A John Clark Lock

[bluenoser]

This nice little lock followed me home today and, as can be seen, I need a frizzen, frizzen spring and mainspring.  It appears to be a particularly well made little lock and it does have a fly.  I have read that the L&R Durs Egg is a copy of this J Clark lock.  Can anyone tell me if that is correct and might the L&R parts fit, or be adaptable to, this lock?

I also understand John Clark published some articles on lock tuning and muzzleloader building.  I would like to read whatever is be available.



Thanks for looking

[rich pierce]

The parts are pretty close. The Clark lock has no fly as I recall. I don’t the parts are interchangeable. Some modifications would likely be required.

[bluenoser]

Thanks Rich.
This lock does have a fly and I expected an exact fit would be too much to hope for.  Given the cost of the L&R parts, I think I might try to make the mainspring and, perhaps, the frizzen spring.

[Daryl]

Track's Durs Egg Lock insides.

[bluenoser]

Looks very close.  Photo angles are different, which makes close comparison difficult.  I need to compare the actual Clark lock to the photo.  L&R sear arm is longer, sear spring is, in my opinion, cruder and stirrup is pinned, rather than attached with a screw.  Hard to say about the mainspring and frizzen.  I suspect that, as Rich suggested, the parts might fit with some modification.  Someone might have first-hand experience.

[bluenoser]

Well, THAT is interesting!
The upper mainspring leaf on the L&R lock Daryl posted is much longer than the one that was on the Clark lock.  However, older L&R Durs Egg locks have a mainspring that appears close, if not identical, to the one on the Clark lock.  I am waiting for permission to post a pic.
Makes one wonder what else was changed.

[rich pierce]

I’ve had both the Durs Egg and a Clark lock. Pretty sure my Clark lock had no fly. Maybe there were different iterations of this Clark lock.

[bluenoser]

I just looked again and this one definitely has a fly.

[Ron Scott]

I was informed that the Hawken Shop had bought Clarks business. You might contact them about parts.

[Bob Roller]

The Clark lock is a quality lock and the only "fault"and that was his name being on the outside.The function was fine and I used the externals 
for a few locks.The L&R external parts are good and early in the start up of their shop the foundries had no concept of quality control and L.C.Rice told me a foundry owner told him "We do production,not quality control".THAT is not a reassuring statement.I have used a lot of L&R external parts and no problems from anywhere including Europe.The Durs Egg is very close to the Clark and the English round tail lock has a real potential with a custom mechanism with the "3 pin"mechanisms I used in the past on a Twigg from Davis.12 of them I think.
 Bench crafted locks are a bonehead idea now and  CNC can equal or surpass them and I am glad they finally arrived for the benefit of any who want them.Getting back to the Clark lock,maybe the Hawken shop has the moulds but is it the current one or one of the others that used that name?
Bob Roller

[bluenoser]

It is pretty obvious L&R has changed their design over time.

Here is their current production percussion lock.


And their old style flint lock


And their current production flint


The old style flint appears to match the Clark lock.

Thanks for the tip Ron.  I will follow up on that.

[Daryl]

Made me curios, so I removed and pictured mine.

[chris laubach]

Here’s the original lock used by Clark to make his lock / molds.





CL

[Jim Kibler]

Chris,

Original except the plate right?  I recall Gary explaining how the original plate was lost in shipping or something like that.  I think Gary had mentioned about me making an iron plate for this lock before he passed away as well.

Thanks for sharing.

Jim

[chris laubach]

Hi Jim,
Yes, the story goes that the original plate got lost somehow. The lock also got lost in shipping from Clark back to its original owner. Then some time later it showed up at a USPS auction.

Lock is quite nice other than the plate being a casting off the original. 🤷‍♂️


Thanks
Chris

[Bob Roller]

USPS auction.I have had several locks and other bits and pieces vanish in the USPS and wondered why and who.I did not know about an auction and never did like them and won't bid on anything.The last items were castings being returned to Germany.
Bob Roller