strong main spring in L&R

[patkinson]

I  have used 3 L&R Manton locks in the past year.   They are excellent locks, but have very strong springs.(very hard to cock)  Any suggestions? Thanks  Phil

[Bob Roller]

I  have used 3 L&R Manton locks in the past year.   They are excellent locks, but have very strong springs.(very hard to cock)  Any suggestions? Thanks  Phil

Is it an L&R with their mechanism or one of mine?

Bob Roller

[smallpatch]

That's unusual.  Most L&R mainsprings are not up to the challenge.

[bgf]

Several years ago, L&R switched from cast to forged main and frizzen springs.  I had them change over my durs egg, in which the main and frizzen springs had gotten weak over time.  The new forged springs were much stiffer, especially the frizzen spring. 

I think they have made several quality improvements over the last 10 years and the assembly/finish looks better as well.  Worth a look if you go by their booth at Friendship.

[Bob Roller]

Several years ago, L&R switched from cast to forged main and frizzen springs.  I had them change over my durs egg, in which the main and frizzen springs had gotten weak over time.  The new forged springs were much stiffer, especially the frizzen spring. 

I think they have made several quality improvements over the last 10 years and the assembly/finish looks better as well.  Worth a look if you go by their booth at Friendship.

L&R is trying to make a better product and I have used a good number of their external parts
with NO reported troubles of any kind.The forged springs and the 52-100 frizzens are a big
improvement.The next thing is to tighten the dimensions on the tumbler thru the plate and bridle
which is another area to address.

Bob Roller

[45-110]

i have found L and R quality control to be all over the map. one of my 15 yr old flints (durs egg) i have no complaints, not perfect but good. the latest lock purchased (Dimick) was so bad (in my estimation) i sent it back for a replacement which is only marginally better.
Like Mr. Roller says, sloppy tolerances on the tumbler/bridle holes....and i just hate the "gi-normous trench" they grind in the plate for the little sear spring tit. also the as cast post for the fly is a joke. the locks just seem to be an assembled kit, which require much de burring,tweakin and polishing and in my case a new forged sear spring. that said, Land R is pleasant enough to deal with.
best
kw

[Bob Roller]

i have found L and R quality control to be all over the map. one of my 15 yr old flints (durs egg) i have no complaints, not perfect but good. the latest lock purchased (Dimick) was so bad (in my estimation) i sent it back for a replacement which is only marginally better.
Like Mr. Roller says, sloppy tolerances on the tumbler/bridle holes....and i just hate the "gi-normous trench" they grind in the plate for the little sear spring tit. also the as cast post for the fly is a joke. the locks just seem to be an assembled kit, which require much de burring,tweakin and polishing and in my case a new forged sear spring. that said, Land R is pleasant enough to deal with.
best
kw

Before Bill Cox's ownership of L&R lock they were available as a kit but
with inexperienced people trying to make a lock there were more problems
than with a completed lock.The biggest problems were from the foundries
that the parts came from.Quailty control was nearly zero and L&R** got a
bad reputation thru no fault of their own. I talked to or maybe talked AT
a foundry owner or foreman and he was blunt and rude. He said "WE do production
and no quality control".Sort of like the car industry before the imports gave our makers
a richly deserved bloody nose and lesson in making cars.
Plates,frizzens,cocks,hammers are the externals of a lock but the lock itself is on the
back side of the plate and I want nobody but myself in charge of that part and it will
stay that way.
**There NO intent on the part of L&R at any time to make any inferior locks but being
completely reliant on an indifferent supplier is a guarantee of aggravation and problems
none of us want.

Bob Roller