POLISHING THE PRIMING PAN

[paulab]

When I was a boy, they said polishing your pan would make you go blind.

I can barely read what you wrote!

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Dont know about jeweling it, but a good buffing is in order here.
Thanks

 

[Brokennock]

Dont know about jeweling it, but a good buffing is in order here.
Thanks

You're right here.
Jeweling will hold a thin amount of oil to the metal so I would assume jeweling the pan would also hold powder and fouling.

 

[Freedom]

This thread is making me want to polish my pan.

 

[TDM]

Give it a try. It will only help.

 

[APG]

This thread is making me want to polish my pan.

As far as I'm concerned it was well worth the effort.

 

[springfield art]

So I am quite new to the flintlock fad. And I now have finally got my flintlock rifle ( Traditions Kentucky flintlock rifle with a L&R replacement lock) to fire pretty much every time I pull the trigger. I'm now wanting to polish the priming pan as it is pretty ruff and seems to get "gunked up" I do have a Dremel type tool but not sure which tip would work the best. Would appreciate any help given. Thank you in advance.

Yes, this fad has been 'hot' since the 18th Century! good luck!

 

[Ruffedgrouse]

I am very new to the Flintlock game. Rec'd a Traditions Hawken and Kentucky Rifle from my Wife for Christmas. Do you remove the pan and frizzen from the lock before polishing? Also, my flash holes are sitting a little lower in the pan than I'd like. Can I grind down the outer side of the pan with a Dremel torpedo shaped stone (having the pan taper up to the flash hole and then polish? First photo is the Hawken, last photo is the Kentucky Rifle.

 

[Brokennock]

Do you remove the pan and frizzen from the lock before polishing

I didn't, but it would probably be easier to do an even better job if one did.

PUT THE DREMEL DOWN!!!

Can I grind down the outer side of the pan with a Dremel torpedo shaped stone

Don't know. Can you?
Some can. Most can not. Easy job to bugger up and create a gap that might allow priming powder to escape down behind the lock plate.
Someone tried it on one of my guns before I got it, not bad enough for the powder problem, but it bugs me every time I see it.

Maybe polish up the pans and shoot them some. See how they work, trying various amounts of prime. Sometimes less is better, but try different amounts. Try loading with and without a pricking wire or feather quill left through the touch hole throughout the loading process, inky removing when ready to prime.
Some guns gain reliability and perceived quickness of ignition, other don't doing thus.
Then, then decide if it is worth a roll of the Dremel Destroyer dice.

 

[TDM]

I am very new to the Flintlock game. Rec'd a Traditions Hawken and Kentucky Rifle from my Wife for Christmas. Do you remove the pan and frizzen from the lock before polishing? Also, my flash holes are sitting a little lower in the pan than I'd like. Can I grind down the outer side of the pan with a Dremel torpedo shaped stone (having the pan taper up to the flash hole and then polish? First photo is the Hawken, last photo is the Kentucky Rifle.View attachment 289852View attachment 289855

My advice is remove the lock and polish the pan with a wool felt dremel wheel and polishing rouge. This is what I do. Just make sure to clean any splattered rouge off when finished, you can take it to a mirror finish. As far a using the dremel to deepen the pan I agree with @Brokennock. I wouldn’t do it unless you have a very steady hand and I know exactly where and how much material you need to remove. My advice is to do some shooting first, the touch hole location may well prove to be no problem, but a polished pan is beneficial.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I am very new to the Flintlock game. Rec'd a Traditions Hawken and Kentucky Rifle from my Wife for Christmas. Do you remove the pan and frizzen from the lock before polishing? Also, my flash holes are sitting a little lower in the pan than I'd like. Can I grind down the outer side of the pan with a Dremel torpedo shaped stone (having the pan taper up to the flash hole and then polish? First photo is the Hawken, last photo is the Kentucky Rifle.

The pan is integral to the lock and cannot be separated from the lock plate.

I would recommend a similar course of action as suggested by other members of the forum.

1. Verify that the lock is making a lot of sparks.
2. Shoot the rifle as it is without modifications. Does it fire reliably, or does it have a very noticeable hangfire? If there is a noticeable hangfire then perform step 3 or have a flintlock smith do the internal polishing.
3. As an option, polish the internal lock parts. Do this only if you have the proper spring vises and screwdrivers to remove burs and rough spots.
4. The flash hole opening may be lower than you like, but it may still be acceptably functional. Do as little irreversible work as possible beefore getting out the Dremel tool.

 

[CzarJL]

Then, then decide if it is worth a roll of the Dremel Destroyer dice.

That could not be more true!

 

[fishmusic]

I live, shoot and hunt in SE Texas…90 degrees and 90 percent humidity are spring days…

My guns work very well. Are original pans polished?

Polishing also reduces the tendency to corrosion.

 

[S.Kenton]

I did mine manually with sandpaper. Started with 220, then 440, the 1200. I had those grits in the drawer, so that is what I used. It was pretty easy, and if your finger gets tired, do another session the next day. I polist all my pans, and it makes cleaning so easy. In my opinion time well spent.

Did the same.. ^^^^^^

 

[Sidney Smith]

What's the point behind polishing the pan? Is there any evidence this process increases ignition, etc? I doubt it! Probably just another of those wives tales similar to the bore seasoning myth.

 

[Brokennock]

What's the point behind polishing the pan? Is there any evidence this process increases ignition, etc? I doubt it! Probably just another of those wives tales similar to the bore seasoning myth.

Maybe read some of the other responses?

Easier to clean and helps reduce propensity toward corrosion would be two.
Can you prove that it doesn't help? Moreso, can you prove that if it doesn't help it is actually detrimental?

 

[Sidney Smith]

Maybe read some of the other responses?

Easier to clean and helps reduce propensity toward corrosion would be two.
Can you prove that it doesn't help? Moreso, can you prove that if it doesn't help it is actually detrimental?

Perception is reality, but only to the observer. No, I cannot prove it doesn't work, any more than you can prove it does.

 

[TDM]

Perception is reality, but only to the observer. No, I cannot prove it doesn't work, any more than you can prove it does.

If you shoot in the humid conditions that are the norm in the south I can assure you a polished pan makes cleaning the pan easy. If there's any texture there it traps residue and makes cleaning difficult. Plus I like the way it looks.

 

[M. De Land]

So I am quite new to the flintlock fad. And I now have finally got my flintlock rifle ( Traditions Kentucky flintlock rifle with a L&R replacement lock) to fire pretty much every time I pull the trigger. I'm now wanting to polish the priming pan as it is pretty ruff and seems to get "gunked up" I do have a Dremel type tool but not sure which tip would work the best. Would appreciate any help given. Thank you in advance.

I've not read all the comments in the thread but have purposely left my lock pans as cast not polishing in any fashion. The reason is the rough as cast pan surface tends to hold from movement (walking or handling) the prime powder as placed, better than does the smoothed or polished surface and is very little less difficult to clean the fouling off when wiped or swabbed.
A smoothed out (polished) pan would most likely be more important from a fouling perspective when the flash hole is placed very low but of no consequence that I can determine when in a higher or in a sunset position.
From my understanding of flash hole function , configuration, diameter and placement is that what ever combination causes the transfer of the plasma flow (flash through not powder burn) and promotes the most efficient, consistent and therefore fastest and most reliable ignition sequence.
Powder burn through a flash hole takes more time than does a flash through. What ever position, profile and diameter supports the flash travel efficiency will be the fastest, most consistent and reliable ignition.
I see locks as individual as people and no one size, position or configuration of flash hole is going to be universally the most efficient for the individual lock. There are though some general rules that seem to promote positive effect across the board and there fore are good places to start in discovering what the individual lock prefers.

 

[M. De Land]

I've not read all the comments in the thread but have purposely left my lock pans as cast not polishing in any fashion. The reason is the rough as cast pan surface tends to hold from movement (walking or handling) the prime powder as placed, better than does the smoothed or polished surface and is very little less difficult to clean the fouling off when wiped or swabbed.
A smoothed out (polished) pan would most likely be more important from a fouling perspective when the flash hole is placed very low but of no consequence that I can determine when in a higher or in a sunset position.
From my understanding of flash hole function , configuration, diameter and placement is that what ever combination causes the transfer of the plasma flow (flash through not powder burn) and promostes the most efficient, consistent and therefore fastest and most reliable ignition sequence.
Powder burn through a flash hole takes more time than does a flash through. What ever position, profile and diameter supports the flash travel efficiency will be the fastest, most consistent and reliable ignition.
I see locks as individual as people and no one size, position or configuration of flash hole is going to be universally the most efficient for the individual lock. There are though some general rules that seem to promote positive effect across the board and there fore are good places to start in discovering what the individual lock prefers.

An add on to this comment in promoting consistent fast ignition is my recommendation of pressure flake, flint edge touch up, after every ten shot for score relay, while competing.
Without consistent spark production all the rest of this stuff is academic just as worn spark plugs are in an internal combustion engine.