why aren't jaws toothed?

[toz]

A recurring problem on my GPR flintlock is the gradual turning of the flint in the jaws. The jaws seemed to be tightened sufficiently to prevent this, but it still occurs.

Since I'm going under the, possibly erroneous, assumption that everyone wraps their flint in something - leather, lead, etc. - I wonder why there are no teeth on the jaw faces to grab the leather, lead, etc.? I mean, some are supergluing the leather to the lead to improve the grab, right? Yet jaw faces continue to be as slick as snot. Are there any locks with toothed or serrated faces on the jaws? Has anyone tried this?

Thanks in advance - Bill

 

[Zonie]

I don't have a Lyman flintlock so I can't comment on its jaws but all of the flintlocks I own came with some sort of serration or teeth on the lower jaw and on the upper clamp.

I will admit that some of the serrations were pretty feeble so I took a 3 cornered file and increased the depth of them.

Another common tool that would make small cuts across the lower jaw is a hack saw.

Needless to say, one doesn't want to get carried away using one of these but by using a thumb as a guide for the blade, a few gentle strokes will start to cut into the surface.
A few of these cuts, maybe only .010-.015 deep will be able to bite into the leather and to keep it from moving.

 

[roundball]

That doesn't seem to be a feature on most locks which suggests its not really an industry wide problem.

When I first tried Flintlocks my first supply of "flints" were "sawed agate" which had flat, smooth tops and bottoms, that came with fairly hard smooth "flint leathers"...the combination caused the very problem you described.

When I switched to Tom Fuller black english flints which have some uneveness on their tops and bottoms, and switched to thicker, spongy leathers like Elk hide, cow hide, etc...that was the last time I ever had that happen...10+ years ago...all the while continuing to use several different Flint lock assemblies that had smooth jaws top & bottom.

 

[redwing]

So true. I use old old worn YellowStone Elk hide gloves.

 

[dbutch]

Take the top jaw off and center punch the flat.Rough it up...Take the hammer off and center punch that flat also...Had the same problem with a GPR. This will cure the sliding flint.

 

[roundball]

So true. I use old old worn YellowStone Elk hide gloves.

Got a small bag of Elk hide scraps from a place that makes Elk hide bags, etc...little odds and ends scraps that can't really be used for anything else but was able to cut dozens and dozens of flint leathers out of them...

 

[J.D.]

A die sinker chisel can be used to raise teeth in a haphazard pattern on the jaws.

God bless

 

[saber]

a lot of older ones were

 

[Treerat]

I believe that cutting teeth with an engraveing chisel as J.D. suggested is not only the most historicly correct method but also the most effective. I tried this on my last project, driveing the chisel at a steep angle so as to dig in and not cut a line as normal. One caution though, those little buggers are sharp. Guess how I know. :redface:

 

[J.D.]

its also best to begin at the back of the jaw and work forward. Less blood is left on the parts, that way. :wink:

God bless

 

[dave_person]

Most jaws were toothed on original flintlocks. It was done by hand and is easy to do if the jaws are not hardened. It is one of the details that mass produced guns and modern lock makers leave out. It works very well.

dave

 

[Tumblernotch]

All the locks I've had and seen had serrated jaws, some deeper than others but still serrated in one pattern or the other.

 

[Vaino]

A flint shifting when clamped in the cock jaws is sometimes due to the screw not being tightened enough. The thin slot in the screw top isn't conducive to a tightly clamped flint and a drilled hole is better, but I file a hex shape on the screw top which is nearly imperceptible and a hex wrench is used to tighten, also I don't like "buggered up" slots. Not PC but certainly very effective. Raising "claws" on both jaws w/ a sharp chisel helps a lot and super gluing the flint to the leather w/ all of the above "fixes" really yields a steady flint...Fred

 

[J.D.]

A flint shifting when clamped in the cock jaws is sometimes due to the screw not being tightened enough. The thin slot in the screw top isn't conducive to a tightly clamped flint and a drilled hole is better, but I file a hex shape on the screw top which is nearly imperceptible and a hex wrench is used to tighten, also I don't like "buggered up" slots. Not PC but certainly very effective. Raising "claws" on both jaws w/ a sharp chisel helps a lot and super gluing the flint to the leather w/ all of the above "fixes" really yields a steady flint...Fred

I modify all of the screw slots on top jaw screws. The slots are widended, deepened, and tapered to match my forged turnscrew.

The screw is also hardened and tempered to a strawberry, or peacock color, between the bronze and blue tempering colors. The threads are tempered to a light blue, from the bottom, with the colors running from the threads up to the screw slot.

God bless

 

[ohio ramrod]

If you have, or can get a triangular file you can have a serated jaw! :hmm:

 

[ebiggs1]

Gosh, I didn't even know this was a problem!

 

[algentry1]

All of the above, except not knowing it's a problem. And, the ones about epoxy...never did that. My current flint gun has serrations. I think... Now, I'll have to go look. :hmm:

I have some old elk skin motorcycle gloves relegated to yard work. Elk skin would be the perfect leather to use. Never thought of it. Thanks. :v

Al