A frizzen spring has only ONE function, and that is to keep the frizzen closed when the muzzle is pointed DOWN. A test of a good lock is to remove the frizzen spring and see how it sparks without the spring in place. In the Bench rest flint matches, most of the frizzen springs are gone, or have never been there. They can't prime their guns until the muzzle is pointed downrange; with a benchrest, the rifle is already rested on its table and supports before the pan is primed; and only a small leather washer between the frizzen and the lockplate, or bridle is needed to keep the frizzen from " kicking back" to hit the flint when the **** is at full rest.
Tension on the frizzen should be less than 3 lbs, for even the heaviest of frizzens. I have seen some that are under 1 lb that work wonderfully.
Tension is caused by a spring that is designed( with the upper arm rising upward After the point of contact with the frizzen cam when the frizzen is closed,forcing the frizzen to push down on the spring in order to open up. This delays ignition, and eats flints. Other causes include rust on the frizzen pivot, burrs and other rubs of the frizzen against the bridle or lockplate, or anything else!
Instead of going to the trouble of annealing a badly designed frizzen spring, and bending it to the correct shape, then having to reharden, and re-temper the spring, I have found that I can grind or polish a small "dish" in the upper arm of the spring, just behind where the cam rests when the frizzen is closed. I then reduce the width of the cam to 1/32" and polish the heck out of both the end of that cam, and the surface on the frizzen arm where it rubs, to reduce friction, and allow the cam to swing out over air when the cam moves back over the " dish ". The dish is no more than 1/4 the thickness of the spring arm deep, BTW. It doesn't have to be very deep, if the width of the cam has been reduced as described. Sometimes, the cam is just too long, and it needs to be shortened to reduce the tension. I find this only has to be done rarely, however.
I do polish all the bearing surfaces on the frizzen and the frizzen spring. I want that upper, working arm of the frizzen spring moving freely, and NOT rubbing against the lockplate. Sometimes we find lockplates that are warped, or bent. I straighten the lock plate, rather than file and grind away the spring arm to deal with the curve. (DUH!)
With the pivot in the bridle for the frizzen properly oiled, and the frizzen moving freely, the minimal tension on the frizzen allows it to "Pop " open quickly when its struck, allowing all the sparks to be thrown down into the pan of flashpowder. Without a heavy frizzen spring, the mainspring can also be reduced. I want a mainspring to be down in the 10-20 lb. range, depending on the lock, both size, and maker. The lighter mainspring is still more than enough to give good sparks from a hardened( properly) frizzen, but it won't EAT FLINTS.
That may be bad for Rich's business, but I don't think he will mind! :shocked2: :blah: :rotf: :thumbsup: :hmm: :surrender: :hatsoff:
The way I see it, if more flintlock shooters had better locks, they would shoot more. The more they shoot, the more flints they will need, anyway. So, in the long haul, better locks will improve Rich's business, and not hurt it, NO?? :hmm: :thumbsup:
