Should my lock mortise look like this?

[Are. M.]

I feel like this could be a moisture situation. Is it, or is the darkness just the normal progression of a flintlock? I make sure it's dry, slather on a little paste wax, then put the lock on. Should I leave the lock off til the morning?

 

[Ballshooter]

Think it will be fine mine turned black..and well smells like burnt black powder.I cleaned what I could got it pretty much off then put a very lite coat of wipe on poly now it comes clean easily.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Sometimes I get a little water in the lock mortis while cleaning, I hit it with my heat gun lightly and leave the lock out overnight. Lock mortises tend to get dirty over time.

 

[Ajgall]

Most lock mortises I have seen look a little discolored after some use. I think it’s a combination of burnt powder residue, oil from lock internals, and a little moisture from cleaning. If you want to be extra safe you could use a little furniture polish/wax, and leave the lock off overnight.

 

[Curley 50 cal]

I have fount this to be true with both my flintlocks. Part of it is moisture due to cleaning the rest is powder combustion. Dry thoroughly before replacing the lock and you should be fine.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Petroleum products will darken and eventually rot the wood.
Just saying.

 

[Pete G]

Make sure the bolster is tight against the barrel.

 

[hanshi]

For lock mortices and barrel channels I often use paste wax, True Oil or some such. But they still get dirty eventually.

 

[McClura]

Damn, if some of my lock inlay mortices, or holes I make in the stock, looked like that, I would carry my rifle around with out the lock in it until I get ready to shoot it just to show it off. Some of the rifles I made that are flintlock have turned back inside the mortice after 40 years of shooting. Every time I have cleaned the gun after a 2 or 3 day match or hunting, I clean out the mortice with q-tip and put oil in there that I put on and in the barrel.
Great work.
Mike

 

[Crow-Feather]

I feel like this could be a moisture situation. Is it, or is the darkness just the normal progression of a flintlock? I make sure it's dry, slather on a little paste wax, then put the lock on. Should I leave the lock off til the morning?

On some flinters the powder in the pan will sift down into the lock area if there are small gaps where the pan of the lock meets the barrel. I use epoxy to fill the spaces where the pan meets the barrel. I use plastic wrap to protect the barrel from being glued to the lock

 

[Rudyard]

The lock mortis looks well done and I would'nt use much oil & use vassaline it gets foul but not so its a problem.. The better cased flintlock s where made to take the lock separate to the rest of the gun partly to lessen the depth of the case but also it seems expected that the owner would take out the lock s to clean . This said some locks stay fine for years . Vasaline stays better as oil runs and cant do the wood much good anyway.
Rudyard

 

[Are. M.]

No real surprise that y'all are a very insightful bunch.

Thanks for the compliments on the mortise inletting, but I can't take any credit for that. It was all Jim Kibler.

 

[pretty]

Rudyard thanks fer the vasaline info.

 

[Scota@4570]

To seal between the pan and barrel use bee's wax. Take a dab, work it in your hands until soft, make a worm, stick it to the lock where it rests on the barrel, install the lock, clean up the squeeze out. IT will be 100% sealed against cleaning water and fouling.

 

[Ajgall]

To seal between the pan and barrel use bee's wax. Take a dab, work it in your hands until soft, make a worm, stick it to the lock where it rests on the barrel, install the lock, clean up the squeeze out. IT will be 100% sealed against cleaning water and fouling.

I use beeswax for everything and I’ve never thought of doing this it’s a great tip.