Frizzen Spring

[Tizzy]

I am currently having a little issue with an English style lock's frizzen spring.  The toe of the frizzen is roughing up the area where it contacts the spring and making what could best be described as gouge marks. I have polished both the toe and the spring and after just a few cockings, the rough area reappears and the frizzen will not snap forward due to friction. My guess is either the toe is to hard, or the frizzen spring to soft? But if the spring is to soft, wouldn't it cease to act as, well a spring?

[rich pierce]

Hmm, sounds like the toe is really rough but I agree, the spring may be a little soft.  Excess hardness of a frizzen toe should not cause scoring of the spring as long as it is polished.  A frizzen spring compresses so little that it can work as a spring even when a little soft.  I'd polish the toe of the frizzen and the top of the spring to at least 400 grit, use lube, then a) return the lock, b) get a new frizzen spring or c) re-harden and draw the spring, in that order of preference.

[bdixon]

Having the same problem here with a Germanic type lock, polished both parts and reassembled.  Seemed to better my frizzen opening and movement, but is still making a gouge looking mark on the spring surface?

[bob in the woods]

A drop of bear oil [ or substitute ] works wonders.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

OK, I have had this same problem in the past so I went to the guy who makes a lot of locks...Jim Chambers.  His instructions were to stone the frizzen and the spring and get both completely smooth and then to put a drop of Accra Lube oil on the spring where they make contact.   I have done that and never had anymore problem..for five years........... I just make sure it is oiled there before using the lock.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

No matter what the hardness of each of the frizzen toe, and the spring, you need lubrication at the contact point.  After I clean my lock, I apply a little molybdenum grease on a toothpick.  This stuff is very difficult to get off and it makes a big difference in the wear factor.  I also apply a little to the tumbler where the mainspring bears.  A squirt of WD 40 will not wash it away...good stuff.
A little anecdote...a friend who has a really nice longrifle was having trouble right at the beginning of our trail one day, with his frizzen refusing to pop open.  I checked the lock, and there was no lubrication between the toe and the spring.  I removed my own lock, and with the point of a knife, removed a little grease from my tumbler, and placed it on his lock.  Le voila!!  Instant success.

[bdixon]

Okay I didn't mention I also lubed it, as I do with all my moving parts, still bears a mark.

[Dphariss]

Okay I didn't mention I also lubed it, as I do with all my moving parts, still bears a mark.

Polish the bearing surface of the foot to 600 grit or higher.
Make sure the bearing surface is square with the spring. The pressure at the contact is high and if the contact patch is small this is greatly increased. So getting the best contact patch can reduce wear and tear on the parts. And use a good GREASE. The pressures involved are often too much for oil.

Dan

[Tizzy]

Just got finished working on the lock. I had to file the spring with a fine file to get all the gouges out made by the frizzen toe. Next, I polished and polished both the spring and the toe. While I had the lock apart, I went ahead and polished some of the internal bearing surfaces also, then aplied Mil-Tec lube to the spring. The result....sparking great! Thanks for the help!