Homemade locks

[hoochiepapa]

You make it look easy.

 

[wmaser]

Thanks Roy, I do hunt with my Leman, leaving the hammer down on the cap. I have also struck the hammer, as such, with a rubber mallet a pretty heavy blow and have not made the cap discharge. I'll probably make the fly anyway unless someone can tell me that the Vincents don't have one.
And thank you Mike for your support.
I think this will probably be the last installment of lock building, as the work is basically done, unless someone wants to see it after it's shined up.
This morning I got up early and fired up the forge. I hardened the mainspring in a water quench. I would normally also do the tumbler and the sear but I've not yet decided whether or not to make a fly.

Next comes the, somewhat, contraversial part. I bury the hardened parts in a crucible full of sand and put it on the forge to "cook". It will stay there until the coals burn out. or about an hour. Then I let it sit until cool

When cool, I clean up the parts and assemble to give it a trial run. here is the new lock at full cock. I filed, only the full cock notch for the time being. The notch was filed where the tip of the sear lies on the tumbler when the hammer with the new mainspring is pulled back to it's reasonable limit.

Everything works like a charm. nice and crisp. I worked the action about 20 or 30 times. If the mainspring has not broken by now, it probably won't.
That's about all it takes to "roll your own". I'm going to put it on a rifle now. If anyone has any questions, I'd be glad to answer them. Thanks for looking.
Wild Bill, Double Eagle forge.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Bill, why the two containers of sand? To get different temperatures for different parts?

 

[wmaser]

There's only one cucible full of sand. It's the same crucible in two photos.
Oh.. I think I see what you're looking at. That's a broken piece of fire brick on top of the crucible. A lid.

 

[hoochiepapa]

:thumbsup:

 

[Robby]

Thanks Bill, very interesting and informative!! :hatsoff:
Robby

 

[Jblk]

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and it looks to me like the recepie your using is a good one.I made a lock one time and I found the hardest part for me was making the frizzen, followed by the tumbler.Your work shows what a real artist can create from a piece of scrap, and I commend you for sharing it with many of us who are less gifted.

 

[gonzomann]

Well done, Wild Bill!!! Thanks for taking the time to share your lock builds.

I have an original Leman rifle and it does not have a half cock notch either.

Curtis

 

[welafong1]

thank you mr Maser
i enjoyed it very much thank you for shearing with us the pictures were nice they showed how the parts were made i wish i could do forge work but due to a stroke i am unable to do that kind of work but that dont stop me from being interested in that kind of work have you ever thought of selling your locks?
thank you
richard westerfield

 

[wmaser]

Thank you all,
jblk: you are absolutely right. The frizzen is tough to forge. after making the bend for the pan lid and grinding the frizzen face and the lid, often times there's not much steel left to work with. Same with the hinge and the tail. I found that it's best to make everything 50% fatter than you think is necessary and shape with grinder and file.
Squirrelheart: Do you miss it? I don't. Does'nt bother me a bit.
welafong1: Give it a try. I'm disabled too , and never thought I could continue building guns, or blacksmithing, metalcasting, scrimshaw, etc...but, not only did I find a way to continue, but I find it theraputic. I accomplish more now than I ever did. I don't build to sell, but I will sell what I build. I should sell more. my house looks like a museum.

 

[ebiggs1]

...I dont read the "how to" books,...

Looks like you should be writing the books! :hmm:

 

[welafong1]

would you call me at 201-489-9348? or e-mail me with your e-mail address and phone number
richard westerfield