Lock dismanteling for beginners.

[beleg2]

Daryl gave me this instruction for dismantling lock plates of my Kodiak rifle in order to blued them.
As I thought it was very good and it helps me much, I want to share it with some pictures I took while I was following it.


Lock dismantling.


Remove the screw that holds the hammers on the tumbler.


Remove all the lock's innards- but FIRST - you should have a mainspring vice to do this, but vice grips can be used, if done carefully. Also, an 1/8" to 3/16" thick piece of steel with a 1/4" slot in it will also work as a mainspring vise.




Slide the 'tool' I described up the mainspring with the locks at full cock - or lightly grip the main spring with the vice grips - lock ar full cock position. Now, gently trip the sear and move the hammer forward to make the spring's engagement on the tumbler swivel loose. Remove the mainspring and set down without tripping the vice-grips.

Loosen the sear spring until you can release it from it's 'catch' in the lock plate, relieving it's pressure against the sear. Now, remove the sear and screw spring. Remove the screws holding the tumbler plate on, then remove the plate.



In order to remove the hammer from the tumbler and free it from the lock plate, you will need a round 'drift' of brass, and a hammer. Hold the lock plate in your palm, tumbler down, hammer facing up. Put a brass drift down into the screw hold of the hammer. It should be brass and just clear the threads but go to the bottom of the hole. Tap the drift with a small hammer and the tumbler should drop off the hammer into your hand, which also loosens the plate. You can now blue the hammer and plate.




NOTE - if you try to pry the hammer off the tumbler, you may break the tumbler projection. Then, the lock will need a new tumbler - don't do this. You need to tap it off as indicated, unless it is loose. These are not high grade guns and it is possible the square hole in the hammer is oversize. If the hammer isn't loose, you must do as I wrote.

Hope this helps. The more times you assemble and remove the lock parts, the easier a job it becomes.
-------------------
Daryl


Hope this helps.
Martin

[horseman]

  Thank you.  The pictures were a help, too.

[dannybb55]

Nice mainspring vice. Military take down tools had a small wrench end that did the deed the same way. A 1/4 in or a 3/8in open wrench should do the trick with out crushing the spring.

[Acer Saccharum]

A similar vise will work for frizzen springs on flinters.

DO NOT try that kind of vise on a big English spring or the spring will fly into pieces when you lower the hammer.

[beleg2]

Acer,
Thanks
Would you please be a little more specific?

Martin

[Acer Saccharum]

I had a Chambers roundfaced English, with one of those long, long mainsprings. I put my usual spring vise on it, which left the last two inches of the spring unsupported. When I let the hammer carefully down, the vise took up the tension, and then ping! The spring shattered. I called Jim about my problem, and he said you have to have a BIG spring vise to successfully take the springs out without breaking.

This is a tool I made for the big locks. This lock is the Davis 'Jack Haugh'.  This spring is so powerful, it's like a bear trap. Scary if not held securely.


This spring is from a Chambers 'Early Ketland'

[Jim Chambers]

Just a couple of suggestions to a fine tutorial....once the mainspring has been removed, immediately relieve the pressure from the removal tool.  When left fully compressed by the tool springs will sometime break.
The other suggestion is to use a drift large enough to fit on top of the tumbler square instead of one that goes down in the screw hole.  A very tightly fitting tumbler can have the square shaft break off from a drift that goes down in the screw hole.  Also, to prevent bending the lock plate while separating a tight tumbler from the cock/hammer, open the jaws of your bench vice just enough for the tumbler to fit between them with the plate resting on top of the jaws.  A sharp rap on the drift with a hammer will separate the two parts without any damage to anything.  A piece of cloth hanging down between the jaws will catch the tumbler.  Don't forget to remove the fly before attempting any of this, or you'll be looking for it forever.

[beleg2]

Acer, Jim,
Thanks for the advises.
I'm learning a lot.

I have no much experience so your is invaluable!.

Thanks
Martin

[derringermike]

any tutorial for percussion locks with coil springs?  maybe a vice of sorts for the spring?  thanks mike

[T*O*F]

vice grips can be used, if done carefully

CAUTION
The reason so many springs are broken using vise grips is because guys use them like a pair of pliers.  They put the jaws over the spring, clamp down, and try to remove the spring.......PINGO!!!

Instead, use them like a spring clamp.  Adjust the jaws to a predetermined gap and clamp them, put the lock in half-cock, slide the vise grips over the spring, and then trip the lock to relieve the pressure.

[Scott Semmel]

Re the question about coilspring locks, pull hammer all the way back and apply a good visegrip on the rod that is inside the spring where it exits its pillow bock( it is hard steel the vise grip won't damage it), preventing it from moving forward when you pull trgger. Pull trigger and allow the hammer to go forward. You can now remove the rest of the innards much as you would any other lock. If you feel a need to remove the spring itself make sure you have it aimed a container when you release visegrip.