Modifying a lock

[davec2]

I did some modifications to a Chambers Late Ketland for a half stock rifle I have in the works. Thought I would show you what I did to modify the look the lock.

First, the "hook" at the top of the existing **** turns backward. Just personal preference, but I like the look of the "hook" turning forward. Harder to do, but it looks more graceful to me. Here is how the **** came on the lock:



I TIG welded a blob of steel on the top of the ****. Here is how it looked before filing.....the look I was going for is shown at the right on another **** I made many years ago:



After a little grinding and filing, it came out like this:



I like the look of a more "waterproof" pan, so I decided to modify that as well. Here is the pan the way the lock comes....



After some filing and polishing, it looks like this.....



I don't have all the parts done yet, but this photo shows the plate with the modified pan and the **** with the altered curl at the top......

 

[davec2]

After getting that far, I really wanted to have a sculpted molding on the lock plate and **** but was too lazy to actually try to cut it. Dave Pearson told me it was not too hard to do, so I gave it a try last night......

After doing it, I can say that David was correct.....it was not as hard as I had thought it might be. It took me a couple of hours to do both the lock plate and the ****, but the job was not particularly difficult... just a little tedious. I haven't finished all the polishing yet, but the bulk of the shaping and smoothing is complete. Both the plate and the **** started off with just a straight 45 degree bevel on the edges. Here are some pictures......

The plate before starting to cut the molding......



The **** before cutting the molding......



Results.......

 

[ppb]

Awesome.
Keen eye for detail, good hands and cultivated talent .
Very nice!
(one has to wonder what the rest of the rifle will look like...)

 

[PathfinderNC]

More amazing work. It’s so much more fine looking!!

 

[Treestalker]

DAYYAM!

 

[dave_person]

Hi Dave,
Of course the job is not that hard when you have incredible skills like you do. Beautiful job.

dave

 

[erhunter]

Beautiful work! It's amazing what can be accomplished with some expert guidance from Dave and your incredible skills!

 

[LawrenceA]

After getting that far, I really wanted to have a sculpted molding on the lock plate and **** but was too lazy to actually try to cut it. Dave Pearson told me it was not too hard to do, so I gave it a try last night......

After doing it, I can say that David was correct.....it was not as hard as I had thought it might be. It took me a couple of hours to do both the lock plate and the ****, but the job was not particularly difficult... just a little tedious. I haven't finished all the polishing yet, but the bulk of the shaping and smoothing is complete. Both the plate and the **** started off with just a straight 45 degree bevel on the edges. Here are some pictures......

The plate before starting to cut the molding......



The **** before cutting the molding......



Results.......

BUt how??

 

[Robby]

Dave and Dave, I did that on an Egg lock. It was pretty tedious for me, but then I have no particular talent, just grit.

Very nice alterations Dave!!!
Robby

 

[dave_person]

Nice job Robby!!!

dave

 

[mark prker]

Beautiful work. What cutter or grinder did you use? Was it all cut and file by a hand-tool?

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

After getting that far, I really wanted to have a sculpted molding on the lock plate and **** but was too lazy to actually try to cut it. Dave Pearson told me it was not too hard to do, so I gave it a try last night......

After doing it, I can say that David was correct.....it was not as hard as I had thought it might be. It took me a couple of hours to do both the lock plate and the ****, but the job was not particularly difficult... just a little tedious. I haven't finished all the polishing yet, but the bulk of the shaping and smoothing is complete. Both the plate and the **** started off with just a straight 45 degree bevel on the edges. Here are some pictures......

The plate before starting to cut the molding.....

The **** before cutting the molding.....
Results......
[/QUOTE
Davec2,
Thanks for sharing, your work is impeccable!
Larry

 

[Nameless Hunter]

The contoured pan just looks - wow..

 

[Acorn Mush]

Davec2 and Robby, both of you gentlemen do beautiful work! Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[BJamesBeck]

Was all of this done with hand files? I'm very curious, it looks amazing, and I might like to try something similar on my lock.

 

[davec2]

BJamesBeck,

This is the first time I have cut a molding on a lock, so I'm no expert. This is what Dave Pearson sent me.......

"Gosh, that molding is not that hard to do and really doesn't take long at all. Using a square graver, I cut the lower ledge of the bevel. I run the graver around the lock to cut a deep line and then do it again but turn the graver so one side flat cuts the line into a flat shoulder. I sometimes use rifflers to smooth and flatten it if my cuts were uneven. Then I just cut a fine line at the top of the bevel at the edge of the top of the plate. That may sound hard but it really is not particularly for someone as skilled as you are. It is also not hard to give the bevel itself a slight convex shape (ovalo) using a riffler file. It does not take much filing and does not take long."

So I followed Dave's instructions except that I used a flat graver to contour the space between the upper and lower graver cuts into a convex shape a little at a time. And then I smoothed up yjr lines and contours with needle files and riflers. So yes, all of this was done with gravers and hand files.

 

[BJamesBeck]

BJamesBeck,

This is the first time I have cut a molding on a lock, so I'm no expert. This is what Dave Pearson sent me.......

"Gosh, that molding is not that hard to do and really doesn't take long at all. Using a square graver, I cut the lower ledge of the bevel. I run the graver around the lock to cut a deep line and then do it again but turn the graver so one side flat cuts the line into a flat shoulder. I sometimes use rifflers to smooth and flatten it if my cuts were uneven. Then I just cut a fine line at the top of the bevel at the edge of the top of the plate. That may sound hard but it really is not particularly for someone as skilled as you are. It is also not hard to give the bevel itself a slight convex shape (ovalo) using a riffler file. It does not take much filing and does not take long."

So I followed Dave's instructions except that I used a flat graver to contour the space between the upper and lower graver cuts into a convex shape a little at a time. And then I smoothed up yjr lines and contours with needle files and riflers. So yes, all of this was done with gravers and hand files.

Excellent info thank you!

 

[Robby]

Mine was done with graver's, a V shaped one to make my line and depth, a chisel shaped one to remove material, the file's to bring it to the final contour, finished with emery glued to popsicle sticks.
Robby

 

[BJamesBeck]

I suppose I need to order some gravers and riffling files then. This is the first rifle I've built (Kibler Colonial) so I still don't have an extensive collection of tools. Just thinking some nice simple bevels and such might be a nice detail element for the rifle.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Great looking lock, awaiting the rest of what it goes on.