Ghost in the lock mortise

[Steeltrap]

So I had I let the lock, and with the hook breach had some interesting issues to deal with.

So, I had the lock working perfectly….lock bolts lined up great and lock sparked great!!

I then moved onto the 2 wedge keys and underlugs. Got all that good to go. Then worked on the trigger guard and got that done.

So then I decided to put it all together. When I went to drop the lock in it didn’t “fall in” right. I’m studying the lock and mortise trying to determine the issue. I then removed the mainspring and tried…..still wouldn’t drop. Next I removed the sear spring…..BOOM!!  Dropped in like Kibler did the work!!

Sharpies up the sear spring and saw where it was touching…removed a few small pieces of wood….BOOM!!  Dropped right in.

So, I had it dropping in fine…..then…not. Ghost in the lock???

[Curtis]

The first thing I would recommend would be to blacken (or whatever color you are using) all the internal parts and find which one is interfering.

Curtis

[Steeltrap]

I don't know if you read all of my post, but that's been done.

The perplexing part was why it worked perfectly last week, then this week it had "developed" a spot where it was rubbing.

The Mrs suggested because it's gotten humid in the last several days, it could have been the wood swelled just enough. I guess that make sense...or at least points to a possible reason.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Steeltrap:  you asked for advice, I think, on how to remedy an issue.  And Curtis gave you the best advice there is, but you rejected it for reasons completely unknown to me.  If you are looking for some explanation on how to solve your superstitions, you're going to be out of luck.  Just do as Curtis suggested, and be grateful for the perfect answer.

[2 shots]

 he states he used a sharpie [ marker]  on the sear spring. i think his wife has the wining answer.. slight swelling OR maybe a very slight twist.

[Steeltrap]

Yes. Thank you. I must not have stated it clearly enough that before I posted it I had it fixed via a sharpie and removing the necessary wood. 

I was asking what would be the cause of this and 2shots confirmed that (as my spouse said) it's been humid since I last had the lock in the mortise.

I guess I was questioning if humidity alone would be the factor.....but nothing else had changed.

[Steeltrap]

Thought I’d update this just to point out/show the necessity of filing a good draft/angle on the lockplate edges.

After applying my stain and letting it dry for 24 hours, I took the lock and placed it in the mortise again. And once again the lock would “spring/pop” out a little and just not fully seat.

After studying the wood I could see where the lock was pressing hard against the wood at the top of the mortise, from the rear of the bolster to almost the lock tail.  I believe the application of stain caused a very slight swelling of the wood.

I previously filed a draft all the way around the lockplate, but that section I didn’t file enough of a draft. So, I removed a bit of metal and finished a good draft on that section.  Now the lock drops in and out easily.

[Tumbledown]

Steeltrap:  you asked for advice, I think, on how to remedy an issue.  And Curtis gave you the best advice there is, but you rejected it for reasons completely unknown to me.  If you are looking for some explanation on how to solve your superstitions, you're going to be out of luck.  Just do as Curtis suggested, and be grateful for the perfect answer.

You should read the entire post before commenting.    Steeltrap didn't reject any advice, and he had already done what Curtis suggested.

[JH Ehlers]

I think you really had a ghost, you should have called ghostbusters.

[Steeltrap]

 

[steven baker]

Hi Steeltrap - sometimes if the lockbolts, tang-bolts are overtightened they may cause issues

Hopefully this is use to you.

Take Care
Steven