Late ketland pan modification?

[Turtle]

 I am hunting with a flintlock with a late Ketland lock for the first time this year. My previous deer gun had a Durrs Egg lock. I'm having a problem with powder getting on the wide mating surface of the frizzen to the pan and holding it open unless I am very carefull to clean all stray powder off the wide flat top around the pan. I never had this problem with the Durrs. I'm thinking of narrowing the mating surface by leaving a narrow ridge around the pan, but can't think of how to accomplish this. Ideas please?
                            Thanks,Turtle

[smylee grouch]

My first thought would be careful and judicious grinding but I'm not sure what area of the pan or frizzen you plan on altering. I'm curious as to how to do it also as I have the same lock on a couple of different rifles.

[Darkhorse]

I don't like my prime to be all over the pan like you get from priming with a horn. So I use a brass priming flask which throws about 3 grains. It will throw less depending on how deep you depress the plunger. This tool gets all the prime right where I want it, fills the pan level with the top. And any that gets on top I wipe away.
The only modification that should be neccessary is to be sure there are no gaps or daylight showing between the top of the pan and bottom of the frizzen when the friz is closed.
You are right in that primeing powder on top of the pan surface will hold the frizzen open. If you hunt with a flintlock a lot you will find that open crack will also allow your prime to migrate out of the pan and leave you primeless when you most need it.
Others might feel different but I would not try and modify a pan to control this, I would be more careful that all the prime is in the pan, not on top.

[bob in the woods]

I enlarge the pans on my locks all the time. I also polish them. Judicious use of a dremel with small shaped stones, etc on a slower speed is what I use. I carefully mark out the work area with a Sharpie pen and take my time. 

[smylee grouch]

I do the same Bob. The Chambers round face English lock has the flange or molding around the pan/frizzen and when I'm hunting I usualy put a bead of bear grease/bees wax around the flange which keeps the prime in place.

[Darkhorse]

I agree with polishing the pan, that's part of my normal procedure also. I can also see where some pans may need to be enlarged. But if you read the OP again I don't think this is the problem he is having. Or else I read it wrong myself.

[Turtle]

 To clarify, the Durrs and others have a narrow, raised ridge all around the pan as do many of my  other guns. I shoot guns with wide pan margins on the ranges and woods walks, but haven't hunted with them yet. I do use a small pan charger, but in wet weather I dump and re-prime a lot to ensure a dry charge. I do this in sometimes in less than perfect situations and miss the one tiny stray grain of powder that keeps the frizzen a little open. Maybe there's no fix?
                                          Turtle

[Mike Brooks]

I am hunting with a flintlock with a late Ketland lock for the first time this year. My previous deer gun had a Durrs Egg lock. I'm having a problem with powder getting on the wide mating surface of the frizzen to the pan and holding it open unless I am very carefull to clean all stray powder off the wide flat top around the pan. I never had this problem with the Durrs. I'm thinking of narrowing the mating surface by leaving a narrow ridge around the pan, but can't think of how to accomplish this. Ideas please?
                            Thanks,Turtle

Never been an issue with me.

[Robby]

Turtle, I have used that lock many times in the left hand version. I take a piece of carbon paper, lay it on the top of the pan and snap the frizzen shut, flip the paper over and snap the frizzed shut again. This will show you areas of interference that may not be readily apparent even with a loop and give you an idea how you should proceed. Good luck!!!!
Robby

[Acer Saccharum]

Even if your frizzen fits perfectly to the plate, you can still get the situation the OP is talking about with powder holding the frizzen open.

Hard to be really tidy with the priming when it's freezing cold and your fingers don't work well.

Prime as usual, and close the frizzen. Push the frizzen hard against the plate to crush any grains on the mating surfaces. That will keep the gap small, and the larger grains are not likely to seep out.

[bob in the woods]

I don't have the powder/pan problem that the OP has, however I do like to enlarge the pan on some locks. Especially Silers.  It's not difficult to do.

[Acer Saccharum]

A deeper pan allows more prime. More kindling to start the fire with. 

[Dennis Glazener]

I use a push type priming device. On the late Ketland I push the tip down twice and the result is usually a pile of powder in the middle of the pan. I then use the tip of the primer to spread the powder out like I like it. The only time I get overflow onto the top rim of the pan is when I push the plunger 3 times then there is too much priming for the size of the pan and then I get priming on the rim and have to use the tip to brush it off to prevent what the OP describes.

I don't see any difference in ignition whether I use 2 or 3 pushes of the primer tip so I just use 2 and don't get the overflow he describes.
Dennis

[Turtle]

 Thanks for the feedback guys. For now, until done deer hunting I will follow Dennis's suggestion and use less prime. I am new to this lock and have been using a lot as I never experimented with what it wants. after season when I tear the gun down, I will at least relieve the pan close to the pivot where stuff is hard to see and remove. By the way Dennis, I am really enjoying this gun I got wood,hardware,and barrel from you. The lovely wood gives me pleasure when bored hunting just looking at it!
                          Turtle

[Darkhorse]

I use a push type priming device. On the late Ketland I push the tip down twice and the result is usually a pile of powder in the middle of the pan. I then use the tip of the primer to spread the powder out like I like it. The only time I get overflow onto the top rim of the pan is when I push the plunger 3 times then there is too much priming for the size of the pan and then I get priming on the rim and have to use the tip to brush it off to prevent what the OP describes.

I don't see any difference in ignition whether I use 2 or 3 pushes of the primer tip so I just use 2 and don't get the overflow he describes.
Dennis

That's how I do it. 2 pushes is all it takes to fill my pan with no overflow. I do check the pan and prime often but I don't change the prime as much as I used to depending on weather conditions. I'm real careful about wiping stray grains off the mating surfaces.

[Dennis Glazener]

By the way Dennis, I am really enjoying this gun I got wood,hardware,and barrel from you. The lovely wood gives me pleasure when bored hunting just looking at it!
                          Turtle

OK now I remember, you picked the stock/parts up at the New Market VA show. Sure would like to see the finished product, how about posting some photos?
Dennis

[hanshi]

My .32 poorboy has a late Ketland lock.  I use just one push of the brass primer as I prefer less prime rather than more.  I haven't had the problem you describe so maybe you're using too much of it.

[Turtle]

  Dennis,
I ordered the barrel, hardware, and stock blank direct from you and you shipped the barrel and wood to a man in Pa. I picked it up there. Hope the pictures came through.
                                           Turtle

[Turtle]

 I was puzzeled on how I was going to modify the pan. I even considered sending the lockplate to someone to machine. After working up my courage I ended up chucking it in a vise, marked the width of a ridge I wanted, and went to work slowly with 3 sizes of chainsaw files. It proved much easier than I expected and I now have a chambers late ketland with a waterproof pan with a narrow raised ridge!
                                   Turtle

[smylee grouch]

Sounds good. Do you have any pictures to share with us?