Lock mortise question

[Wingshot]

Questioning whether I should clean up and polish my lock plate before proceeding to inlet further. The bolster is as close as it gets without beginning to inlet the plate. Thoughts/opinions please??

[rich pierce]

At the least I’d file a slight draft all around the plate and get the edges to be inlet nice and clean. 4 degrees is what Long John recommends, just to give you an idea.

[Wingshot]

Ok, that makes sense. My concern was fearing the possibility that I may somehow alter the plate if I inletted as is and end up with a less than desirable inletting job. The lock is a Chambers Late Ketland and as is has a bevel facing inward, I scribed that line as seen in the pic. Should I just maintain that or existing bevel?

[mgbruch]

Yes.  You should clean up your lock.  Originals did not have wax cast surfaces, or casting seams.  Every exterior part of the lock should see the file.  Spend some time with your files.  Clean up the bevels, and give the rest of the lock better definition.

Shown is the same lock, a Jim Chambers Late Ketland.  In the first photo, It's not quite finished, but is ready for inletting.  The second photo is the same lock as a part of a finished rifle.  "I am creating a work of art." should be on our minds through every step of the building process.

[Wingshot]

Thanks all and yes, I’ll clean it up. After a long second look I see that there’s no draft bevel and I’ll take Rich’s advice and file in a 4 degree draft.

[Mike Brooks]

I file the draft at this time, nothing else.

[Jim Kibler]

What Mike said.  I don't think it's a good idea to polish any metal parts until assembly is complete and the stock is fully shaped etc.  I see some people wanting to do this early and it can only cause more work.

Jim

[john bohan]

The Grumpy gunsmith has a good video on you tube for inletting locks.

[Wingshot]

Mgbruch, I see that you removed the “tail” on the Late Ketland and I’ve noticed other SMR’s with the same treatment. Is it more HC? I’ve only studied photos of originals and I’ve noticed that although the LK is a good fit for that style, most if not all are rounded. No issues with doing that?
 Thanks for the advice guys, it’s truly appreciated.

[mgbruch]

I've only studied photos as well, so my knowledge is appropriately limited.  Most of the photos I've studied are of guns where the back of the lock is rounded, but ones with the tail are not uncommon.  Sometimes I leave it on, sometimes I take it off.  Just depends.  My personal gun is a Southern Mountain rifle, with the Chambers Late Ketland; and I left the tail on that one. 
Chambers' Late Ketland lock plate has plenty of metal behind the sear and sear spring; so you can round it and still have good inletting contact at the rear of the plate.

[Eric Krewson]

I only file the bevel; I want to move forward with a build and polishing the lock takes me most of a day. I shoot my rifles in the white (just can't wait) then take them apart and do all of the lock polishing.

[rich pierce]

If I’m waiting for a stock or barrel I might polish a lock completely. I am sure that locks used in the colonial period through the 1860s came finished and gun stockers dealt with it. Same is true for some fancy cast buttplates and guards. But as noted there’s no need to polish the whole lock before inletting.

[alacran]

I was looking at this post on my phone. decided to go to my laptop before opening my trap.
Before I would do anything, I would file the draft, that is if it needs it. Some locks already have draft molded in. Check it with small engineer square.
I check it from the inside of the plate.
Before I went as far as you have, I would clean up the surface of the wood where the lock goes. I would get as close to the finish dimension of the lock panel, allowing maybe 1/32 of an inch extra. I like to make sure the panel is square to the barrel. I like the surface to be flat and fairly smooth.
I use a scribe to give me the lock outline. By this time my fingers are dirty and I rub them across the scribed lines. This gives me a very accurate line to work to. I never use a pencil to mark the lock outline.

[Wingshot]

Alacran,

I was contemplating flattening and reducing the width, I think I will now that you mention it. The line you see was the plate traced with a marking knife gone over with a pencil. It’s a swamped barrel so I have to be careful not to hog off too much wood or the tail of the lock will kick out.