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Portuguese Style Flintlock

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Hello ALL. This may not be the best Forum to post this lock. But I'll start here based on past interest from other members. If the Moderator decides to move this Thread, that's OK.

Of passing interest is this turn of the 20th Century copy of a Portuguese lock. Some of you old-timers (like me !) may remember these locks being sold in the Dixie catalog back in the 1960's/70's. Turner Kirkland had a nick name for them and called them Lazzarino locks. LOL Turner found a large supply of these locks in a Belgium warehouse back then. As the story goes, these crude locks were originally made in a Belgium shop for trade with the locals in South Africa. The shop patterned the lock after a Portuguese lock from the original period, but in as simple and cost effective manner as possible. The Portuguese connection likely due to their long influence in the Region for many years. The locals would be familiar with them. Original Portuguese locks are somewhat unique looking. They utilize a hammer that is similar to a Spanish miquelet, but the mainspring is mounted internal like a regular flintlock. The original locks used one of two different safeties. One was a dog-style safety that was a simple thumb piece mounted outside the lock plate and turned backwards to engage a notch on the front toe of the hammer. The other style was to simply cut a second safety notch on the tumbler like a regular flintlock. In the case of these latter made locks they have neither safety feature. I guess the maker of these locks didn't worry much about the locals having their guns on full cock all the time. LOL Just make a lock in the simplest, most economical way possible. No polishing, etc. What appears to be a dog-style safety on these later locks is rigged and doesn't move. It's simply a styling addition. Possible considered a hammer type stop (?). Anyway, for what ever reason, most of these locks were never shipped to the South African Continent. And eventually ended up with Turner. Occasionally, these locks turn up for sale on the Internet. And most sellers have no idea what they are. In fact, there is one for sale now that has three holes in the lock plate and shows it was originally mounted to a gun. But it's pretty rusty looking. In all my years I've only seen one authentic South African musket with this lock mounted. All of these locks today show up in their original, unused condition. So that's the back story as I understand it. LOL

A couple years ago I got the itch to see if these crudely made locks could be made to function/spark better. So I sent the lock to Earl Kathan (when he was still doing this type of work) to see what he could do. Earl was able to tune the mainspring and frizzen spring and harden the frizzen. The lock then functioned and sparked excellent (and still does today). Not being satisfied with well enough, I recently send the lock back out to Paul Ackerman. Paul eas able to cut an additional safety notch in the tumbler and give the lock a very light polish, but keep the original cruder finish intact. The lock can always be polished out to a finer grit later if desired. While the lock was with Paul, I had him make me a new ring-style Spanish type top screw I had a casting from Blakely & Sons (I think). So, the lock now looks better, and certainly performs better. Real happy how this turned out. Thank you Earl and Paul.
Here are some pics. The first set shows the lock in it's original form. The second set shows the finished lock today. Just for fun. Thanks for looking.

Rick
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Greetings Rick,
I really enjoy seeing your collection of locks. For me it's the heart and evolution of the art form.
Later, Hank
 
What fun
I have one of these rude locks . What is Portugees about them I think is the Market intended ; Portugal( Our Oldest Alliey ) had Port' Guiney,.Angola, & Mozambeeke Besides the little Island of So
a Tome . ( Spelling wild but excuse that). What it had in South America Was Brazil . Then I should add Portugeese Timor ( two small enclaves ) & Goa in India & Macow in China . If I've omitted any its rather accademic since I think they lost them all anyway . I was only in Timor Dilly. It seemed to me they hadn't done much in the four hundred years they where there . I mostly walked into Indonesian Timor , remember nearly walking into a Water buffalo in the dark Not sure who got the biggest fright! but I added him onto a power horn bung later . . Any one of these might have bought such guns The' Lazzarino's with there distinctive stocks intrigue me if not yet enough to make one up ' Rude' as they seem mine sparks and though I cant say what the owner' s did but if they loaded then quilled the vent cock at rest. battery forward as I would if I was in humid regions the full cock was sufficient . Their was a well known Re enactor wrote under the name ' Flintlock Larrabee' from memory did an Indian persona his gun had one of these locks in it at Niagara one time . & there is some German catalogue reprint that show these guns offered .. Sure they are dog rough but mine sparks and there is allways a market for the fiscally challenged .
Rudyard
 
Rudyard. I just love reading about your experiences.

LOL Don't know what possessed me to do this. The way it turned out you would never know by looking that it now functions very smooth and sparks just great. Earl Kathan had a real knack for hardening frizzens.
Anyway, with the half-cock notch added, I'm real happy with the end result.

Thanks for your replies.

Rick
 
Dear Rick Thank you for the kind feed back .I do tend to ramble on & am never sure if I come accross Boreing or too much' Me .'
. I might be a bit 'Left fielding' for some but I do appreciate feed back positive or negative . I just wish I could fathom the E gajetry so I can post photos without troubleing my ever patient children who grasp this new age gajetry . With steam engines & flintlocks Ime fine but I regret Ime just not wired for the E age .
Regards Rudyard
 
I dusted of my Lazzarino lock to day it appears to be the' delux'! model in that its got real stamped engraveing ! & small mark like an oval divided , up by the pan elsewise just as rough. It has three holes for the side nails so its been on a gun .Fine thread so presume metric. just the one full cock. No half bent. I can send a pick to an E address .
Regards Rudyard
 
Hi Rudyard. Yes, I would like to see yours. I'll send you a PM with my actual email address. I'll reproduce your pics here if you like.

Rick
 
Rick, thanks for the photos and history of these locks. At one time in my life I was suffering a severe shortage of paperweights and I intended to buy one of these locks from Dixie. To my regrets it never happened and I no longer have too few paperweights, still wish I had gotten one of these locks though.
 
Rick, thanks for the photos and history of these locks. At one time in my life I was suffering a severe shortage of paperweights and I intended to buy one of these locks from Dixie. To my regrets it never happened and I no longer have too few paperweights, still wish I had gotten one of these locks though.
Hi Hawkeye

Yes, they seem more of a curiosity than anything else. LOL Most of them sold probably did end up as paperweights. LOL

Rick
 
Here are pics of Rudyard's lock as he mentions above. I'm posting in his behalf. With the noted exception of the engraving and a stamp near the pan, it is identical to my lock. It also has three threaded holes which show it was mounted to a gun at some point. So it does prove some of these locks did indeed reach their intended location. It would be interesting to know what years the shipments occurred. I'm guessing the surplus locks, in new condition, were not engraved or stamped when it became known that the newer locks would not be shipped (?)

Rick
 

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Here are a couple pics of an original period Portuguese lock with the external dog-style safety.

Rick
 

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Dear Ricksie Thank you for posting the lock pics I sent. I've never seen the original Lock but note it has but the sprag like Dog and just the full cock. Yet still not well finished so I suspect they first sent out better grades but latterly started to churn out the rougher styles .I doubt they added stamped engraveing just chomped it on from assembly . Your stocking is fine , But the German Catologues show a distinct style of stock quite striking . . I still think the single full cock or rested on a dog catch is down to carrying the guns loaded but not primed with a quill to seal the load was intended. Since they would ensure the main charge was reliable' ish' while in the humid Amazonian regions I think they would appeal too would soon spoil any priming . & I in our wetter NZ forests on long trips I did the same even though I had a half cock option .. Game once located has either legged it & gone or hasnt seen or smelt you so its no great detriment . I even carried the Wheellock unwound or if expecting a shot have the spanner on its spindle ready to span ere a quick prime to take a shot .
.On any long trips I made I kept the vent plugged & the lock at rest & a rubber bit of a sandle sealed any as where percussion , unless expecting a shot . I once walked for ten days with the wheellock shot 7 goats . Though goats are rather dim but are introduced pests (So are We !) hence I slew them .
Hmmm all good stuff .Nice stocking job .There really isn't much info of Portugees arms. Despite Solers work .
Regards Rudyard
 
I believe I own that piece. John Buck?
Hi Trettie

WOW!! Do you own this gun ? I found this photo while surfing the Internet some 3-4 years ago and kept it in my library. I did recognize the lock and butt stock style, but had no idea of who owned it. Super glad you noticed this Thread. Do you have any photos/information you can share about your gun ? Thanks.

Rick
 
Hi Trettie

WOW!! Do you own this gun ? I found this photo while surfing the Internet some 3-4 years ago and kept it in my library. I did recognize the lock and butt stock style, but had no idea of who owned it. Super glad you noticed this Thread. Do you have any photos/information you can share about your gun ? Thanks.

Rick

Rick,

I bought this piece from John Buck back in 2010 or so, just as he was closing down his business. It’s on a 32-gauge smoothbore antique barrel, and some beautiful wood in the stock. I ended up having to replace the sear spring shortly after I bought it, but fortunately found one at Dixie that worked just fine.

Tom R.

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Hi Tom

Thanks so much for your reply and the cool photos. That gun looks so pre-1700. Really like it. So I take it the lock was a custom - one-off ? Again, super neat gun. Thanks for posting.

Rick
 
Dear Trettie. You' look the part' , and am intrigued as to the research behind the lock , looks fine just very uncommon sort. John Buck isn't a name I know but clearly he has admirable emagination venturing beyond the regular long rifle / Hawken .A man after my own heart , I've made both sorts but I like the early & different & ethnological ..They where all gunmakers scarce different to our selves whatever language they spoke . Mr Buck may have made the lock or perhaps its original but he must have had some reference he followed if its new .All very interesting .
Regards Rudyard
 
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