Stocking a Dopplehaken

[Ed]

Originally Posted by Philip

Your're most welcome, Ed.

1. Thanks for suggesting kitty litter to age the exterior of an epoxy joint. New to me, will try it! I presume that you use new out-of -the-bag KL, not the stuff that your Felix has already romped through.

I will give thought to my next steps but I need to say ...

Well used kitty litter, my friend, well used. Art forgery is not for the faint of heart.

I also used Tannic Acid ...

[Philip]

Originally Posted by Ed

Well used kitty litter, my friend, well used. Art forgery is not for the faint of heart.

...

Thanks, Ed. Will attend our local SPCA's next cat adoption event...

I know about needing a strong nose for arms repair work. In India, the deep etch on damascus gun barrels was done by plugging the muzzle and touchhole of a polished and degreased tube, and burying it in a trough filled with cow dung. It was periodically taken out, scrubbed with wood ash, and re-interred over a period of a month or so.

My neighbors will not look kindly on this if I tried it in my back yard. I've gotten good results using a ferric chloride solution, fortunately. Just gotta monitor and neutralize carefully.

[Ed]

I am in no rush at all.

Getting an original lock would be nice but I could age a new one. I am wondering what the pan should look like.

[rickystl]

Hi Ed

First of all, my congratulations. What a wonderful addition to a collection.

Your proposal would certainly make for an interesting project.

LOCK: I have searched my sources for replica locks. The earliest available snapping style matchlock lock available commercially is from about 1544. And it's English. So that won't due. The German/Bavarian locks are all late 16th to early 17th Century. And that won't work either.
There are custom lock makers that can make you an exact copy of the one in the photo above. And that lock looks correct to me for this extra early period.
Unlike a flintlock, this style of early matchlock would be fairly easy to build for a custom lock maker. So I would suspect the cost to be reasonable. If you have basic measurements along with the photo(s), it's even easier. Should you decide to go this route, let me know. I have 3/4 sources.

Meantime, check out this Thread from another Forum member. In that Thread there is a Link to another Forum. This member reproduced a copy of a snaplock from one in Michael's original collection. I'll send Richard an email to lend his comments on your Thread. I'm sure he would also like to see this barrel. Do you have any other photos ?

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=23238

Rick

[Philip]

Originally Posted by Ed

I am in no rush at all.

Getting an original lock would be nice but I could age a new one. I am wondering what the pan should look like.

The pan, being attached to the barrel, is totally separate from the lock plate. The illustration in the book I referenced earlier should say it all. I’d scan my copy but am away from home at present so can’t get to it just yet. The book has gone through several reprintings so is easily available on the antiquarian book websites. Lots of interesting info as well, Robert Held was a great researcher and writer.

[Ed]

Originally Posted by Philip

The pan, being attached to the barrel, is totally separate from the lock plate. The illustration in the book I referenced earlier should say it all. I’d scan my copy but am away from home at present so can’t get to it just yet. The book has gone through several reprintings so is easily available on the antiquarian book websites. Lots of interesting info as well, Robert Held was a great researcher and writer.

I have it, my mind is a sieve is all.

I had a email relationship with Held for a while. His politics were inconsistent with mine so the relationship ended. Sorta funny actually. I'll tell you over some brewskis.