushes, tools, gunsmith screwdrivers, etc, are right there in the various drawers, and the carpeted top lets me work on guns without making a mark on them...
PS:
One of the best things I ever did was buy one of those rolling Sears automotive tool chests that stands about waist high and has a few big pull out drawers, etc.
I bolted a 4 foot wide by 2 foot deep 3/4" piece of plywood across the top of it, then put a piece of thick soft carpet on top and it's been the best firearms work bench I could imagine.
All supplies like bore cleaner, patches, oil, brushes, tools, gunsmith screwdrivers, etc, are right there in the various drawers, and the carpeted top lets me work on guns without making a mark on them...
While we're taking locks apart I almost forgot to mention the thing that screws up more screws than anything else and that's the "family screwdriver". You know the one I'm talking about.
True "gunsmithing" screwdrivers are expensive as hell and you usually have to order them So.....
Before you start taking the lock apart, put it in your pocket and go to the local hardware store. Try their new screwdrivers in each screw slot and buy the ones that fit all the way to the bottom of the slot and are not loose or too narrow. Given the choice, buy the best quality (usually the most expensive) ones that fit. When you've finished with the lock, hide them so your kids can't use them to split rocks with and your wife can't use them to aerate her garden.
True "gunsmithing" screwdrivers are expensive as hell and you usually have to order them So.....
Before you start taking the lock apart, put it in your pocket and go to the local hardware store. Try their new screwdrivers in each screw slot and buy the ones that fit all the way to the bottom of the slot and are not loose or too narrow. Given the choice, buy the best quality (usually the most expensive) ones that fit. When you've finished with the lock, hide them so your kids can't use them to split rocks with and your wife can't use them to aerate her garden.
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