Working on a TC Hawken and some of the original filler behind the lock got missing during refinishing the stock. Wondering what TC used at the factory?
TC Hawken Restoration
- Thread starter COTNTOP
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
The last one I bought had hot melt glue to fit the lock to the correct depth, I vowed never to buy another one when I saw this shoddy work. Some how I ended up with two more, older models, I probably had 5 or6 older models that I bought new in the 70s and 80s, not one had any filler in the lock mortis, they were all inletted properly.
I hadn't built any guns when I owned the hot melt gun, I have built 5 now and a TC Hawken kit. If I still had the hot melt glue gun I would glue in wood strips inside the inlet and inlet it properly.
I hadn't built any guns when I owned the hot melt gun, I have built 5 now and a TC Hawken kit. If I still had the hot melt glue gun I would glue in wood strips inside the inlet and inlet it properly.
At some point later in TC’s production of sidelock guns they started to use hot glue and card stock (typically yellow or blue) to shim trigger plates, trigger guards, barrel tangs and other pieces because of sloppy inletting differences between stocks. Very disappointing.
Once you have confirmed the correct shim thickness, make a shim out of wood and glue it it place as suggested by @Eric Krewson. As recently pointed out on another thread, shims (and hot glue) have the magical property of falling out when you or someone else disassembles the gun for some reason, then getting lost or forgotten about. When the gun is reassembled without the shim (or hot glue) or the shim in the incorrect location, the ‘why doesn’t this work’ process cycle starts all over again.
Method is to glue in wood and start over.
The first time I pulled the lock on my TC flintlock almost all the hot melt fell out.
I have never made gun that doesn't have a shim glued in it somewhere. It might be from my sloppy work or the sloppy work of a stock pre-carver.
This is my most agressive shim thanks to a terrible lock inlet by a pre-carver.
I have never made gun that doesn't have a shim glued in it somewhere. It might be from my sloppy work or the sloppy work of a stock pre-carver.
This is my most agressive shim thanks to a terrible lock inlet by a pre-carver.
Last edited:
I guess I was lucky w/ my TC Hawken which was a kit build. Had no problems w/ the assembly whatsoever, but the comb was too high and the bulbous cheekpiece smacked my cheek, So I lowered the combline and took a lot of wood from the cheek area and now have a comfortable shooting rifle....even w/ the "big" elk loads. ....Fred
I built a TC Hawken kit in 1988. It basically fell together with perfect inlets everywhere. I altered the comb a bit to work better with my hold. 20 years later, I decided to re-do things. I replaced the barrel with Green Mountain drop-in. I put a dovetailed Hawken buckhorn rear sight on it, with a beadless front sight. Also stripped the original blued finish and browned all but the lock. Looks quite a bit different; the only give-away is the patch box.
Prairieofthedog
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2011
- Messages
- 567
- Reaction score
- 138
Have restored plenty with factory hot glue shimming up parts. Scrape it out,put some JB Weld down,SaranWrap and push the part down to the desired depth.When cured the SaranWrap will peel off the JB Weld,Walla!
Fred graciously helped me with the reshaping of the buttstock on a TC kit that I put together, following his lead I made a really nice looking gun.
Working on another old Hawken that has a split in the stock. What is best substance to glue the crack back together and still be able to sand?
I suggest Tite Bond III (3). Super durable for long term and water resistant. But, for my woodworking I use Tite Bond II (2). Just as good except not as water resistant. I use it because TB3 leaves an ugly brown glue line if you let any get exposed to the surface.
BTW, also pin the stock where the split is for extra strength.
contontop, I tried to pm you but ran into problems, please pm me.
user 34300
54 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2019
- Messages
- 1,743
- Reaction score
- 2,125
If the glue joint is tight is tight then the glue will not show. Like most stock makers I only use slow set epoxy for structural repairs. Keep in mind if the glue joint fails you make new stock. Sanding glue joints is not an issue. I know of no glue that is not sandable. Back the paper with a sanding block and proceed as normal.
