no sparks from small siler lock -HELP!!

[horsetrader]

My small siler lock does not make a spark! The frizzen cleaned with alcohol ,opens and shows even marks from the flint but 80 percent no sparks.... used 3 diffrent flints.... what can I do?

 

[paulvallandigham]

Send the frizzen back to Jim Chambers to be either hardened, or replaced. That is why there is a warranty on the Siler/Chambers locks.

 

[MSW]

that's really unusual!

Paul is right, contact Jim or Barbie and they'll make it right.

 

[Birddog6]

IF they built the lock....... :wink:

 

[J.D.]

What kind of flints? Cut flints don't seem to spark well. English flints or Rich Pierce flints do work well.

God bless

 

[horsetrader]

English flints...

 

[Old Salt]

You might try loosening all the internal screws on the lock a smidgen*. There's a remote possibility something is binding resulting in insufficient speed/force to make good sparks. :2

* smidgen- calibrated unit of adjustment required to make a thing work better.

 

[Old Salt]

One other thing just occured to me. I have a Chambers Queen Anne pistol lock that appears to strike the frizzen correctly but if the flint and leather are not positioned correctly the top jaw of the lock or the leather will push open the frizzen without creating a spark. In that case you can raise the flint with thicker leather, install the flint more forward in the cock or use a longer flint.

Salt

 

[J.D.]

You might try loosening all the internal screws on the lock a smidgen*. There's a remote possibility something is binding resulting in insufficient speed/force to make good sparks. :2

* smidgen- calibrated unit of adjustment required to make a thing work better.

Or, tighten the top jaw down as tight as you can.
A loose flint will not spark, and sometimes all it takes is tightening the top jaw screw a smidgen.

Hmmmm, I have always wondered how much a smidgen was? And how many smidgens make a boat load? :grin:

God bless

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The smidgen is actually a unit of length so it would be more correct to ask how many smidgens in a boat length? The answer would vary with the length of the boat, but in any case, would be many skoshes--an ancient unit of linear measure taken from the length of the upper lip of a Babylonian king named Geddiyappahoss.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

My small siler lock does not make a spark! The frizzen cleaned with alcohol ,opens and shows even marks from the flint but 80 percent no sparks.... used 3 diffrent flints.... what can I do?

I hate to ask, are you sure the frizzen has been hardened? Where did you get the lock from?

 

[Dphar]

My small siler lock does not make a spark! The frizzen cleaned with alcohol ,opens and shows even marks from the flint but 80 percent no sparks.... used 3 diffrent flints.... what can I do?

Try a file on the frizzen face. It should be too hard to file. Another trick is to slightly belt sand the frizzen face, just enough to shine it up. Whoever did the hardening may not have done it right and the frizzen may have surface decarb problems.
If its hard and the sanding don't help then...

Put the frizzen in the oven preheated to 375-380 degrees WITH A OVEN THERMOMETER.
Cook the degreased part for about 1 hour, I hang mine on a wire, then shut off the oven and pull it out when cool enough to handle.
Frizzen may be too hard this should fix it if it is. Its a good idea in any case.
Put a small drop of oil on the pivot pins of the tumbler and the other wear/pivot points of the springs etc.

Dan

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Good post Dan. Horsetrader, do as Dan says and try the file, if the file cuts the frizzen it is too soft. If not, try the rest of Dan's suggestion about the oven. However, since you say that the flint is "marking" the frizzen, I have a feeling it may be too soft.