- Joined
- May 6, 2014
- Messages
- 16,030
- Reaction score
- 12,232
Sicilian Hunter,
I wanted to go further into detail about the "Turnscrew" or what we call a screwdriver.
Since you are heavily into documentation, I have to state the following is only informed speculation, but it is from studying and collecting 18th century Gunsmith and other Hand Tools, having replicated some of those tools, as well as working on original and modern repro 18th and 19th century locks.
We know most Colonial Riflesmiths (Gunsmiths who made Rifles and those who also rifled smooth barrels) bought most, if not all their locks from Germany, Great Britain and perhaps some other Continental countries. That is well documented. However, it seems those locks were not supplied with Side Lock "Nails" (we call them screws nowadays) and the Lock Plates did not come drilled and tapped for those screws. So the Riflesmiths either made or bought those Side Lock Screws separately, when they built the rifles. We also know and can well document that Riflesmiths supplied a Ball Mold with each rifle they built, that correctly fit the bore size. What I have not been able to document is whether the Riflesmith also supplied a Turnscrew with a rifle he built, but to me that seems so natural during the period when there were no interchangeable parts, that the Riflesmith would also have supplied the Turnscrew to properly fit and tighten/loosen the Top Jaw Screw and Side Lock Screws.
During the period, almost every Turnscrew was made with a tapered blade. Screw slots during the period might have been V shaped or somewhat close to being parallel sided if cut by a handy person with a hack saw. Large Military Contractors in England and/or the French government Armories MAY have used round saws to make the screw slots parallel sided, but that was very uncommon for the standard "civilian" arms trade.
This is pure conjecture on my part, but I think a good Riflesmith would have cut the screw slots on the Side Lock Screws and Top Jaw Screw so the one blade Turnscrew provided would fit both types of screw slots.
However, that is not the way it commonly is on modern repro locks and the slots in the Side Lock Screws and Top Jaw Screws are usually different size and parallel sided. Of course one could modify the slots so both were the same size and then modify a period correct Turnscrew to fit both.
Gus
I wanted to go further into detail about the "Turnscrew" or what we call a screwdriver.
Since you are heavily into documentation, I have to state the following is only informed speculation, but it is from studying and collecting 18th century Gunsmith and other Hand Tools, having replicated some of those tools, as well as working on original and modern repro 18th and 19th century locks.
We know most Colonial Riflesmiths (Gunsmiths who made Rifles and those who also rifled smooth barrels) bought most, if not all their locks from Germany, Great Britain and perhaps some other Continental countries. That is well documented. However, it seems those locks were not supplied with Side Lock "Nails" (we call them screws nowadays) and the Lock Plates did not come drilled and tapped for those screws. So the Riflesmiths either made or bought those Side Lock Screws separately, when they built the rifles. We also know and can well document that Riflesmiths supplied a Ball Mold with each rifle they built, that correctly fit the bore size. What I have not been able to document is whether the Riflesmith also supplied a Turnscrew with a rifle he built, but to me that seems so natural during the period when there were no interchangeable parts, that the Riflesmith would also have supplied the Turnscrew to properly fit and tighten/loosen the Top Jaw Screw and Side Lock Screws.
During the period, almost every Turnscrew was made with a tapered blade. Screw slots during the period might have been V shaped or somewhat close to being parallel sided if cut by a handy person with a hack saw. Large Military Contractors in England and/or the French government Armories MAY have used round saws to make the screw slots parallel sided, but that was very uncommon for the standard "civilian" arms trade.
This is pure conjecture on my part, but I think a good Riflesmith would have cut the screw slots on the Side Lock Screws and Top Jaw Screw so the one blade Turnscrew provided would fit both types of screw slots.
However, that is not the way it commonly is on modern repro locks and the slots in the Side Lock Screws and Top Jaw Screws are usually different size and parallel sided. Of course one could modify the slots so both were the same size and then modify a period correct Turnscrew to fit both.
Gus
