Question about Twigg lock

[Gary Tucker]

I am in the process of disassembling a Davis Twigg lock.  First time I have used this particular lock.  It has the stirrup link between the mainspring and tumbler.  I have everything off except the spring and tumbler and cannot seperate the two.  I have used other locks with stirrups and not had this trouble. Anyone know a trick to this?

[smylee grouch]

Have you tried compressing the mainspring to half cock,put mainspring vice on it, decompress the sprin g and take it off?

[Gary Tucker]

Yes, that's my normal procedure, but I can't get either the spring or tumbler apart from the stirrup.  Would it be possible to try and punch the spring away from the lockplate and hammer from the tumbler at the same time?

[greybeard]

I have never heard of this problem before. perhaps a picture would help??
    Bob

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Do I understand the problem...you cannot disengage the claw on the mainspring from the axle of the stirrup?

[Gary Tucker]

Taylor, yes, the stirrup link that connects the mainspring to the tumbler.  I can't seem to seperate it from spring.
Bob, sorry but I'm one of the computer dummies.

[smylee grouch]

With the lock assembled, cock the lock to half cock,place mainspring vice on spring and let the hammer down all the way, your main spring should still be compressed and you should be able to take the spring out of the lock,save strip, and then disasemble the rest of the lock.

[Gary Tucker]

Thanks fellas.  Just now got it apart.  I needed to compress spring a little more to gain some more looseness and wiggle the spring out.  I was afraid to compress it any more because my mainspring vise was just barely large enough to span such a long spring.  I was afraid it might jump out and poke out both my eyes and a couple of teeth.  I suppose the correct procedure is to take out the spring and then just disengage it from the stirrup.  I had done locks with stirrups before but never encountered this.  Thanks for the replies.

[Mike Brooks]

Never had trouble getting those apart, just never could get them to work consistently. Only used two of them, and I was cured.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I bought one as a parts set that someone else had assembled.  I hardened and tempered the frizzen over and over trying to get it to spark, without success.  I took it to Dixon's and showed it to Tim from RE Davis.  He replaced the mainspring then and there, but there wasn't much improvement.  So I sent it to Bob Roller who replaced the insides with his stuff, and although the lock functions flawlessly, it still doesn't spark.  So now it's with Mr. Zorne, who is going to work his magic on it...hopefully, I'll eventually have a useable lock.

[Bob Roller]

I bought one as a parts set that someone else had assembled.  I hardened and tempered the frizzen over and over trying to get it to spark, without success.  I took it to Dixon's and showed it to Tim from RE Davis.  He replaced the mainspring then and there, but there wasn't much improvement.  So I sent it to Bob Roller who replaced the insides with his stuff, and although the lock functions flawlessly, it still doesn't spark.  So now it's with Mr. Zorne, who is going to work his magic on it...hopefully, I'll eventually have a useable lock.

If that lock was rebuilt by me I would not have let it out of the shop if it wouldn't spark.

Bob Roller

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Bob:  I can see I've pushed your fur backwards.  The work you did on the lock is superlative - the best!  But I think I might have cooked out the carbon out of the frizzen, in my effort to make it shower sparks, and the reverse has happened.  It is all my fault and none of yours and I want to emphasize that.  Mr. Zorne will likely replace the frizzen for me, and harden and temper it properly...that at least is my hope.  I definitely don't want him to tinker with your internals.

[Bob Roller]

Bob:  I can see I've pushed your fur backwards.  The work you did on the lock is superlative - the best!  But I think I might have cooked out the carbon out of the frizzen, in my effort to make it shower sparks, and the reverse has happened.  It is all my fault and none of yours and I want to emphasize that.  Mr. Zorne will likely replace the frizzen for me, and harden and temper it properly...that at least is my hope.  I definitely don't want him to tinker with your internals.

Taylor,
I have seen variations in these locks in the past few years. You did NOT push my fur backwards.I wish all these locks had the frizzens made from 52-100. I will ship a Twigg in the morning to a customer in Kentucky and it seems to be OK.Today I finished a small Manton and tomorrow is a day off because my right hand is giving me a bad time again.

Bob Roller

[eddillon]

Taylor,
I have seen variations in these locks in the past few years. You did NOT push my fur backwards.I wish all these locks had the frizzens made from 52-100. I will ship a Twigg in the morning to a customer in Kentucky and it seems to be OK.Today I finished a small Manton and tomorrow is a day off because my right hand is giving me a bad time again.

Bob Roller

You have my sympathy, Bob.  Right hand arthritis.  Left getting shaky.  Tough to get old.  Keep on truckin.
Ed

[David R. Pennington]

After three different mainsprings in my Twigg I am seriously considering gluing a patch in and re inletting a different lock. Mine will spark if you keep the flint super sharp. Who wants to have to fool with the flint every two or three shots. My old Siler will spark all day with out foolin with it. I had to make a bearing for the tumbler shaft in the Twigg also, way too sloppy. I feel like in the time I've spent on this lock I could have almost made one from scratch.

[Bob Roller]

After three different mainsprings in my Twigg I am seriously considering gluing a patch in and re inletting a different lock. Mine will spark if you keep the flint super sharp. Who wants to have to fool with the flint every two or three shots. My old Siler will spark all day with out foolin with it. I had to make a bearing for the tumbler shaft in the Twigg also, way too sloppy. I feel like in the time I've spent on this lock I could have almost made one from scratch.

Sad to say but that Twigg lock as it comes out of the box needs a major overhaul by replacing all parts with the possible exception of the sear spring.I have one ere now that has a very strong mainspring but I think it will soon back load the sear and full cock position on the tumbler and premature wear will finish it off or create an accident.

Bob Roller

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I built a half stocked English fowling piece a number of years ago, around a Davis Twigg lock, and that lock sparked like a cutting torch.

[Pete G.]

Bob:  I can see I've pushed your fur backwards.  The work you did on the lock is superlative - the best!  But I think I might have cooked out the carbon out of the frizzen, in my effort to make it shower sparks, and the reverse has happened.  It is all my fault and none of yours and I want to emphasize that.  Mr. Zorne will likely replace the frizzen for me, and harden and temper it properly...that at least is my hope. I definitely don't want him to tinker with your internals.

I'm sure that Mr. Roller doesn't want him to tinker with his internals ... ....or the lock either

[KLMoors]

Sorry to hear about this. I used one on my personal hunting rifle and that thing was real nice right out of the box. I tuned it up a bit with some polishing and it has been a great lock. Shame they are so inconsistent.