L&R lock company service

[Bob Roller]

Martin,
The external parts are L&R unmodified and the mechanism is a my own idea as to what a lock should be.The majority of them are in Germany.You got one of the last Hawken locks I made and I think it had an English style mechanism.Have you retired from the air freight job yet? I still miss the old 195 but now at 89 it is only a warm memory of days now long gone.
Thanks for the compliment on my work.
Bob Roller

[Martin S.]

Bob, I'll PM you.

[jamie5070]

I have a Twigg lock that I bought from Mr. Roller, 13 years ago. I believe he used L&R parts. I love looking at it. If it fit the gun I first built, I would have used it. Never got around to building another gun and it won't fit in a Kibler kit. Right now it's a desk ornament. Glad I got it when I did.

[Bob Roller]

The TWIGG locks were external parts from R.E.Davis and I THINK I planned for 10----maybe but there are 14 including yours and the last one went to South Africa.There are a number of my locks that were never used and now decorate a desk top or reside in a drawer with the socks and underwear . R.E.Davis bought the prototype "4 pin"lock I made to show at Friendship in 1996 or 97. He said a lock of that style and quality as a new project was very unusual.He was one of the few that knew the use for such a lock.
Bob Roller

[Martin S.]

I have a Twigg lock that I bought from Mr. Roller, 13 years ago. I believe he used L&R parts. I love looking at it. If it fit the gun I first built, I would have used it. Never got around to building another gun and it won't fit in a Kibler kit. Right now it's a desk ornament. Glad I got it when I did.

Jamie,

If you ever decide to sell it, let me know.  I love my Bob Roller locks.

Martin

[Bill in Md]

Bill in Md
Thanks for the note.Helmut Mohr lived in Mayen/Hausen on the Nette river and was born in 1939.His His father was Alfons Mohr who in 1940 marched into Paris with Field Marshal Rommel.I talked with him and he said at the end of the conversation that 'You speak good German for a man that hasn't used it for years". The Germans wanted any lock or trigger I would make and  cost was not a factor so I made what they wanted and payment was by wire transfer.In 2019 I stopped locks and made a few triggers after that but now at this point in time I may not restart.I am lurching and staggering toward my 90th year. .
Bob Roller

Thank you so much Bob for this history. These kinda posts are why I count this site as a blessing

[Steeltrap]

As I stated earlier, I sent my Manton out last Friday. L&R got the lock Monday. Today 4 days after they received it I got it back. With the new frizzen spring it works great.

[Bill in Md]

As I stated earlier, I sent my Manton out last Friday. L&R got the lock Monday. Today 4 days after they received it I got it back. With the new frizzen spring it works great.

That is exactly what happened in my case......b

[Bob Roller]

Martin,
My lock mechanisms are are,with the exceptions of the English styles (2)are nearly identical and are all from the same materials and no difference in the workmanship.They also reflect what I think of the buyers who wanted them.The materials are 1144 "stressproof" for tumblers,01 for sears and flys,12L14 for screws and 1075 for springs and 1018 for cap lock plates and bridles.Take these materials ; and remove anything that does not look like a gun lock and that's it  ''.
Bob Roller

[Steeltrap]

Well, I sang the praises of the L&R lock service, and I'm sure I'll get a replacement frizzen sent to me soon.

But the first trip to the range with the new pan spring and on the second shot.....see the pics.

I've never had a frizzen break before. I'm sure it happens more frequently than I know of....but it's the first for me.   

[Bob Roller]

Did it break when it opened or from being snapped shut? I always close them without an abrupt stop.
Bob Roller

[Steeltrap]

It broke when I pulled the trigger. Apparently when the flint hit the frizzen. The charge didn’t go off.

[Steeltrap]

Did it break when it opened or from being snapped shut? I always close them without an abrupt stop.
Bob Roller

I've given some additional thought to this matter. I was having trouble with this lock where I believed somewhere the lock was rubbing against the lock mortise. This was because when I set the lock off, the frizzen would appear to not open fully, and be "resting" against the flint.

Well, that was actually because the frizzen spring was too weak and the frizzen would fly open and then return so fast that it was not seen. I did a video with my phone, slowed it down to discover the frizzen did actually fully open before snapping back.

So, perhaps because of that (and I probably pulled the trigger 100 times when I was trying to find out the cause) I weakened the frizzen at the "L" point. And now with a stronger spring the force of flint impact put the "cu-de-gra" to the frizzen.

[bob in the woods]

Did it break when it opened or from being snapped shut? I always close them without an abrupt stop.
Bob Roller

I've given some additional thought to this matter. I was having trouble with this lock where I believed somewhere the lock was rubbing against the lock mortise. This was because when I set the lock off, the frizzen would appear to not open fully, and be "resting" against the flint.

Well, that was actually because the frizzen spring was too weak and the frizzen would fly open and then return so fast that it was not seen. I did a video with my phone, slowed it down to discover the frizzen did actually fully open before snapping back.

So, perhaps because of that (and I probably pulled the trigger 100 times when I was trying to find out the cause) I weakened the frizzen at the "L" point. And now with a stronger spring the force of flint impact put the "cu-de-gra" to the frizzen.

I don't believe that this would be the cause of the break unless there was a problem with the frizzen in the first place. I have a 30 year old Siler with at least 5,000 cycles on it . 

[B.Habermehl]

I’d send them the lock back so they can fit the new frizzen properly. My guess original was just a bit too hard. BJH

[Steeltrap]

Could be the frizzen was bad from the get-go. If you look at the break there are two distinct colors. Perhaps an initial crack, then later it all gave out.

Perhaps the darker upper portion was absorbing oil?

[B.Habermehl]

Likely, I saw the transition in the break too. BJH

[HSmithTX]

Looks like a quench crack at the sharp corner,  darker color in part of the break does indicates to me also that it was cracked prior to breaking off.