lock making

[sweed]

Howdy ya'll

Not that I'm ready to do this but I'd like to read about building a lock frof scratch. Is there a tutorial? I have not been able to find one.

Thanks
Sweed

[fix]

I would also be interested.
I am looking at forging some of the parts for a cap lock on my next rifle. I am struggling with the question of forging the hammer. I'm torn between starting with round stock and upsetting the end to make the flat that rests against the plate, or start with squareish stock and cut and bend for the top of the hammer. I'm leaning towards square stock, but would sure like some input from someone who has done this before.

[Black Hand]

Look for copies of The Journal of Historical Armsmaking.  Lots of great info there...

[Hungry Horse]

 Prior Mnt. Bill Newton authored a couple of paperbacked books that do a pretty good job of illustrating the process used for lock making. The one I use the most is the one on Northwest guns, but he did one on rifles also I believe.

                 Hungry Horse

[fix]

I seem to notice a pattern while doing more and more research on the subject of gun making. All the books I want are out of print, and when I find them used they are very expensive.

I don't understand how the demand for a book can be great enough to cause it's value to rise, but not great enough for the publisher to make another run.

Well, thanks for the leads. I'm off on another search for books. At this point, I may have more money in books than I do in the tools.

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

A lot depends on our definition of "building a lock from scratch".  There are several discussions on tooling and techniques used in the 18th c for lock making, some are listed below:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=18929.msg177747#msg177747

scratch built locks

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=19172.msg180948#msg180948

18th c screw plate use

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=19172.msg180948#msg180948

lock plate threads

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=18949.msg178628#msg178628

18th c drilling

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=18893.msg178043#msg178043

flash pan grinder


I have been thinking about a generating a tutorial on the process of 18th c lock making, but this is probably better in a book form as it would be very much too extensive to post here.  However, the next time I make lock parts I will certainly document the process with photos, so maybe sometime in the future?  But, soon I will be returning overseas and will not return to the USA until May 2013.  Merry Christmas to all!

Jim

[fix]

That is some very nice work. If you get around to writing that book you'll have one sold already.
thanks for bringing these posts to my attention.

[cmac]

youtube has video clips of Gussler forging lock parts....punch in colonial gunsmith

[fix]

I'll have to find better internet to watch videos, but i'll look into it next time i'm in town.
I always forget about utube. It's just hard to remember that there might be useful stuff on there.

[sweed]

Thank You James Wilson Everett for your absolute solid unquestionable promise to provide us less informed with a book on how to set our powder afire!! When will it be in print, and where do I send my payment?

[gunmaker]

Recreating the double shotgun, $40.00 has a step by step guide on hand making flint locks....Tom

[WadePatton]

...
I don't understand how the demand for a book can be great enough to cause it's value to rise, but not great enough for the publisher to make another run.
...

it's like this: it only takes one other person to run the price of something up (ever bid at an auction?).  These days it's a few hundred people scattered about connected by the web--still, they run the price up.

But that a publisher needs to sell thousands, to break even, and tens-of-thousands to make money.  (as i understand it from afar and what Will Malloff wrote (archived online somewhere) WRT his book being re-printed.)

I just looked up a used book that was priced one or two hundred bucks, then noticed that a new printing was out for 20 bucks.  BOTH items for sale side-by-side.  Sucks for the dealer, great for the buyer. 

I'm glad we can still get words printed on paper. 

[Mark Elliott]

I am working on an all hand made lock made in the 18th century manner, and what you want is the Journal of Historical Armsmaking Technology Volumes I and V.   Gary Brumfield, of our little family here, wrote two articles on how they made locks in the CW gunsmith shop.    The instructions are complete enough for someone with the skills to make one.   The first article in Volume I walks you through the whole process.  The article in Volume V corrects the process for making the cock.   The process in Volume I did not take into account the grain of wrought iron and resulted in a lot of broken bottom jaws.   You might still be able to buy Volume V from the NMLRA.   There is no way you are getting a Volume I.   The photo ready manuscripts were lost to the first few volumes, so additional high quality copies are not possible.  The other problem is that they were poorly bound and almost all of them are falling apart.  I know mine are.   

The problem with scanning them is that you can't scan a printed photo without an artifact that seriously degrades the quality of the image.    Now,  I am sure that there are a lot of folks that would like to have a copy of what ever quality they can get.   I have scanned pictures out of the books for my own use that aren't too bad.  I am sure I could improve them in Photoshop.   There are probably re-touchers and restorers out there that could fix them all so that they look as good as the originally printed versions.   The problem is that those people get $250/hr for their time and each image might take hours.   I think that makes a reprint cost prohibitive.    However, scanning and image processing technology improve all the time.   There may come a time that the books can simply be disassembled and run through a scanner with no other input required.   

Hopefully,  Gary has provided the necessary legal permission to do just that to some party who is likely to survive him as the current U.S. Copyright law has gives the creator the copyright for his/her life plus 70 years.    If arrangements aren't made before hand,  that could put a lot of these out of print books out of reach for a very long time.