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Just finished this lock
- Thread starter Stophel
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Mike Brooks
Cannon
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I give, what is it?
sutherland
36 Cal.
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Nice job polishing the lock. But I wonder about the groove near the tail. Does that need more smoothing or does the light in the photo make it look rough?
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Very nice Chris.
Twice boom
50 Cal.
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That's what I would call "pro job".
Nice. :thumbsup:
Twice.
Nice. :thumbsup:
Twice.
ricklandes
40 Cal.
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I think you have done a fine job. I do have one small point...where the base of the frizzen mates to the top of the pan there appears to be a small gap. It is more than likely the photo. Did you tightly mate these two surfaces together to help prevent water/moisture entering?
Stophel
75 Cal.
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The groove in the tail makes a wierd photographic anomaly. Like wearing a striped shirt on TV. The surfaces are just filed and sanded with emery cloth (the modern equivalent of abrasive on a felt pad...same thing, just messier).
As to the frizzen fit to the pan: it's plenty good enough. Absolute perfection is not required (I don't see any gaps in the photos anyway :hmm: ). Besides, do you know how many DAYS can be spent just fitting something like this together "perfectly"? It doesn't have to be waterproof (it never will be). It has to keep the priming from blowing out.
I used to worry about getting an absolute perfect fit between the frizzen and pan. I would file, and file, and file, and file, and file, and file, and file, and file, and file, and file, (takes breath), and file, and file, and file, spending an absolutely immense amount of time on something that isn't really that important anyway. PLUS, after fitting the frizzen "perfectly", when you put spring pressure on it, it all is for naught, as everything torques around just a little bit. I gave up "perfection" long ago. :wink: I have not seen ONE "factory" lock that ever had a perfectly fitted frizzen to pan (often, they're pretty awful), so I figure I'm doin' fine. Now, if I were building a $50,000 British shotgun, I might worry about such things. I don't get paid enough for "perfect". :grin: Sorry, one of my many peeves! Kinda like spending days getting a barrel perfectly inletted all along the bottom of the barrel channel. I've done that, used to worry the far out of me, but I found that it isn't necessary, and most definitely wasn't worried too much about 250 years ago. I spend "too much" time as it is on things like this. I'd have to get a bit quicker and looser if I were to ever make any money in the 18th century!
My goal is to build a gun that looks and feels like a real 18th century gun as much as possible. I think one of the worst things I can do is send out a gun with a lock that is recognizeable as a modern "factory" lock. Especially a Siler. I can spot a Siler a mile away.
The lock is made from.....a Siler kit. The lockplate reshaped a little and that immediately-recognizeable Siler pan reshaped to something more attractive (and typical to the period), the frizzen was leaned back to get a smoother strike from the flint, and the tail of the frizzen forged around and curled up, and the frizzen reshaped and refiled. The cock is one of the "blank" cocks from Track of the Wolf (which I use often). The double-screw solid bridle I made myself. The frizzen spring ain't the prettiest spring around, but I had it in my parts box, so I used it. Had to reshape it a good bit. It's from a Davis something-or-other, I don't know where it came from.
It sparks pretty well and smoothly so far. I MIGHT bend the cock down ever so slightly, but I think it will be fine as it is. I do need to final file the bolster for fitting to the barrel, and dang, I forgot to stamp my initials inside the plate!
One thing I do try for perfection on is the strike of the flint on the frizzen. It needs to be a smooth, glancing blow, which not only makes better sparks, it keeps you from gouging up the frizzen and wearing it out. I'm also pretty tight about getting contact with the shoulder on the cock to the top of the plate at the same time that I get contact with the back of the tumbler on the bridle. THAT is something that I do spend too much time on. :grin:
As to the frizzen fit to the pan: it's plenty good enough. Absolute perfection is not required (I don't see any gaps in the photos anyway :hmm: ). Besides, do you know how many DAYS can be spent just fitting something like this together "perfectly"? It doesn't have to be waterproof (it never will be). It has to keep the priming from blowing out.
I used to worry about getting an absolute perfect fit between the frizzen and pan. I would file, and file, and file, and file, and file, and file, and file, and file, and file, and file, (takes breath), and file, and file, and file, spending an absolutely immense amount of time on something that isn't really that important anyway. PLUS, after fitting the frizzen "perfectly", when you put spring pressure on it, it all is for naught, as everything torques around just a little bit. I gave up "perfection" long ago. :wink: I have not seen ONE "factory" lock that ever had a perfectly fitted frizzen to pan (often, they're pretty awful), so I figure I'm doin' fine. Now, if I were building a $50,000 British shotgun, I might worry about such things. I don't get paid enough for "perfect". :grin: Sorry, one of my many peeves! Kinda like spending days getting a barrel perfectly inletted all along the bottom of the barrel channel. I've done that, used to worry the far out of me, but I found that it isn't necessary, and most definitely wasn't worried too much about 250 years ago. I spend "too much" time as it is on things like this. I'd have to get a bit quicker and looser if I were to ever make any money in the 18th century!
My goal is to build a gun that looks and feels like a real 18th century gun as much as possible. I think one of the worst things I can do is send out a gun with a lock that is recognizeable as a modern "factory" lock. Especially a Siler. I can spot a Siler a mile away.
The lock is made from.....a Siler kit. The lockplate reshaped a little and that immediately-recognizeable Siler pan reshaped to something more attractive (and typical to the period), the frizzen was leaned back to get a smoother strike from the flint, and the tail of the frizzen forged around and curled up, and the frizzen reshaped and refiled. The cock is one of the "blank" cocks from Track of the Wolf (which I use often). The double-screw solid bridle I made myself. The frizzen spring ain't the prettiest spring around, but I had it in my parts box, so I used it. Had to reshape it a good bit. It's from a Davis something-or-other, I don't know where it came from.
It sparks pretty well and smoothly so far. I MIGHT bend the cock down ever so slightly, but I think it will be fine as it is. I do need to final file the bolster for fitting to the barrel, and dang, I forgot to stamp my initials inside the plate!
One thing I do try for perfection on is the strike of the flint on the frizzen. It needs to be a smooth, glancing blow, which not only makes better sparks, it keeps you from gouging up the frizzen and wearing it out. I'm also pretty tight about getting contact with the shoulder on the cock to the top of the plate at the same time that I get contact with the back of the tumbler on the bridle. THAT is something that I do spend too much time on. :grin:
Stophel
75 Cal.
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wildeagle said:
I think this screw design is going to be my new "trademark". I've done a couple this way now. Filed out of some ugly screw with a huge round head...don't know what lock they came on.
I STILL have not really learned to engrave. Well, I can do it, sort of, I know HOW, I just haven't done any real practice.
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Chris, put off buying that new fedora and get lynton McKenzies first two videos, and a few basic engraving tools. Your work is too nice for you not to. You know yourself that it only takes a little engraving to make a nice gun even nicer, and many of the early makers were not master engravers.
Doug Lykins
40 Cal.
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Looks great to me. :thumbsup:
Chris: Well guess you knew someone would say it. :haha: I like everything about the lock but the head of the jaw screw. I don't think the way you have turned the head goes with the lock style. I look at the lock & am pleased & then my attentionis drawn to the screw head & I say "Whoa" what is this ? 
But I am sure you knew someone would see it a lil differently.
VERY Nice polishing job, by the way. Can I ship you 2-3 or them to polish? That is one job I just don't like, polishing a lock out. :shake: I do it now & then but I definitely resist it ! ha ha ! :rotf: :rotf:
But I am sure you knew someone would see it a lil differently.
VERY Nice polishing job, by the way. Can I ship you 2-3 or them to polish? That is one job I just don't like, polishing a lock out. :shake: I do it now & then but I definitely resist it ! ha ha ! :rotf: :rotf:
Hey ! I had to find something on it to nag you about !! :rotf: :rotf: Heck now I have to go unbox those locks, I just finish boxing up 4 to send to ya. :shocked2: Dang it... I figured you were so good at it & already in a polishing mood..... may as well catch ya while ya were REALLY into it !! :grin: :grin:
I figured you were so good at it & already in a polishing mood..... may as well catch ya while ya were REALLY into it !! :grin: :grin:
