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Mainspring vise

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In anticipation of my Kibler build, I'm accumulating the necessary tools and I figured I need a mainspring vise. Looking on TOW they list two, one being twice the price. Is it worth the extra $$ or is the less expensive, less fancy, one adequate to remove main, and frizzen springs? Alternatively, is there a better one available elsewhere?

TIA.
 
I have both from tow and the more expensive one is by far worth it.Took my kibler colonial lock apart frizzen and main spring . Highly adjustable for many locks.

The tad larger, more expensive vice gives you a bit more leverage too when tightening down. The smaller main spring vice, is much better than something make do, but with a very stiff spring you may need a pair of pliers to twist it to take up the pressure.

LD
 
Don't need an expensive main spring vise. The standard one used by many is $25.95 , from Log Cabin Shop catalog #50 inv. # 20MSV1. I use two , one with a small modification thinning the upper jaw so it fits the odd spring. Also , let's visit Removing the hammer from the tumbler. An $80 hammer puller .......unnecessary. If you have a bench vise , remove all the internals w/your new mainspring vise. Remove the hammer screw , find a small punch that fits loosely into the bottom of the hammer screw hole. Open the bench vise jaws until the inside of the lock plate lays flat on top of the jaws , and the tumbler is free between the jaws. Insert the skinny punch into the tumbler screw hole and administer a light tap w/hammer. Done. Catch the tumbler in one hand , so the fly doesn't fall into all the manure on the floor. Another useless tool is the $65 .00 hammer press. Installing a hammer can be done w/ the bench vise. Can be done w/a standard big bench vise with brass sheet metal jaw covers , but the easy way is to get a small 2" to 3" inch vise you will use anyway for other operations , like sawing out and filing inlays , etc. . To put the hammer on the tumbler , make sure the square in indexed to the tumbler in the correct position , and press the parts together. All this stuff is just good common sense mechanic operations. Think of what's to be done , and proceed w/caution , it won't cost you a dime in broken lock parts......................oldwood
 
Remove the hammer screw , find a small punch that fits loosely into the bottom of the hammer screw hole. Open the bench vise jaws until the inside of the lock plate lays flat on top of the jaws , and the tumbler is free between the jaws. Insert the skinny punch into the tumbler screw hole and administer a light tap w/hammer.
Good way to break a hardened tumbler; instead make a punch just smaller than the square tumbler hole. A 1/4 inch bolt will do nicely. :thumb:
 
Get quality tools once and have them for a lifetime. Mainspring vice will be used many times over during your venture into the world of muzzle loaders. A good set of screwdrivers will be needed. Buggered up screw slots diminish the looks of a beautiful rifle. A set of punches and a small hammer, too.

Use and keep the proper screws. I once saw someone replace the slotted screws on a Dixie southern mountain rifle with Phillips head screws. :dunno:
 
Don't need an expensive main spring vise. The standard one used by many is $25.95 , from Log Cabin Shop catalog #50 inv. # 20MSV1. I use two , one with a small modification thinning the upper jaw so it fits the odd spring. Also , let's visit Removing the hammer from the tumbler. An $80 hammer puller .......unnecessary. If you have a bench vise , remove all the internals w/your new mainspring vise. Remove the hammer screw , find a small punch that fits loosely into the bottom of the hammer screw hole. Open the bench vise jaws until the inside of the lock plate lays flat on top of the jaws , and the tumbler is free between the jaws. Insert the skinny punch into the tumbler screw hole and administer a light tap w/hammer. Done. Catch the tumbler in one hand , so the fly doesn't fall into all the manure on the floor. Another useless tool is the $65 .00 hammer press. Installing a hammer can be done w/ the bench vise. Can be done w/a standard big bench vise with brass sheet metal jaw covers , but the easy way is to get a small 2" to 3" inch vise you will use anyway for other operations , like sawing out and filing inlays , etc. . To put the hammer on the tumbler , make sure the square in indexed to the tumbler in the correct position , and press the parts together. All this stuff is just good common sense mechanic operations. Think of what's to be done , and proceed w/caution , it won't cost you a dime in broken lock parts......................oldwood

@oldwood speaks with the voice of experience. One thing I do a little differently is to bore a blind auger hole in a scrap piece of 2x4, maybe an inch deep, and of a diameter slightly larger than your tumbler. After you have stripped all the other innards out of the lock, lay the lock plate on the wood with the tumbler in the auger hole, and punch it out as described. The hole catches the tumbler and the fly, and you can just leave it in there until you're ready to reassemble. If the lock plate won't lie flat enough to suit you because of the bolster, just lay something else under there to shim it up.

Good way to break a hardened tumbler; instead make a punch just smaller than the square tumbler hole. A 1/4 inch bolt will do nicely. :thumb:

@Pete G makes a good point, but using the wood block as described, the tumbler doesn't fall far and it lands on soft wood rather than steel or concrete. I did recently disassemble and reassemble a CVA lock and found the hammer was a tight fit on the tumbler, and the screw hole would only admit a very small diameter pin punch. My son had given me a set of graduated brass punches some time back, and I selected one from the assortment that was just a mite smaller diameter than the square shank of the tumbler. I used this as Pete described and punched out the tumbler/removed the hammer with no problem or damage.

A basic mainspring vise works for me, as oldwood described. I would consider a set of brass pin punches in graduated sizes to be a good investment as well. Somebody else with a Kibler kit recently posted a question about removing the barrel pins. He got some very creative responses. If he had a proper set of punches, he would have been good to go.

Good luck with your build! By all means, keep us informed of your progress.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob
 
I use this one from TOTW. I think it's the smaller one they sell. Works great on my Kibler lock.
IMG_20210328_121940.jpg
 
Thanks all!

I have the Brownell's Magna tip 44 bit set, with the thin bit set added, so I'm set for screwdrivers. I also have a set of Starrett drive pin punches, the files Jim recommends, along with others, and I bought some narrow chisels that Jim suggests for adjusting the inletting. I also bought a jewelers saw with plenty of blades.

I just need to make a decision on the spring vise. My kit won't be here until who knows when, so I have time.
 
Made this one to fit a rather small rifle.

1617117601503.png


For most mainsprings my old original from .45-70 days works fine. In general, I have the best I can buy. Never can predict just what spring one needs compress, not always what you think it should be.
 
I have one that looks just like the cheaper one from Track (I think I got it from Dixie 25 years ago. The one I have is not really up to the task. Did not take long for it to start bending out under spring pressure. I got the heavy duty one from R.E. Davis, and it works well, and has worked well for me for two decades.
 

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