Thinning down a frizzen spring

[David LaPell]

When I bought a new frizzen for my Pedersoli .32 Kentucky rifle, I also got a new frizzen spring. The problem is, the spring is way too thick and is too heavy on tension. What's the best way to thin these down and reduce the tension on one. The photo shows the spring the gun came with and the new spring to the left.

 

[flatcreek]

Why not use the old spring, save some work and the new spring or is it weak?

 

[David LaPell]

Why not use the old spring, save some work and the new spring or is it weak?

I'm asking in case anything happens to the spring that's on it, I can just swap out springs.

 

[flatcreek]

I'm asking in case anything happens to the spring that's on it, I can just swap out springs.

Sounds like a plan.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

When I bought a new frizzen for my Pedersoli .32 Kentucky rifle, I also got a new frizzen spring. The problem is, the spring is way too thick and is too heavy on tension. What's the best way to thin these down and reduce the tension on one. The photo shows the spring the gun came with and the new spring to the left.

I grind or file my springs. You can thin or narrow the top section. Stay away from grinding the sharp bend on the front end. Never get the spring hotter than your fingers will stand. Always grind length wise. Make sure all scratches are removed. Left in place scratches/gouges 90 deg. to the length of the spring will cause failure. Always error on the skimpy side when doing removal. You can always take more off, but you can't put it back.

Larry

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Although time consuming you can oil stone the spring down.
Knife sharpening stone....very fine
Like Larry stated above.....
It,s less aggressive does not involve overheating the spring and you can control the "tune" of the spring to your liking.

 

[stubshaft]

WOW, that spring is almost as thick as the hammer!

 

[mike54]

why dont you try it before you do anything to it.

 

[FlinterNick]

When I bought a new frizzen for my Pedersoli .32 Kentucky rifle, I also got a new frizzen spring. The problem is, the spring is way too thick and is too heavy on tension. What's the best way to thin these down and reduce the tension on one. The photo shows the spring the gun came with and the new spring to the left.
View attachment 361928

Why are you replacing the spring ?besides that’s the wrong spring for that lock.

 

[FlinterNick]

I'm asking in case anything happens to the spring that's on it, I can just swap out springs.

Why have you convinced yourself that you need a back up frizzen spring? The spring on there should work just fine. The only way It could accidentally break is if you compress too much. You should almost never have to take the lock apart anyway.

Like that old saying curiously got that cat killed

 

[LRB]

Why are you replacing the spring ?besides that’s the wrong spring for that lock.

I believe he indicated it was a backup.

 

[David LaPell]

why dont you try it before you do anything to it.

Because it's so thick that neither of my mainspring vices can even compress it. It's also so thick that it doesn't properly line up with the hole for the screw to fit the spring to the lock. It actually contacts the bottom of the pan too much.

 

[David LaPell]

Why are you replacing the spring ?besides that’s the wrong spring for that lock.

Tell Pedersoli that. It's a Kentucky rifle and that's the frizzen spring they sell for it. I know what the spring on it looks like, but this gun was made in 1984 and sometime between then and now, they changed the way their springs look. I've checked with them and three retailers and even seen pictures of Pedersoli Kentucky rifles out there for sale right now, guess what, THAT's the frizzen spring that they have and the only one Pedersoli offers. If you can find me a spring from 1984, let me know and I'll get that one.

Here's a new Pedersoli Kentucky rifle and there's the same frizzen spring.

 

[45man]

That new spring was made for a jack stand for changing brakes. Like said, use the old one.

 

[FlinterNick]

Tell Pedersoli that. It's a Kentucky rifle and that's the frizzen spring they sell for it. I know what the spring on it looks like, but this gun was made in 1984 and sometime between then and now, they changed the way their springs look. I've checked with them and three retailers and even seen pictures of Pedersoli Kentucky rifles out there for sale right now, guess what, THAT's the frizzen spring that they have and the only one Pedersoli offers. If you can find me a spring from 1984, let me know and I'll get that one.

Here's a new Pedersoli Kentucky rifle and there's the same frizzen spring.
View attachment 362044

Why do you want a back up spring? You’ll have to balance it, fit it etc if it’s not broke … don’t break it trying to fix it

 

[wiscoaster]

It looks to me from the pics the main problem with the new spring is that its bend is too wide open, and so the new spring will have too much pressure for the frizzen to operate normally, and that you're not going to be able to thin it enough to compensate for that. I'd just stick with the old spring and throw the new one in the parts box.

 

[mike54]

Because it's so thick that neither of my mainspring vices can even compress it. It's also so thick that it doesn't properly line up with the hole for the screw to fit the spring to the lock. It actually contacts the bottom of the pan too much.

sounds to me like its the wrong spring for that lock.

 

[FlinterNick]

sounds to me like its the wrong spring for that lock.

It is the wrong spring, the lock for the Pedersoli Kentucky rifle, cub rifles and country hunter rifle all use very similar looking locks with slightly leaner parts. It’s easy to confuse them. Even the distributors like VTI confuse them.

 

[FlinterNick]

Tell Pedersoli that. It's a Kentucky rifle and that's the frizzen spring they sell for it. I know what the spring on it looks like, but this gun was made in 1984 and sometime between then and now, they changed the way their springs look. I've checked with them and three retailers and even seen pictures of Pedersoli Kentucky rifles out there for sale right now, guess what, THAT's the frizzen spring that they have and the only one Pedersoli offers. If you can find me a spring from 1984, let me know and I'll get that one.

Here's a new Pedersoli Kentucky rifle and there's the same frizzen spring.
View attachment 362044

Okay… but what’s wrong with the spring you have? Why do you need a back up ?

You rarely need to take apart a lock on a finished gun.

 

[David LaPell]

It is the wrong spring, the lock for the Pedersoli Kentucky rifle, cub rifles and country hunter rifle all use very similar looking locks with slightly leaner parts. It’s easy to confuse them. Even the distributors like VTI confuse them.

It is the wrong spring, the lock for the Pedersoli Kentucky rifle, cub rifles and country hunter rifle all use very similar looking locks with slightly leaner parts. It’s easy to confuse them. Even the distributors like VTI confuse them.

This is a photo of a Pedersoli Kentucky rifle, a newer one and you can find photo after photo showing the locks on these and the Pennsylvania rifle, which is the same lock. Take a look at the frizzen spring. It's the same spring.