lock building links

[schloss]

Anybody out there have any lock building links, or experience? It's a daunting task, I know, but just looking for pics and discussions on building them. I tried the search function here, but couldn't come up with anything.

Someone on this forum did a mule's ear a few years back, but I never saw it finished, and can't locate that thread currently, either.

Anyway, I'm mainly interested in flintlocks.

 

[newtewsmoke]

search "locks from scratch", be sure to include the quotation marks when typing in the search, that'll get ya started. :v

 

[Joe Sullivan]

An IX lock
This has been on here for a month. Thats how long it took to build. I built 2 other large french locks. I did'nt post them being made but I did post the "12 ga. double pistol" I put them on. I'll be building a set of percussion locks for a double soon.
There is'nt much info out there. It's the best kept secret on the web. I copied my 1728 french infantry lock and then made a opposite lock for the left side. Now I'm gaining and "building from pictures"(posted).
Get ahold of a flintlock and copy it and you'll be on your way. The material you make the parts from is important. The parts have to be hardened. Low carbon steel is only good if you can carbonize it and then harden. Medium carbon steel will harden good enough if you super quench. The springs and frizzen need to be high carbon.
You'll need a forge, some tools and some smithing coal.

On utube theres a million way to build one for almost nothing. My forge has changes since this pic. I have a brake drum instead of the rim. This is the hardest thing to learn. Beating on the steel to make the shape you need takes time and pratice. I only went thru 1 1/2 bags of coal building 2 locks. Thats $20 worth.
Good luck. If I can help, I'll be here.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

This should help:
http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/mantonlock/mantonlock.html

 

[schloss]

The search still didn't show much. I tried using the quotation marks, but only got 8 results, with nothing of note.

whiterabbit, that is awesome. I knew I had run across something like that recently. I've got it now.

I saw that page on the Manton a few years ago. Definitely got some useful information.

I was hoping to get some information on how to make the pan, how to forge the cock, and then attach the lower jaw, or the deal above the jaw (what's that part called?) to the cock.

How was it done before mills, drill presses, tig welders, and surface grinders?

I would also like to be know how to do it with a mill, a drill press, a tig welder, and a surface grinder, and whatever else.

Definitely appreciate the links so far. Right on track.

 

[rich pierce]

It's not on the internet. If you can get ahold of a copy of the Journal of Historical Armsmaking Technology volume 1 (JHAT)this covers how it was done in the flintlock period.

There is a series of articles by John Bivins in Rifle magazine from the 1980's that covers how to assemble a lock kit, and this has been covered by others in Muzzle Blasts articles. Finally, "Pryor Mountain Bill Newton" put out a couple sketchbooks on forging flintlocks back in the late 70's or early 80's.

 

[Joe Sullivan]

This was posted here a while ago and I saved it. I wish that I had this video when I first started because I figured it out on my own and even still, unless you get really familiar with locks you don't really know what the guy in the videos beating on. It helps but in hindsite.
Gunsmith of Williansburg

 

[StewartLeach]

Thank you, White Rabbit, for providing the link to the Williamsburg video. My awe of people who can build fine arms continues to increase.

White Fox (who has very distant cousins who have been building ships at Bath for a long, long time)

 

[talkingamoeba]

The John Bivins' articles are in this book also http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/303/1/BOOK-GTP