Weak sparking old Dixie lock

I bought this Dixie TN Mtn rifle lock back in the 80s but didn't get around to building the rifle until last winter. The lock is a weak sparker or no sparker. I took off the frizzen spring and did get some nice sparking but with the spring no luck. A person familiar with flintlocks tested the frizzen with a file and declared it hard enough. Comparing it with an old small Siler I have the sparks like crazy the frizzen spring is fairly heavy. BTW, the hammer will throw the frizzen open every time, no problem. Photos are at rest, half cock, full cock, just before frizzen opens. Thanks for the help.

First glance, the flint is to far forward (too long) The flint should not touch the frizzen at half cock. Next try the placing the bevel up.

What Phil said. The flint should be pointing at the pan after the hammer falls. Right now all it is doing is hitting at too sharp an angle and knocking the frizzen open. Set the flint back and turn it over. A dab of grease on the spring the frizzen foot wouldn't hurt.

I would recommend fire bluing the backside of the frizzen...

Ummm, no, I don't really recommend that.

Gentle ribbing.

As stated, try bevel up. Cut a notch in your leather to fit around the jaw screw, this will allow you to set the flint back in the jaw a bit.

I tried bevel up but NADA. I'll try notching the leather or knapping the flint a little to shorten it. Would a bend in the hammer be advised? Bend it down a little?

If you haven't already done so, cut a notch in your leather.

That will allow the flint to move toward the screw.

I'm following this.

also, is that real flint?

Don’t bend the hammer. Note how the bottom jaw points to the pan, it’s fine.

olskool said:

also, is that real flint?

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yes, real flint. I've been using it since the late 70s.

Hmm, that's considerably better flint life than I get from my black English flints. Same black English flint only changed the leather about 60 times and the flint about 150 times.

Since there were good sparks when @reddogge removed the frizzen spring, I would consider lightening the frizzen spring by narrowing the spring. I saw that the hammer is opening the frizzen on the hammer fall, so the main spring should be strong enough. Carefully, in the direction of the spring use a stone to slowly take some of the edge off. Stop often and keep the spring cool.

IF IT IS BAD GWT AN L AND R REPLACEMENT Dixie Tennessee Mountain Lock - Model# 04 Flint, 04 Percussion

Grenadier1758 said:

Hmm, that's considerably better flint life than I get from my black English flints. Same black English flint only changed the leather about 60 times and the flint about 150 times.

Since there were good sparks when @reddogge removed the frizzen spring, I would consider lightening the frizzen spring by narrowing the spring. I saw that the hammer is opening the frizzen on the hammer fall, so the main spring should be strong enough. Carefully, in the direction of the spring use a stone to slowly take some of the edge off. Stop often and keep the spring cool.

Click to expand...

I apologize for the misleading statement. I've been using this batch of flints since I bought them in the 70s, not this particular flint. haha.

What part of the spring should I take metal off, above or below the bend or both?

I'm not new to flintlocks and have built 9 of them over the years. This is the first one I've had major sparking issues.

nwtradegun said:

IF IT IS BAD GWT AN L AND R REPLACEMENT Dixie Tennessee Mountain Lock - Model# 04 Flint, 04 Percussion

Click to expand...

Very interesting. I wasn't aware of this product. Something to consider.

@reddogge, grind along the side of the spring. Do not grind across the spring or you will set up cracks that will result in a broken spring. Be very careful at the bend. Be sure to polish the spring when you have thinned the spring.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/help-with-lock-replacement.151902/#post-2143803
Let's give some thanks to @rich pierce for this gem of lock adjustment.

Quoting from an old thread here, member Rich Pierce posted, "Just remember the bowmaker's rule: reduce width by half and you've reduced pull by half. Reduce thickness by half and now it has 1/4th the original pull. So any thinning must be very judicious."

When grinding a main spring to reduce weight/force, I find it best to grind the width instead of the thickness.

OK, I'll try some thing tomorrow. Thanks.

Update: I changed flints and turned it bevel up, took the frizzen spring off, and got tons of sparks. Worked some on reducing the width of the frizzen spring and took a hair off of the frizzen spur. I polished everything up, greased the frizzen spring, and got great sparks. I may continue to work on the frizzen spring as it could go a little lighter.

Thanks for the help.

reddogge said:

Update: I changed flints and turned it bevel up, took the frizzen spring off, and got tons of sparks. Worked some on reducing the width of the frizzen spring and took a hair off of the frizzen spur. I polished everything up, greased the frizzen spring, and got great sparks. I may continue to work on the frizzen spring as it could go a little lighter.

Thanks for the help.

Click to expand...

Glad to hear you got it working better! That’s a good feeling when you can take the ideas and advice from here and see it work in real time and fix a problem

Yes sir it is. I haven't frequented this forum for a long while but since I recently built that rifle last winter with old parts and finished my dad's partially completed rifle the winter before I've had a renewed interest in the flintlocks. This forum was always polite and well moderated.