My Wheellock Wrench

[cornstalk]

Excited to have located a Wheellock Wrench, and am told it is from the same region of Europe and the same time frame as my Wheellock. Fits the gun's wheel key and dog screw (two different sizes) perfectly. Also is an adjustable powder measure and has a screwdriver tip, plus a ring for attaching a lanyard so it can be hung around the neck. Pretty cool.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Congrats on finding it Cornstalk!
Have you shown your wheellock here? Id be interested to see it!

My only spanner is attached to a flat horn, of I'd think roughly the same vintage.

Best,
Rich.

 

[Capnball]

Excited to have located a Wheellock Wrench, and am told it is from the same region of Europe and the same time frame as my Wheellock. Fits the gun's wheel key and dog screw (two different sizes) perfectly. Also is an adjustable powder measure and has a screwdriver tip, plus a ring for attaching a lanyard so it can be hung around the neck. Pretty cool.

View attachment 135542

What did that little treasure cost you?

 

[PathfinderNC]

It’s a combo spanner

 

[cornstalk]

Congrats on finding it Cornstalk!
Have you shown your wheellock here? Id be interested to see it!

My only spanner is attached to a flat horn, of I'd think roughly the same vintage.

Best,
Rich.

Rich thanks, here is the link. As I say later in my post it is not French but rather "Germanic" in origin.
A Wheellock for me- resources please

I need to fabricate three 8-32 screws that hold pieces of the lock together, that shouldn't be too difficult, and probably a very thin shim under the trigger assembly due to wood shrinkage, then it will be ready to test fire.

 

[cornstalk]

What did that little treasure cost you?

300 Beaver (based on Mountain Man times when a beaver pelt was worth $5)

 

[Pukka Bundook]

That's a lovely rifle,Cornstalk.
Very rarely seen these days!

My old horn /spanner combination.

 

[cornstalk]

That's a lovely rifle,Cornstalk.
Very rarely seen these days!

My old horn /spanner combination.View attachment 135902

Beautiful!!!

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Cornstalk,
With your wheellock, you may find after a shot or two that if it is left spanned in anticipation of a shot, say when hunting, it may just freeze up with the fouling.
This was quite common and some guns had wing nuts so the lock could be taken off easily, and dipped in water.
This was the usual practice for a lock that became clogged through sitting for a period of time.
a lock so dipped and shook dry and wiped over would then work just like new.
This is not my discovery as I have no wheellock, but was mentioned by Keith Niel in his book "Great British Gunmakers, 1740-1790"
This problem happened to him when rabbit shooting, and the remedy was very simple.

 

[Capnball]

300 Beaver (based on Mountain Man times when a beaver pelt was worth $5)

That's a big ol bag o beavers

 

[Belleville]

http://www.texasguntrade.com/hornspanner.htm

 

[cyten]

That is an awesome combination tool for a wheellock! I always wondered why you didnt see a lot more multi tools (powder measure, vent pick, spanner, screwdriver etc)