Pyrites Problems

[rickystl]

I believe there are different grades/kinds of iron pyrites, with different tenden cies to crumble. I know no more, save speak with a geologist.
Here is one Italian approach, from C.H. Weiz circa 1960's: View attachment 108913

Hey !!! I have a very similar lock. LOL Northern Italy, about 1600. Still in working condition.

Rick

 

[Rifleman1776]

it was dinosaur blood which had run into cracks in the rock and become petrified

Great campfire story. Did I ever tell you the one about the six legged mountain lions we have in Arkansas? I have never tried pyrites but would like to just because this game is so much about experimenting with what may have been used in past days.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

FWIW Fire Steel didn’t work in my wheellock at all …

 

[Rudyard]

Well Ime expossed I must confess I made Cutfingers WL Rifle it was ordered by a patron who wanted a W lock but couldn't deal with the cheek stocked ones like mine. So the Louis the 13th ex' Cabinet d arms' gave him a shoulder stock ' Louis gun was a Boys gun but the patron wanted a 54 I had stocked one up into a Turkish Miguelet Tuffancha but robbed it and made it oct to round to suit him have no other to hand .Now Cutfinger has it and Ime gratified he is pleased with it . The French locks have very different working but I winged what I couldn't see & think ime about right . .Of course Pyrites are a WL problem but between us ' band of WL affectionados' we will get it sussed . I use the facetted 'fools gold 'bits clued in a bit of old ram rod shaped to hold them .If hunting this works fine but you don't need the shooting like you will on a range so its a bogey . I like the archaic stuff Im'e archaic these days !. Never actualy met Cutfinger but will no doubt .Never actually met Ezekial but we talk on the phone he's into Tchinkes . Anyway must go feed the dog .
Regards Rudyard

 

[DuncNZ]

Well here is "Louis" as crafted by Rudyard .Every screw head is detailed , even the ones hidden inside .

 

[DuncNZ]

Well I went out to the back yard and primed and fired off the WL with a piece of wedge shaped fire lighter which seemed to throw a good shower of sparks in the dark last night , It still threw good sparks but no woosh , I tried moving the rod ,no go , so it seems that the fire striker rod is a bust the sparks are not hot enough or somesuch . I'll wait until I get my rock saw and cut up some Pyrites cubes then report back .

 

[Rudyard]

Iv'e ticked my own box or item'! I think you never really see the gun as your working on it its only when you look at it later that you get the same view as the owners do . Looks fine now quoth he vainly There is one other Cheek stocked W lock has a double headed loon in the cheek piece went to a Good NY customer there re two' English lock with dogs' no three in the US non signed .Rudyard mind .
Regards Rudyard

 

[ChrisPer]

Please people, no agate or flint! Agate is just microcrystalline silica, like flint. If you regard your wheels as consumables, go right ahead.

 

[rickystl]

FWIW Fire Steel didn’t work in my wheellock at all …

Darn. Hmmmm. One Forum member a long while back said he had good luck using welding rod. Have no idea.

 

[Ezeikel]

I think it was a welding igniter tip that was said that worked. I keep meaning to try one myself

 

[Rudyard]

Dear Rickystl . Pity you have no idea I was hoping well expecting you would be onto the Pyrites solution, I just figure that historically there was a particular type / grade of Pyrite known & commercialy prepared & distributed much like flint was . But that's speculation .Perhaps Mr Bolec or the redoubtable 'Capandball' will tell us since they seem to get good consistant results. .Cutfinger is working on a solution so between us all we may solve the problem and Thompson Centre will create a rush for Wheellocks ?, Er I rather doubt it but who knows . Do I find them vastly superior to flint or percussion ? No. Are they any advantage hunting or target shooting ? a clear' No'. But do I think there an interesting annacronism. &' Cool'?. Yes that would be a sum up. Most of us on MLF will be familiar with modern guns even some might use the hideous season cheater' in lines' an annathama to me along with camo & rolling pin size scopes tripods plastic & stainless steel.. Maybe Ime one of the conservative sorts ? could be. Regard's Rudyard

 

[Rudyard]

Freshly read Ezeikel mentions untried welder spark gas lighter stuff. A friend in UK drilled the parralel holes in aluminium sections . but found the traditional wheel would'nt give the intended spark so made a file like surface wheel which while it might have worked I cant recall, but its not how they where . the alluminium was soft so it wore as it was used , he had three holes that the round sparking bits where a snug fitted in . Perhaps that stuff varies so could be worth a try ? Damfino !.
Regards Rudyard

 

[Canute Rex]

This is the kind of pyrite that I use.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/402315661836
https://www.ebay.com/itm/401745705774
https://www.ebay.com/itm/261496179607
Search for "cubic iron pyrite China" on eBay and you'll find loads of this stuff. It's the rough, non-glossy cubes with striations on all sides. Pay attention to the size. If you are given a choice, get the heavier/larger cubes.

I can get 20 shots out of a slice of this type.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Holy Toledo that is an amazing gun. You should be so proud!!!!!!!

 

[DuncNZ]

This is the kind of pyrite that I use.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/402315661836
https://www.ebay.com/itm/401745705774
https://www.ebay.com/itm/261496179607
Search for "cubic iron pyrite China" on eBay and you'll find loads of this stuff. It's the rough, non-glossy cubes with striations on all sides. Pay attention to the size. If you are given a choice, get the heavier/larger cubes.

I can get 20 shots out of a slice of this type.

Thanks for that ,I have some of this type and I am fairly sure it is the right type . I am going to invest in a rock cutting coping saw to cut some slices , how thick do you recommend ? I think the problem is my slices are too thick and because I cut them first with a Dremel tool then finished with a cold chisel they are a bit fractured . That got me thinking and Googling and I find I can get a diamond blade for my Dremel
Well it is now midnight and fireworks are going off all around the neighborhood so have a Safe and happy New Year .
Cheers Dunc

 

[Canute Rex]

Thanks for that ,I have some of this type and I am fairly sure it is the right type . I am going to invest in a rock cutting coping saw to cut some slices , how thick do you recommend ? I think the problem is my slices are too thick and because I cut them first with a Dremel tool then finished with a cold chisel they are a bit fractured . That got me thinking and Googling and I find I can get a diamond blade for my Dremel
Well it is now midnight and fireworks are going off all around the neighborhood so have a Safe and happy New Year .
Cheers Dunc

I use a 4" angle grinder with a thin diamond blade in it. I cut a hole in the bottom of a cardboard box to fit over my vise as a pyrite catcher. I put the pyrite gently in a vise and cut off ~3/16" to 1/4" slices.

 

[Rudyard]

Dear Canute Rex." Oh joy oh glad! "Though taken from Robinson Crusoe's ' Man Friday' sums up my learning of your success with pyrites . I expect Ile be seeing Cutfinger presently Im'e even makeing another Cheek stock 45 rifled W lock maple stocked much like my own old one then Ile be out of barrels & turn to useing up my smooth bore ones . I do have one W lock I started years ago fitted a 54 barrel into it in the US brought it home with a wooden barrel expecting to be over to fit it then children happened like they do . The barrel got lost but it was a Getz Swamped one I bought from Dixons & expect a similar barrel would serve any bore the customer wanted his choice its external spring full stocked in Mullberry tree . The stock I can post its' wall ornament' but some capable gunmaker could fit a new brl same dims I expect . Limited market in NZ only Cutfingers other than my own being the only ones sold for NZ market' Lawrence A' has first dibs as he expressed a desire to have such a piece Ile have to get pics & dims but be a few days duaghters away & Im'e hopeless at E gajets .
Regards Rudyard

 

[DuncNZ]

I use a 4" angle grinder with a thin diamond blade in it. I cut a hole in the bottom of a cardboard box to fit over my vise as a pyrite catcher. I put the pyrite gently in a vise and cut off ~3/16" to 1/4" slices.

I went to the hardware shop and bought some Dremel reinforced cut off wheels and a diamond cut off wheel , the reinforced blade cuts the pyrites just fine , no sparks . I have not tried the diamond blade ,it is just too hot in my workshop , it is about 90F outside . The pyrites blocks I have are not cubic , they have other cubes growing out the sides ,and aren't the easiest to cut . so I will get some more . Comparing the wheel lock wheel and a cigarette lighters wheel the cigarette lighter has a lot more small grooves .My WL has about 18 grooves , I wonder how many grooves other WL's on this forum have ? Maybe more and smaller will throw more sparks ? What do you think Rudyard ?

 

[Canute Rex]

I went to the hardware shop and bought some Dremel reinforced cut off wheels and a diamond cut off wheel , the reinforced blade cuts the pyrites just fine , no sparks . I have not tried the diamond blade ,it is just too hot in my workshop , it is about 90F outside . The pyrites blocks I have are not cubic , they have other cubes growing out the sides ,and aren't the easiest to cut . so I will get some more . Comparing the wheel lock wheel and a cigarette lighters wheel the cigarette lighter has a lot more small grooves .My WL has about 18 grooves , I wonder how many grooves other WL's on this forum have ? Maybe more and smaller will throw more sparks ? What do you think Rudyard ?

Cutfinger, the wheel on my Bolek-made lock has radial ridges (in the direction of travel) but only a few very shallow cross grooves. It's really the springs that do the job. If you have a lot of deep cross grooves you are going to eat through the soft pyrites quickly.

Most of the Chinese pyrites I get are basically cubic. A few have projections. The one thing to watch out for is that they all exaggerate the size by about 10-20%. Buy cubes listed as a bit larger than you want.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

My wheellock, from a TRS kit, but assembled by Brian Anderson, also has the radial grooves with the line of travel. And then only 3 sets of cross grooves, 3 grooves to each set, at 12 o’clock, 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock as looking at the wheel, they are shallow!