Fitting Frizzen to pan-- historic

[jerrywh]

Through the years I have built a few handmade  flint locks.  In the process I did a tremendous amount  of research . I also obtained every sample that I could and studied every minute detail and all the tool marks on them.   A lot can be learned from tool marks.    There is one thing that I found that I have never heard anybody else ever mention or talk about before or since. It is about the fitting of the pan to the frizzen.    Below are two different photos of original English flint locks from famous makers of the 18th century.  I want to call your attention to the frizzen screw on the inside of the lock plate and the bolster at that point.  Notice that there is a chisel mark on the end of the screw and on the bolster as well on both locks.   When I first noticed this I thought it was merely a accidental tool mark.  Not so.  When examining a lock like this once I found that the screw had been made with a very slight cam effect.  The result was when the screw was turned it raised or lowered the rear of the frizzen and aligned the frizzen to the pan surface.   You will find that this is not so with every lock. The reason is because it was not necessary .This may have been done also to compensate for ware in the screw hole of the frizzen or wear on the screw.  I don’t think this is the case with these two locks.  These two locks were marked before they were hardened.  No Charge.

 

These two locks have been disassembled and reassemble. Whoever did so probably was unaware of what these marks were for.

[smylee grouch]

Jerry, would you say that these were index marks to position the frizzen in the optimum position at construction time? My interpretation of this any way or some thing I'm missing?

[jerrywh]

Jerry, would you say that these were index marks to position the frizzen in the optimum position at construction time? My interpretation of this any way or some thing I'm missing?

   Yes I would say they were done at the time of assembly before being hardened. Then they were disassembled,  case hardened and re assembled.  During this period in England  every part or step of the manufacturing process was done by guild members. One position for a workman was called a screwer together-er. It was a guilded member who only screwed locks together. This position is actually listed in the gunmakers list of members. There were also fitters, bluers and all together about 28 different positions for gun making.  Seldom even in America did one man ever make a complete gun.

[oldtravler61]

  Jerrywh that has been my opinion for a very long time. Few did everything. Interesting info thanks for sharing with us. Mike not the B one

[Carl Young]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge Jerry. You have a gift for teaching and I am an appreciative student.

Best regards,
Carl

[Paddlefoot]

Jerry did you notice if the screws were staked after being adjusted? I was thinking that another way the screw could have been kept in it's correct position would be to leave it the screw head a bit proud of the bolster and then file it flat after the adjustment was made. Being flat against the side of the barrel would keep it from shifting in one direction anyway.

[n stephenson]

Jerry, Thanks for pointing these details out . Those tiny things are so often missed !!!! Thanks Nathan

[BOB HILL]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention sir. Great observation...Bob

[Curtis]

Great observation Jerry.  I have seen such marks and never put it together.

Curtis

[jerrywh]

 It is my opinion that the screws were staked in the proper position when first assembled and the person who later worked on them just never put them back in the same position. Maybe they never realized what they were for. Another thing could be this. They were staked before hardening as it would be almost impossible to do when hardened.  Case hardening could warp the frizzen some and require the screw to be in a different position afterwards but the marks could still be used as a index.