Is there a book "Heat Treating for Dummies"?

[SCLoyalist]

Can anyone recommend a basic book that would cover heat treating requirements such as hardening, annealing, tempering, etc to cover such cases as might come up trying to work with or tune up a lock?

As an example, if I were to want to try changing the angle the flint strikes the frizzen by heating the cock cherry red and bending it,  once bent is the cock to be allowed to air cool, get quenched in water, or what? 

Thanks, SCL 

[rich pierce]

It would be hard to generalize because locks by different makers could be made of different steel, and the parts themselves vary.  Tumblers, frizzens, sears may be made of one tool steel such as O1, springs of simple spring steel like 1080, and the lockplate, pan, cock of a mild steel, and screws of yet another steel.  But in general, cocks are made of mild steel, can be bent under forging heat, and should be allowed to air cool.

I have fixed some bad locks by bending the cock but recognize that things may go from bad to worse and have a backup plan.  It may be better to buy a cock casting with the correct throw and then you get to "time it" by the way you align the square hole in the cock that fits the tumbler.

[David Veith]

You might ask over here http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/index.php
Some VERY knowledgeable people hang out there. I feel it should be a bookmark type place for all of the knowledge that is given.
David Veith

[J.D.]

I saw a good, in depth  tutorial on heat treating on one of the badesmithing forums, some time ago. A copy of the Machinery handbook will have heat treating information, or you might check some of the blacksmith sites too.

Like Rich said, you can do as much damage, as good, with bending a cock. IMHO, the flint should be about 60 degrees to the face of the frizzen as it makes contact, assuming that the flint is the correct length for that lock. Remove the mainspring to check the angle, BTW.   

I like to use a 1/4 thick steel bar clamped in the jaws, as a handle, to bend the cock.

If you bend it too far, then heat it and bend it back. It has been recommended to use a steel protractor clamped in the vise  to judge how far you are bending, but it isn't really necessary. This is one of those bend and try experiences, so go slow and try it as you go. Be careful that the bend isn't so extreme that the flint bashes into the pan, when full down. 

An easy way to check if a cock with a longer throw will improve sparking is to add shims between the bottom jaw and the flint. Adding the shims is not a permanent fix, it's just a way to experiment with length of throw and the angle of attack.

God bless

[Habu]

You might take a look at Kit Ravenshear's series on guncraftsmanship.  I think they are available from Track of the Wolf. 

[Dphariss]

Can anyone recommend a basic book that would cover heat treating requirements such as hardening, annealing, tempering, etc to cover such cases as might come up trying to work with or tune up a lock?

As an example, if I were to want to try changing the angle the flint strikes the frizzen by heating the cock cherry red and bending it,  once bent is the cock to be allowed to air cool, get quenched in water, or what? 

Thanks, SCL 

Its likely dead soft anyway and will work OK that way, if you harden it you need to draw it back if it has a high enough carbon content.
Dan

[SCLoyalist]

The Kit Ravenshear booklets look like a worthwhile reference, and I found another book, Bealer's Art of  Blacksmithing, on Amazon that covers antique weapons and frizzen springs.

I'm holding off on bending the lock's cock for a while.  I had wanted to bend it so the flint wouldn't strike the frizzen so squarely; i.e. bend it forward.  However, from the scratch marks on the frizzen, it's already striking halfway down the frizzen, not 1/3 way down as conventional wisdom suggests is right, and the fix for that would be to bend the cock backward.   I'm going to try temporary shims for a while until I get a better handle on what needs to be done (and to give time to order another cock to experiment on).


Thanks, all for the suggestions.  SCL

[Herb]

SCL:  Look at www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com in Aberdeen, Idaho.  This is the old Don Eads and then Susanne Warren-Bicio business from Arkansas moved to Idaho.  Look at their web site, they have an explanation of heat treating.  And they have a book "How to Heat-treat, Harden, Temper and Anneal", for $14.95.  Susanne also has a book "Longrifle Construction Manual" for $24.95 which is good.  It even has a section on the Golden Mean, which is as good as her separate book "Golden Mean Treatise" for $9.95.

I recently ordered some parts from MBS, including one rod pipe (I had three on hand and needed one more so I'd have two sets).  Ryan Roberts, owner, called me to say that these were usually sold in sets of two and did I intend to order two.  I also ordered a steel sight that was not in stock so he hand machined that sight for me.  Shipped it out, charging only $7.75 for shipping and handling when the actual postage was $7.72.  I got the order the next day.  I like having this business close to us out here in the west.  I recommend MBS.

[elk killer]

visited with Ryan for a couple of hours yesterday..
took a tour of his shop
even traded some new old items,,for all new stuff
was a very pleasant visit,,,and Ryan is a pleasure to talk with and do business with..
he did warn however,,,that prices are going to sky rocket..!!!
but whats new with that,, in this sad economy..!!!