Smashing flints

[TrapperDude]

I have a flintlock…large siler lock…that gun went through flints like they were going out of style. Maybe get 8 or 10 shots per flint, lots of times 1 or 2…if that fricken gun wasn’t so darned accurate, I would’ve sold it. I tried everything, different sized flints, bevel up, bevel down, took the lock apart and cleaned and polished it…which surprisingly made it worse.

Years later I went to a rendezvous here in Colorado, over at Ft Lupton and I was talking with this guy. During our conversation, I told him about the problems I was having with one of my flintlocks. He pulled out his pistol, handed it to me and said cock this here gun. When I cocked that gun, it was effortless and silky smooth. And it sparked beautifully. He gets about 60 shots on a flint with that little pistol. He told me to take my lock off the gun and remove the main spring and start removing metal from the long arm that engages the tumbler (?). Safer using a file and harder, but if you use a sander…go slow, dip into water frequently, do not heat the metal anymore than necessary. Put the lock together, test it, and then take it apart and repeat until it is effortless and silky smooth.

You don’t need a huge amount of force to shave steel with a flint. You need just enough force to drive the flint down across the surface of the frizzen, and that’s it. If you look at your frizzen and you see horizontal lines across its surface, near the top, where the flint first strikes…it’s hitting too hard, gouging into the frizzen and bouncing off and will wear your frizzen and shorten the life of your flint.

I work on all my locks until I can get north of 40 shots per flint then I call it good.

I've heard about removing metal from the mainspring. Does "removing metal" meaning thinning it from the top of the spring or narrowing by filing down the edges?

 

[painter]

I've heard about removing metal from the mainspring. Does "removing metal" meaning thinning it from the top of the spring or narrowing by filing down the edges?

Thinning.

 

[TrapperDude]

Thinning.

Roger that, and thanks for the clarification.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I've heard about removing metal from the mainspring. Does "removing metal" meaning thinning it from the top of the spring or narrowing by filing down the edges?

I thin it…it doesn’t take much to make a noticeable difference.

First lock I ever worked on was a India made pistol. I could barely cock it, and it just shattered flints. Took me an afternoon to disassemble the lock, polish the parts and then tune the mainspring. That clunky pistol is actually fun to shoot now…

 

[TrapperDude]

I thin it…it doesn’t take much to make a noticeable difference.

First lock I ever worked on was a India made pistol. I could barely cock it, and it just shattered flints. Took me an afternoon to disassemble the lock, polish the parts and then tune the mainspring. That clunky pistol is actually fun to shoot now…

My Trapper is a flint smasher. It shoots great, but the flints come apart pretty quickly. Lightening up the mainspring sounds like it'll be just the ticket.

 

[Woods wanderer]

That there is something I never thought of or untill just now heard of. Iv been waiting on my package of flints from track of the wolf now for a while. Il give this ago and see what happens I still have a few stones in my possession. Thanks

 

[Woods wanderer]

Rock home isle,
I just spent the last hour messing around on my belt sander, I thinned the mainspring very slowly reassembling frequently. It's fixed. I just fired it 30x and the flint looks and sparks like it was just installed.
I would also like to thank dgracia for pointing me towards the correct angles. I did cut about 3/4 the way though the cock, with some heat squished the kerf together and had it tacked solid by a buddy with a tig welder.
Thank you all for your input, much appreciated.

Wayne

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Rock home isle,
I just spent the last hour messing around on my belt sander, I thinned the mainspring very slowly reassembling frequently. It's fixed. I just fired it 30x and the flint looks and sparks like it was just installed.
I would also like to thank dgracia for pointing me towards the correct angles. I did cut about 3/4 the way though the cock, with some heat squished the kerf together and had it tacked solid by a buddy with a tig welder.
Thank you all for your input, much appreciated.

Wayne

Congratulations, that is awesome news.

It can be a bit nerve wracking when you first take things apart and start removing metal. Sounds like you took your time, which is the biggest concern. You should also notice a greatly reduced force needed to pull the hammer back to 1/2 & full cock, like suddenly it’s nice and silky smooth to cock…

 

[Jake2454]

Rock home isle,
I just spent the last hour messing around on my belt sander, I thinned the mainspring very slowly reassembling frequently. It's fixed. I just fired it 30x and the flint looks and sparks like it was just installed.
I would also like to thank dgracia for pointing me towards the correct angles. I did cut about 3/4 the way though the cock, with some heat squished the kerf together and had it tacked solid by a buddy with a tig welder.
Thank you all for your input, much appreciated.

Wayne

Wayne
thank you for sharing. i wonder if you could give an estimate on how much material that you removed from the sping.
thanks

 

[Woods wanderer]

Along with the cock being easy to use I noticed the trigger is also about half its weight of pull and smoother. I guess less tension on the mainspring=less tension on the tumbler and by default the sear bar is easier to move. As far as the amount of metal I removed was seemingly negligible. Move slow reassembling often.

 

[mckutzy]

Very interesting... Iam getting a few lines across...
So how far from the crotch of the main spring should You start thinning??
And would that be right to the wrist of the hook to the tumbler???

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Start thinning from the wrist back. The bend can be a weak point, and is a point where these springs tend to break.

I tend to stay away from the bend.

 

[mckutzy]

Okay...
Good to know..

 

[mckutzy]

What do people typically use for a mainspring compressor???
Kinda need an easy way to do this if there is many refitting involved...

 

[paulab]

What do people typically use for a mainspring compressor???
Kinda need an easy way to do this if there is many refitting involved...

Mainspring vise.

 

[Jake2454]

Mainspring vise.

anyone have a favorite they'ld like to recommend?

 

[deerstalkert]

Mainspring Vise - Track of the Wolf

 

[Woods wanderer]

I was lucky and got away with using vise grips. A spring vise is in my future now that I'm not contemplating selling it and getting a cap lock. Only compress it as much as required and learn from me and don't do the wiggle and jiggle to remove the spring. Vise grips will slip and just because you heard where the spring landed doesn't mean that's where you will find it. It needs to slide out in one smooth action.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I was lucky and got away with using vise grips. A spring vise is in my future now that I'm not contemplating selling it and getting a cap lock. Only compress it as much as required and learn from me and don't do the wiggle and jiggle to remove the spring. Vise grips will slip and just because you heard where the spring landed doesn't mean that's where you will find it. It needs to slide out in one smooth action.

I used a Vice-Grip as well, for a long time...and then blamo, broke the MainSpring, snapped it right at the bend. My local gunsmith sold me a MainSpring Vice, and I've bought several more since then. I have one in each shooting bag and a couple spares in my Muzzleloadeing chest.

2 is 1 and 1 is none sort thinking...

 

[Jake2454]

Mainspring Vise - Track of the Wolf
View attachment 127008

do you know if this works on the traditions ky rifle lock?
for that matter if anyone knows of one that does please let us know.