Patch box lid catch

[rogerpjr]

Would either old Allen wrenches or drill bits be good material to forge out into catches for a patch box?

[Lucky R A]

Roger,   There is no need for hard materials for the latch.  In fact some original Bucks Co. guns used brass for the catch.  You have to be able to rivet the catch into the countersink in the patchbox lid.   Catch springs can be easily made from banding steel.   

[Pete G.]

I use a common nail for the catch. It is relatively soft steel and rivets through the lid rather easily.

[JCurtiss]

I use a common nail for the catch. It is relatively soft steel and rivets through the lid rather easily.

Why couldn't you simply silver solder the latch to the lid instead of riveting it?

[smylee grouch]

There is almost always small chunks of steel laying around one of my vices and I make a triangular shaped piece with a stud on it, the stud to be riveted on the patchbox lid. Takes about a min. to make and two min. to rivet.

[Mark Elliott]

I make a catch/spring out of a strip of 1/32"1085/95 I cut with some aviation snips.   A few bends with a a pair of pliers and a harden and temper and it is done.  I use insulation hanger wire for the catch but any soft metal will do.   If you polish the bearing edge,  it will wear well.

[JCurtiss]

I use a common nail for the catch. It is relatively soft steel and rivets through the lid rather easily.

Why couldn't you simply silver solder the latch to the lid instead of riveting it?

Ok, perhaps "latch" is the wrong terminology, so let me try again. Why couldn't you simply solder the catch to the lid instead of riveting it? Is riveting easier, or stronger, or more like the old days, or ...?

[petera]

Hello.  Whether "catch" or "latch", whatever that part that is called that you install in the lid, as the foregoing repliers stated, use soft steel.  You will never, in your lifetime, open and shut the lid enough to loosen the engagement.  Riveting the piece through the lid is trhe traditional method.  Make sure, after you have drilled the hole, and countersunk it, to use a 3-cornered needle file to file 4 compass-point notches in the countersunk hole.  When you peen your soft steel stud catch/latch into the countersunk hole, some of the steel will enter the notches, preventing that sud from ever turning or lossening.  Regards,   Peter A. Alexander

[JCurtiss]

Hey Peter,

Thank you for your reply. So I guess the old timers didn't want to fool with soldering the catch to the patch box cover?

How do you support the lid when penning the head of the latch into it? It seems you would need a tight-fitting horseshoe shaped anvil to straddle the post of the catch as it protrudes from the lid. 

Thanks,

Jason

[Ed Wenger]

Jason...  I'm sure there's a bunch of different techniques used.  I typically place the catch in a vice, hold / support the lid with one hand, and peen with the other.  Once it starts to get tight, you can look at it to make sure everything is plumb with the lid.  Anyway, that's worked for me.  Hope that helps.


         Ed

[smylee grouch]

I do what Ed does and clamp the bottom of the stud or catch in a vice and you can peen/rivet the portion into the slight counter sink. Dress it off flush when done and its a done deal except to file a notch on the bottom to mate with your spring.

[FALout]

I would think that by just soldering the post on to the lid would be a weak joint that in time would give.  As suggested, riveting would be stronger.  I wouldn't want to have to go back and rework the lid on a completed rifle, getting the patina on the reworked lid to look right would be difficult.

[Pete G.]

I use a common nail for the catch. It is relatively soft steel and rivets through the lid rather easily.

Why couldn't you simply silver solder the latch to the lid instead of riveting it?

Simple answer: Because that's not the way it was done.
Actually, riveting the post is much simpler than soldering anyway.

I am a strong believer that if you are going to build an historic gun then you should use historic techniques. That is not to say that you need to use antique tools and no electric lights, but the finished result should reflect what was done in earlier times; otherwise you might as well have one of those scoped muzzleloaders from Bass Pro Shops.

[JCurtiss]

Thank you for all the replies and great ideas!


Jason