Powder Flask

[Owen]

ok got bored with "still" trying to get the wheellock to work. Might follow Bioprof and get a snaphance instead.

.... if any one wants to swap it for a snaphaunce kit let me know lol.


I made this for the matchlock I finished.

Only have to make the Apostle's now and a few other things as well... never ends

Owen

 

[jstranah]

God that's beautiful. What is it, wood covered with some sort of silk?

 

[broadarrow]

Hi Owen, that flask is excellent, great work, Regards, Broadarrow

 

[mazo kid]

I like it! Any info you wish to share about construction, etc.? Emery

 

[TNHillbilly]

That's a great looking flask! Details appreciated. Also, join the ranks of frustrated wheelie builders. What did you try in the way of pyrites, ferro, torch lighters, and other strange materials? Was that a kit? Good looking lock.

 

[PitchyPine]

Most excellant. :bow:

 

[bioprof]

Owen,

I put together the same lock as yours from Blackley and Son. One suggestion that I haven't tried yet is to put the wheel in a shallow tin, cover it with Kasenit, and "cook" the tin in the melted Kasenit for at least 10 minutes.

One realization that I have had is that you have to have a sharp, knife-like edge on the pyrite to get good sparks. Also, I suspect that I need to spread my mainspring open a little further to get more tension on the chain. I'm returning home from vacation next week, and I intend to work on it some more (depending on the length of my honeydo list).

I have been able to get the powder to ignite with mine using a pyrite, but I'm still not happy with the limited amount of sparks. I picked up some very fine grained pyrites while I was on vacation, and I plan on doing some experimenting after I get home (my experience with the conglomerate type pyrites has been disappointing to say the least).

Tim (aka bioprof)

 

[Owen]

Thanks guys. The flask is made of some scrap walnut I had left over.That was cut to shape then cut in half so I could mill the center out then glued back together. The material covering it is a bit of left over from the wifes dress making, cotton I think that is glued on as well. The brass is the corner strips you get from hobby shops and scrap I had around the workshop.


Tim (bioprof) and I have had many PM's about this wheellock kit over a while now and it drives me up the wall eveytime I pull it out to work on it.
I have only tryed it with pyrites I got from Hursts I think. I have had it spark and set off powder but not offern. Good idea Ill have to try the 10 min baking to see if that helps and Ill thin down the pyrite more to see if that helps as well. But it will become a paperweight soon.

Owen

 

[TNHillbilly]

It seems inconceivable to me that so many of us have had so little luck with these. Surely, we're doing something wrong. Is it possible that there were so many beautiful gonnes built for several hundred years that didn't work? There sure must be some high priced paperweights out there!

 

[Leonredbeard]

TN,
Two years ago at Dixon's Gunmaker's Faire, I saw Keith Casteel span his brand new Wheellock rifle and pull the trigger. He had a shower of sparks like from a good flinter. I stood there with my mouth hanging open and eyes as big as saucers. I wanted to know where he got his pyrites, but I never did find out.
There is a secret to this somewhere. We just haven't stumbled onto it yet. Those old gonnes worked.
volatpluvia

 

[bingo1952]

I haven't built one as of yet but I think the secret is having enough of the circumference of the wheel exposed inside the pan to let the sparks be thrown off before being dragged down below the level of the powdwer in the pan. Just my $.02 worth.

 

[wulf]

You got it!!! Now work do it..

 

[wulf]

You do excellent work...like an artist...stay with
the wheel. You can make it work...your not going
to let a lousey piece of iron pyrite outsmart you
are you??? You do have the talent... :hatsoff:

 

[mazo kid]

Owen, don't give up yet!! Keep at it and I'm sure you will get it right. If you don't want to pursue it, send me the lock and I'll try to make a go of it. Emery

 

[cecil]

:hatsoff: Very nice flask!! Beautifully done!!

 

[Many Klatch]

Maybe this is a dumb question. I don't have any experience with wheel locks, but I do with flintlocks.

Why is it that flint won't work? I assume that if you harden the wheel like a frizzen and use a piece of flint, it should spark like a flintlock.

Is the pyrite idea just another one of those untested ideas from history books that are full of BS, like the one that says you need rifling to be accurate?

Flint or chert seems to be a lot more available to the general public than pyrite, wouldn't flint have been used more often?

Many Klatch

 

[Teleoceras]

Many Klatch:

Maybe this is a dumb question. I don't have any experience with wheel locks, but I do with flintlocks.

Why is it that flint won't work? I assume that if you harden the wheel like a frizzen and use a piece of flint, it should spark like a flintlock.

Is the pyrite idea just another one of those untested ideas from history books that are full of BS, like the one that says you need rifling to be accurate?

Flint or chert seems to be a lot more available to the general public than pyrite, wouldn't flint have been used more often?

Oh you can use flint and it will work, but you will also grind down the wheel in the process since the spark comes from the steel being shaved off by the flint. Flint is a form of mineral quartz.

Pyrite (Iron disulfide (FeS2)) is softer than steel and the sparks come from the pyrite as the wheel grinds the rock.

The Mohs scale which measures hardness has
Pyrite around 6.5.

Flint is listed as 7.

Hardened steel is usually between 7-8.

Slowmatch Forever!
Teleoceras