A little ways back, another knots reader asked about setting a lock for desk lid he was finishing. I hesitated to respond at the time because I didn’t have a set of photos or the right words to explain it very well. Not sure I do now but here goes.
Building a kentucky longrifle has a lot in common with building a secretary/bookcase. I think so because I am doing it right now and I have done it in the past. Installing a lock in a rifle is a bit more daunting but it has all the elements of installing a lock in a lid for a prized desk.
With the rifle you want to remove as little wood as possible to keep the “wrist”(area around the lock) as strong as possible. There are quite a few moving parts and they have to be clear and not rubbing when the lock is fired. If not you have a very unhappy shooter at your shop door.
Installing the lock plate on a kentucky is exactly like installing the lock plate on a cabinet: scribe the outer edge carefully and set it in place. The works attached to the back of the lock is where it gets .. interesting.
In the lid case: you can hog out most of the wood and slip the lock in fairly quickly. The rifle: not so. Slow down.
In some cases the cabinetmaker might find the lock just doesn’t “work” like it should. Here is where the riflemaker and the cabinetmaker can share a technique.
The candle.
Get the wick burning and hold the lock over the candle. When the working parts are all black and covered with black soot(sp) you are ready to push the lock in place and turn the key again. Take the lock out and see where the black rubs are on the wood. There’s your problem spot.
Hand tools: Oh yea that’s the thread. Take the chisel or gouge and remove the little piece of wood and presto– it works like butter.
I put a flintlock in a piece of maple today so I took a few photos and maybe it will make it more obvious what I am rambling on about.
Yes there are 2 rifles side by side. I hope this makes sense.
Questions are always welcome.. the point of my post is to help somebody out there with a lock problem.
Dan
Replies
I have a couple tricks for this job, but I'd like to mention one that might interest you, Dan.
I use center bits to excavate for the lock. There are a few advantages to using center bits. First, its very easy to control the depth of cut. Next, they leave behind their center hole, which is helpful if you have to deepen that spot. Lastly their location is very easy to establish accurately.
I have seen pictures of period rifles with their locks removed and the evidence of center bit use was present. This may be a better tool than the one you are using, and you'll be able to say that your stocks all the more authentic for it.
Adam
Love to see a couple photos of the bits and perhaps a shot or 2 of the hole ??
Dan
I'm sorry I don't have any pictures of guns. I'm fairly certain such features are common, however. This is an old whetstone case from England. The center bit marks are fairly evident. This what the stock looked like with the lock removed. The bit in the brace is the same size as the one used to excavate this lid.Adam
P.S. Edit- I'm just looking at this picture again. Boy that's a heckova camera. What a nice picture, huh? I believe the stone in the background is either "cutler's green hone" or "charnley forest" and I'm leaning toward the latter.
Edited 9/24/2007 8:57 pm ET by AdamCherubini
Come on Adam, those drill things are the stuff of night mares; not only do they not stop when told to, and only work sort of in soft wood, but they have a habit of poking through that thin desk lid when one only has a an 1/8" inch leeway in front of the lock.....
Nowt to beat router, set to depth, flat bottom,free hand to line, refine corners with chisel.It will even do the key hole. But you must use a nice dark wood so that if there are any raised portions such as rivets (in inferior locks) you just spit on them, press lock in and ther's yer mark-no dirty stinking candles around here.Thank you very much.
Philip Marcou
Adam
I missed something in the bit name in the first message. I have some of those bits. I have some shorter tipped auger bits that work on the same principal. I use them in the patchbox excavation to imitate the old ones. In the patchbox you have plenty of wood to let the tip dig in and not loose any strength. It doesn't matter.
In the lock mortise I don't want that hole any thinner than I absolutely have to make it. If you use "tipped augers on the mortise, many times you drill small holes into the ramrod channel. It happens sometimes no matter what you do but its worth the effort to avoid it if possible.
By the way, I like that old brace - wish I could find one in my area but the antique shops have put them out of reach.
dan
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