Whitmore, Duff, Wolff & Co.

[Davey Boy]

This is my first attempt to post text with photos. I was given this rifle by my Mother in Law who bought it decades ago at a flea market. It has been in her closet ever since. She gave it to me earlier this year. I looked it over pretty close and decided it was worth seeing if it could be used again. I even have the powder horn with powder in it. The patch box still has patches in it. I took lots of pictures because I am not particularly good at gun work. Before I started I watched lots of Bill Raby videos to get an understanding of the parts and functions. The stock wood is really old but gorgeous. The iron is functional. My first task was cleaning without wrecking the patina and grime, I want it to be looking as found. Just handling the gun the pins fell out holding in the barrel. Hardware was lose and the wood had internal cracks but none external. I used a dry toothbrush to remove dirt from the wood. For the lock I used laboratory grade isopropyl alcohol in ultrasonic bath.

 

[Kansas Jake]

What a great piece.

 

[Zonie]

You have a very interesting half-stock rifle there.

Just a guess, but I think your gun was made sometime around 1830-1850.

It's interesting that the lock seems to not have a "half cock" notch on the tumbler (the internal part that rotates with the hammer).

The existing notch on the tumbler is a "full cock" notch, used to hold the hammer in the cocked position until the trigger is pulled. Most locks have a "half cock" notch which is more in the shape of a U located about 1/4" below the full cock notch. It's purpose is to hold the nose of the (missing) sear arm in a trapped pocket so the gun can't accidentally fire.

 

[Davey Boy]

You have a very interesting half-stock rifle there.

Just a guess, but I think your gun was made sometime around 1830-1850.

It's interesting that the lock seems to not have a "half cock" notch on the tumbler (the internal part that rotates with the hammer).

The existing notch on the tumbler is a "full cock" notch, used to hold the hammer in the cocked position until the trigger is pulled. Most locks have a "half cock" notch which is more in the shape of a U located about 1/4" below the full cock notch. It's purpose is to hold the nose of the (missing) sear arm in a trapped pocket so the gun can't accidentally fire.

Thank you Zonie

I used that picture of the lock to show the cleaning method I used. In this next picture the lock is complete and just removed. I used a spring vise I got from Track of the Wolf to take it completely apart. It also shows the lock in I think half cock which it must have stayed in for decades. A brass screw with hand made threads is shown standing in the threaded hole. In the first picture posted you can see chisel marks used to punch and expand the metal so the threads would engage the brass screw. Also, the washer with the tab is there and the screw has been smashed flat to turn it tight. The threads were holding by a prayer. I saved the brass hand made screw and replaced it with a 6-32 round head slotted brass screw (to be chemically blacked). I left the threaded hole alone and made a brass tapered 6-32 tapped (cone) that hand set (with a final light tap) into the threaded hole that was punched. This gives a nice tight lock plate set into the wood. With the brass blackened it looks just like the iron patina. The brass pieces can be easily removed and the original parts installed for authentic display. I can show the actual part brass cone shape if someone wants to see it. The cone stands proud from the lock plate face when installed and can interfere with hammer travel. I just remove the hammer and touch it up with a file for good clearance.

 

[Davey Boy]

Thank You Kansas Jake. I really like it and I want to do it justice. It was made in Pittsburg and the makers history is available.

I would like to know why there is a tab on the washer opposite side of the lock plate that the brass screw sticks into. The wood is relieved for the washer with tab.

Speaking of which, I had to do something with the stock to keep it from failing. I did not do anything to the stock finish not even the grime or whatever it is.

I cleaned under areas covered by the iron. I used a toothbrush, then a hardwood dowel with a blunt chisel shape sanded onto the end. I used it as a scraper.

I mixed up JB Weld, I have the black kind, I carefully put it into cracks using a microscope to see, then warmed it up with a heatgun to warm the JB Weld so it flows into the cracks. You can't go too hot as that is bad on everything. I am used to doing work this way on instruments so I have practice.

I look at the work under a microscope and clean anything not in the cracks. After a 24 hour cure I do a final clean up if needed and move on to the next area.

Under the washer the wood was pulverized (as shown) and offered little support. After the treatment it was solid.

 

[Roundball2319]

Keep it up. I am following this with great interest. Thanks foe sharing it with us.

 

[Davey Boy]

I am glad to have taken pictures along the way as a reference. I appreciate the comments as it is a process that takes time.

 

[Josephg]

One of my references dates Whitmore and Wolf at Pittsburgh 1850. Have never seen a Duff included.
Neat rifle. What caliber? Can we see the marks on the barrel?

Did find this online.

DUFF, Geo. J.— Pittsburgh, Pa. Member of firm Whitmore, Wolff &
Co., later Whitmore, Wolff, Duff & Co.

 

[Zonie]

The tab on the washer is to prevent the washer from turning when the lock screw is tightened.

 

[Davey Boy]

One of my references dates Whitmore and Wolf at Pittsburgh 1850. Have never seen a Duff included.
Neat rifle. What caliber? Can we see the marks on the barrel?

Did find this online.

DUFF, Geo. J.— Pittsburgh, Pa. Member of firm Whitmore, Wolff &
Co., later Whitmore, Wolff, Duff & Co.

After cleaning the lock was completed all kinds of the engraving came through. The hunting dog and bird. But the name sequence took a beating from black powder use. I used microscope and different lighting angles. Finally I got enough letters to see the name and Pittsburgh. From looking up other rifles like it and the location of letters I saw all the names as you have discovered.

I have to look at the barrel and photos for marks on the barrel.

The barrel has seven lands so measuring across flats is useless. I turned a brass gauge pin down until it fit the barrel. I have to measure it again to be sure but I think it was 0.395"

 

[Davey Boy]

The tab on the washer is to prevent the washer from turning when the lock screw is tightened.

Do they still do that on reproduction guns or do they just use a scrolled plate? I can't ever recall seeing a tabbed washer before. I wonder if that is a carry over from wagon making.

 

[hanshi]

That's a fascinating piece of history! Thanks for posting. I've seen a few other guns with tabbed washers so I doubt they were rare. What's the bore condition like?

 

[Davey Boy]

Haven't checked the bore, dropped the stick down it make sure it didn't have an obstruction. Loaded up some blanks and fired. Then washed it clean and lubed. I am going to measure twist and shove a rag down to see if it drags and gives down and up. Then maybe find someone with a bore scope.

 

[Zonie]

Do they still do that on reproduction guns or do they just use a scrolled plate? I can't ever recall seeing a tabbed washer before. I wonder if that is a carry over from wagon making.

I don't recall seeing a tabbed washer on any reproduction gun. I know the TC Hawken, Lyman Great Plains and Pedersoli Tryon all use a round washer under the lock screw head.

 

[Davey Boy]

Here is a picture of the Heptagon bore of the rifle barrel.

 

[toot]

nice!.

 

[Davey Boy]

Thank you Toot !

These two pictures of the lock show the lock as it was when I started and the second shows my change to it.

The hammer was mounted to the square (name of part?). I did not find anywhere a picture or description of this method used to hold the hammer. It was a bummer to see file marks and my guess is it was taken off at least once and then peened back on again. The square metal shows no hole or thread ever made into (name of part?). I went to Track of the Wolf and ordered a screw. I set the lock up in a milling machine and removed only enough of the peened metal to be able to remove the hammer. With the part removed from the lock I set the part up in the milling machine and located center of the square. It was then drilled and tapped in place. There was wobble in the part so I machine a brass washer with just enough thickness to remove the wobble but allow the screw to hold it all tight. The washer had a square hole filed into in to keep it exactly centered with the new screw. I use brass as it is easy to chemically blacken later. I can still go back to a peened in place hammer by filling the threaded hole in the part.

 

[Flinty Scot]

It's fascinating to follow your progress.
Thank you for the clear descriptions and photos.

 

[Davey Boy]

I have tread carefully because it needs to stay an important part of history.

I believe a rifle of this character should not be cleaned up and shiny but should be maintained in working order.

The stories it could tell, imagine.

 

[Davey Boy]

Picture of the trigger assembly as removed. I figured out how they are supposed to be used but like the lock it is a puzzle to me still. I did not do anything to the trigger assembly other than clean it in ultrasonic tank with laboratory grade isopropyl alcohol. It isn't expensive and it did not in any way harm the patina. When the cleaning was complete the parts were dried. Then a Q-Tip was used with a small amount of Fluid Film to rub into the parts. Fluid Film is lanolin based and I thought it the best to use in this situation. I did not disassemble any sub assembly parts as it was obviously doctored with shims.