My first jezail

[RDGAC]

Well, in no small part thanks to you load of loons, I've gone and bought myself a jezail of my very own. The dealer's information listed it as "circa 1870", though where he got that date I have no clue. No pictures as yet, so I'm afraid I'll have to give a rather verbose description.

She's 53 inches in length overall, with a 39-inch, round, smoothbore barrel of what appears to be ordinary steel; no pattern is visible on any part of the barrel, including that part covered by the forestock. Extensive but light rust and two engraved sets of parallel lines, one approx. 2in from the muzzle, the other approx. 4.5in from the breech plug, are the only things visible upon it. There are nine barrel bands, all of brass and with some crude, if not unattractive, engraving; geometric line patterns, flowers and so forth are present on all. Both sling swivels are still there, the fore one displaying a good, close fit to the stock. The barrel tang is odd; it seems to be attached by some unknown method, possibly as little as friction, is loose and can be moved in the vertical plane. The breech plug is present (huzzah), but currently the joint between plug and barrel, if visible at all, is buried beneath corrosion and general muck. No obvious weld, however, so I suspect it's been hammered in and shrunk-fitted.

The (flint) lock is pretty obviously native-made, and bears a copied British East India Company pre-1816 Heart emblem, surmounted by a large number 4. The same number is repeated in the centre third of the heart, with two capital I's to either side. Where one would normally find a maker's name, e.g. "Tower", there is what looks like five more capital I's, with the first somewhat smaller than the rest. The maker has, however, engraved a rather attractive border onto the lockplate. The lock is intact, but pretty badly frozen, and until I'm able to remove it for inspection I'm not going to attempt a dry-firing. Currently the foremost screw of the pair, which is very broad and has a very shallow slot, is refusing to turn. Application of WD40 to the threaded portion piercing the lockplate has failed to move it, and no screwdriver I have at home will bite; tomorrow I shall have a go with some of the works equipment. The frizzen and pan cover still pivot smoothly, and with the cock removed, they fit the top of the pan fairly snugly. The lock, too, is rusty, but some de-corroder and patient work should sort that out well.

The trigger and its guard are both of the crude-but-effective school; the former is very nearly straight, though with a pleasing curl-over at its end, and moves freely within the stock, the lock being in the "fired" position. The trigger guard is steel, somewhat rusty, and overall around 7-8in long; it has a screw forward, the remaining portion being nailed to the stock. The stock itself is of dark wood, possible stained, and the most damaged part of the weapon; two portions towards the muzzle are held in place only by the first pair of barrel bands, although since the "break" is parallel and unusually clean, I have my suspicions that these post-date the rest of the stock. There is a loose portion just forward of the lockplate, again held in place by the barrel bands, which falls off when they're moved but is secure with the bands in place. The stock is cracked on its lowest part in several places, probably weakened by the drilling/cutting of the ramrod channel. The butt has some carving, which looks rather like a wooden version of the brass piece found in this photograph, and some pieces of iron. Judging from the 3/4in slot that is mising from the butt near its termination, and the nail hole about an inch beneath, I surmise that this jezail once had a buttplate, and that the two iron plates present just before it are to hold the butt together after whatever damage gave it yet another long crack in this area.

Overall, a very workmanlike gun which needs some TLC - which is precisely why I bought her. I have no doubt that she's a pretty low-end, bog-standard jezail (and once pics are up, Ward and Philip will doubtless confirm that - or worse!), and that's exactly her appeal. This weapon is most definitely not a piece of art; it's a machine designed to kill and maim. To quote Ash from the immortal Alien: "I admire its purity."

Incidentally, the ramrod (which looks fairly aged too, but nothing like the large, decorated iron ones I've seen on other jezail photos) is present, and even has a handy little slot in its non-ramming end; any ideas as to what it's for? I've pushed the rod down the bore at found an obstruction, so I hypothesise that this weapon, like the Museum one, has a load still lurking within. First order of business tomorrow is to remove that load, ASAP, but what astonishes me is the sheer size of it: whatever the obstruction is, it's a column about 2in deep in the bore.

Edit: as a quick aside, I am assured by the dealer that this is a genuine antique weapon. Which is why I am keen to ensure that I get it unloaded as soon as I can; apart from anything else, in this state, I'm worried as to whether it becomes a "weapon" rather than an "ornament or curio" in the legal sense. I can do without being prosecuted for owning a gun I didn't intend to fire and bought purely to cherish and admire!

[Rick]

" Ten thousand pounds of education falls to a ten rupee Jezail ."

Congratulations on your purchase mate !

Pictures soon; eh ?

Rick

[RDGAC]

As requested, some pics of my new toy. While working on her today I have found a curious problem: this breech obstruction, which seems to defy explanation.

My first thought, as one would expect, was that I had found some powder and shot. This seemed to be confirmed when the first thing I fished out of the barrel with my rudimentary auger was a piece of canvas-like cloth which was, presumably, acting as wadding. I poured water down the barrel and, with some tapping, it disgorged a tide of black powder, rust and probably many years of fouling into the sink. So far, so good. However, at that point things became weirder. The ramrod simply will not go all the way down the barrel ramming end first; it sticks around an inch from where it should be. Likewise, my copper cleaning brush stubbornly refuses to hit the breech plug. However, the thin end of the ramrod will go all the way to the bottom of the barrel, making a satisfying clank as it does so. My first thought was a ring of fouling obstructing the passage of the much broader ramming end of the rod, so I set to work with the brush, rasping away in the hope of dislodging something, and poured boiling water into the barrel three times.

This, strangely, has merely deepened the mystery. There definitely is a constricted area; the brush was having the devil of a time passing it, though I think the combination of hot water and vigorous scrubbing has dislodged a great deal of whatever it is. The water emerging from the touchhole and muzzle was pretty damn mucky, brown with black flecks in it, throughout this process. But the brush, in turn, stops dead about half an inch short of the breech, as does the ramrod's ramming end; yet the narrow end of the ramrod will still pass the obstruction. Perhaps a corroded ball, I thought - but a ball so loose as to let water flow past it, out of the muzzle, would surely either roll out of the barrel or be dislodged by a few good knocks. Fouling? If so, why is there nothing impeding the thin end of the ramrod even when I press it against, and can hear it scraping, the barrel wall down to the bottom? Very odd. Any ideas, chaps?

Anyway, as promised, some piccies. I expect I've bought a complete dud, but I love her anyway; a real fixer-upper's opportunity, with character and a fighting pedigree.

Pictures are:

1) Barrel bands. 2) Interior of lock. 3) and 4) Interior of stock in lock and breech area. 5) Overall of stock showing carvings. 6) View of carving just behind barrel tang. 7) Exterior view of lock. 8) Trigger guard. 9) Overall, showing underside of stock. 10) Overall view, right-hand side. 11) Top view. 12), 13), 14) Barrel bands and fit to barrel, also pan, frizzen and tang. 15) Muzzle and ramrod. 16) Muzzle. 17) Left-hand side of stock, including the Immovable Screw of the Kandahar. Ramrod shots are self-explanatory.

[RDGAC]

And more pics, as per list above. Sort of. They've got muddled to hell, but I hope you can work them out until I get back from kendo.

[Battara]

Nice and difficult work so far. Not easy. I bow in your presence.

[Philip]

The slot in the small end of the ramrod was undoubtedly intended for twists of tow, or patches cut from rags, for wiping the bore and applying preservative oil.

Stuck screws are a bane of antique gun repair. Often the slots in the screw heads are so worn that it's hard for a screwdriver to get a good grip. In these cases it would be helpful to "refresh" the slot with a very thin file (gunsmiths and machinists have special screwhead files for this purpose which may be ordered from specialist catalogs). Good screwdrivers are a necessity, for gun work the blades need to be ground with parallel faces (not the usual taper). You can modify a screwdriver yourself with small knife sharpeners embedded with diamond dust (they're made for sportsmen to carry about easily in pocket or tackle-box) if you don't have a set of hollow-ground gunsmith's screwdrivers. Ideally you should have a screwdriver whose blade fits each screw precisely, and with old guns there is no real standardization so the more the merrier. The wonderful thing about the UK is that you can still find those old Victorian-era cabinetmakers drivers with the bulbous wood handles and flat shanks (ideal for putting a wrench to if you need more torque) -- you can get them in second-hand shops for next to nothing and for this purpose they work better than anything made today.

When a screw is stuck it could mean one of two things (1) the threads are rusted and/or (2) the shank is frozen in place by hardened grease. Applying penetrating oils and WD40 can work, although you shouldn't let too much of these soak into wood fibers. Judicious application of heat often does the trick. A propane torch with a tip which brings the flame to a micro tip is handy providing you don't singe any wood. An electric soldering gun often transfers enough heat to either expand the metal enough to "crack" the rust, and soften hardened gunk. Light taps with a brass hammer can also help dislodge rusted threads.

I'm at a loss to explain that odd obstruction at the bottom of your bore. If it were a ball, it should have come out after you pulled the wadding, and before you reached the powder. From your description I imagine a "donut" of some hard stuff that just admits the small end of your ramrod down its center. What is the caliber of the barrel? Do you have a "worm" attachment for your cleaning-rod -- the thing that looks like two heavy corkscrew points turning alongside each other? If you used a worm that's pretty close to your bore diameter, its points should be able to dig into the donut and if it's lead, some telltale shavings should fall out to confirm what the thing really is.

[kahnjar1]

That "obstruction" at the breech end of the barrel..................could it possibly be similar to what one finds in screwoff barrel pistols, designed to be filled with powder to the BOTTOM of the concave piece, on which the ball is placed and the barrel screwed back on? Just a thought...............
If the breech plug is the type which can be unscrewed then all should be revealed!
Regards Stuart
.

[RDGAC]

If I may, fellas, I'll go in reverse order with the replies since my memory is dire.

Stuart: Unfortunately, this particular barrel's plug is resolutely committed to staying precisely where it is; having got some rust and dirt off it, I'd surmise it's been hammered in while both it and the barrel were hot, the whole then being left to shrink-fit together. This is a right royal pain in the backside, quite honestly, since with a threaded plug I could simply remove it, get a torch and have a good nosey around within. Why these Indo-Persian gunsmiths were so keen on sealing their breeches this permanently I'm honestly not sure; it makes cleaning them out an utter bind and makes very problematic an obstruction which, in a threaded-ended barrel, would be a minor annoyance.

Curiously, as an aside, this barrel looks to have seen some use, yet the touch-hole is positioned what seems very far back along the barrel; so much so, in fact, that I think I can see the breech plug through it, forming a wall that covers the rear third of the hole and forces the gas jet from the priming pan through a turn of about 60 degrees. It's almost as if the barrel was made without too much reference to where the lock would be in relation to it, and the hole drilled there out of necessity.

Anyway, Philip. Amazingly, you haven't yet screamed in horror at the awful clunker I've acquired, which is nice! Regarding the Immovable Screw of the Kandahar, it turned out to be less immovable than I thought; leaving WD40 to soak into the threads for a bit, followed by a larger pair of pliers than I had at home, did the trick nicely, and revealed that the thread on its tip is barely cut at all; it seems that what's been holding it in place for so long is rust. Since the gun isn't going to shoot any time soon I've left the screw reasonably slack, seeing little need for absolute firmness in the lock. It's in place, but not particularly tight. All this at the cost of a few small gouges and scratches in the wood, so I'm quite pleased really; a small price to pay for making the Immovable Screw of the Kandahar become the Not-Quite-Immovable Screw of York

Regarding the questions you asked: the bore is, roughly,. .615in, or a 20-bore, give or take, or so the dealer averred. Measuring at the muzzle with a ruler - I have no means of measuring down the barrel - I get 5/16 of an inch, which about matches up. I have here a pair of cleaning brushes, both of which seem to be rather oversized, but one of which has been down the works jezail and thus become quite well shaped to that barrel which, although rifled, is happily of almost the same bore. I do indeed have a worm, but it's attached to a piece of wood and really only good for breaking up compacted powder etc; I'd have to nip to York Guns, probably, to get a worm/auger attachment, and getting it in 20-bore might not be too easy, but I shall have a go.

And Battara, thanks! I shall greatly enjoy working on my first antique gun!

[RDGAC]

Oh god... why does this happen to me!? I'm now in deep trouble. I have a copper brush jammed in the damn thing and I can't get it out. Nothing I have will do the job and I'm desperate to remove it - it came cleanly off its bloody cleaning rod, threaded portion and all, and nothing I do will grip it or remove it I am, needless to say, pretty damn upset right now, especially since I was getting somewhere with this mysterious obstruction; this time the cleaning brush stuck far too hard for me to extract it, and the usual trick of twisting the rod clockwise to slowly extract it has now left me with an immovable blockage in my new and beloved gun!

Edit: Well, having calmed down somewhat, I've begun looking for a gunsmith specialising in black powder work hereabouts. By great good luck, there's a chap named Peter Dyson about 40 miles away - so I shall see if he can help me out, since I think removing this obstruction is beyond my means. But, on the plus side, the lock is free once again! It's very, very worn; so much so that the gun will fire from the half-cock notch, and for some reason the sear keeps engaging the half-cock notch even when fired from the cocked position, but I don't think that's too shabby for something that was made in a workshop using tools dating from the days of Alexander the Great, and subject to a hundred-odd years of hard work! Go on girl!

[Philip]

Screw-in breechplugs are not the norm on many Oriental barrels. Usually, the plug is installed as you suggested: it's a shrink-fit, and occasionally a cross-pin is driven through a hole on one side to be sure it stays put. Of course, removing a plug of this type is something you don't even want to think about. I've wondered why the threaded plugs which are almost universal in the West were never popular in many regions. My research indicates that in most of the Far East and SE Asia, the screw is a foreign concept. Although the Chinese, Tibetans, and Sumatrans made twist-forged gun barrels, the use of spiral-thread fasteners was introduced from abroad. Even when they had imported products as models, the Japanese and Malays simply abhorred the thought of cutting threads so as a consequence, their gun locks are all assembled with mortises and pins, and thus are typically made of brass which is easy to work. Even in the Near East, which knew the Archimedian screw from antiquity, threaded breechplugs were not universal and it's remarkable to note that even on the better Turkish and Persian gun locks, the quality of thread-cutting leaves a lot to be desired, at least by French and English standards from the 17th cent. onward.

It's interesting to note that many barrels from Asia also lack the tang attached to the plug, which on Western guns also has a hole which houses a vertical screw that pins the breech end of the barrel firmly in its channel. Traditionally, many Oriental barrels have a small square tenon emerging from the breechplug which fits in a corresponding mortise in the rear of the barrel channel in the stock. The marked taper of the barrel, and the tightness of the capucines (or, cross-pins through the fore-end in the Japanese design), keep the barrel from sliding forward in the channel. In many cases, there isn't even a tenon since the projecting priming-pan serves quite well to lock the breech firmly to the stock. In cultures whose traditional technology was heavily influenced by Europe (Ottoman Empire, parts of India, and Vietnam), tanged breechplugs do appear from the 18th cent. onwards.

[Philip]

A great book to have is Ronald Lister's ANTIQUE FIREARMS: THEIR CARE, REPAIR, AND RESTORATION (NY: Crown Publishers 1963). There's nothing quite like it and it's a godsend. Unfortunately I don't think it's been reprinted. The author is British so copies may be more common, in the antiquarian book market, in the UK.

Based on info in the book, here's a suggestion on extracting that stuck copper brush. Find a long thin-walled metal tube just smaller than the bore, and of sufficient length to reach the obstruction and still allow a hand grip. Drill a transverse hole in one end, enough for a short metal rod to serve as a turning- and pulling-handle. On the business end, file four V-shaped notches on the periphery of the tube. Then make four small L-shaped cuts with a wire-saw or similar device at the bottom of each V. If you push the rod into the barrel and engage the bristles of the brush in the saw-kerfs in the tube, you might get enough of a grip on the thing as you slowly rotate and gently pull on the tube.

Now, on to the malfunctioning lock. What you have is severe wear on the tumbler notches and the sear nose. The full-cock notch needs to be carefully filed so that it has a square "step", not the rounded hump that's there now. The sear nose must also be shaped to mate with this indent precisely (carefully note the position of the two components when the lock is in a full cock position, to guide you in making the angles in the detent and on the nose just so.). The half-cock notch needs to be undercut slightly to allow the sear nose to lock into it. (there is a diagram on p. 150 of Lister's book).

If the hammer catches on the half cock detent as it falls, it means that the radius of the tumbler is worn out-of-true. Try and correct the sear nose and the full cock detent first, then work on the half-cock. By restoring the full undercut in the half-cock detent, you'll be filing the radius of the tumbler a bit smaller in the area between full and half cock (i.e., setting the radius closer to the axis-pin.) You can then dress down the radius below the half cock, reducing the diameter of the tumbler at that point (but not so far so as to compromise the undercut). This adjustment of the radius is usually enough to cure the "half cock grab" syndrome.

You might also want to be sure that the mainspring and tumbler move with out undue friction against the lockplate, or against the tumbler bridle. Minimize friction and the lock becomes "faster" and that helps prevent half-cock grab, too.

[RDGAC]

Philip, thank you very much indeed for that useful information, in particular for putting me on to Lister's book; surprisingly it seems it's relatively easy to get hold of a copy (I'm looking at one going for ten quid, used) and I have no doubt that it shall serve me well.

Regarding the tool you suggest, I'm not really very well equipped, and nor is work; we don't actually own a vice (nowhere to put it even if we had one; our behind-the-scenes areas are based in a three-story Georgian townhouse) and I've been pondering whether a small G-cramp would be strong enough to hold the mainspring in place, to allow me to remove the tumbler. Having buggered up the barrel I'm in no rush to do the same to the lock.

In any event, I think I can probably manage to scrounge up the materials you suggest; a small hacksaw and the like will doubtless not be expensive, allowing me to cut the way you suggest. Whether I can do it well enough to make it work is another matter, but I did buy this guy intending to learn about working on flintlocks, so I guess I'll have to learn by my mistakes. A thought occurred to me last night, too: would a long, hollow metal tube with a sharpened end be useful? My theory was that a good steel cutting cylinder might allow me to cut the copper strands and/or the fouling (or whatever it is, which was definitely starting to give under repeated jabbing with my auger), and permit the whole lot to drop out of the muzzle.

Regarding the lock. If a G-cramp is strong enough to hold the mainspring in the right position, what of the sear return spring (is this the correct term?) and the frizzen/pan lid spring? I'm not eager to do this and then find I can't get the bloody sear or frizzen back on the lockplate; speaking of which, I'm fairly confident that the cock is rotating pretty freely. There's a good, wide clearance between the two, and the cock certainly moves smoothly when the trigger is pulled, despite snagging on the half-cock notch.

Incidentally, it's good to see that I have a well-worn lock; it makes me very happy to know that this old beast has seen some serious use!

Edit: A thought that occurred to me over lunch is that the threads on this lock are, by and large, adequate at best. Indeed, as mentioned, the fore screw of the lockplate is dire, with the thread barely cut into its end, giving it very little purchase on the lock itself. Interestingly, however, the tang on this barrel is threaded into a small hole just above the plug, and seems to have been made fairly well (it certainly holds together, when suitably tightened); a later addition, perhaps. I'd suggest, as an explanation, that perhaps cutting the large, deep threads necessary for a threaded breech plug, with sufficient consistency in quality to form a reliable gas seal, was beyond the ability of most local metalworkers, if the evidence of their smaller screws is anything to go by. Indeed, the tang screw on this jezail is square in section for most of its length, and none too straight at that.

[RDGAC]

Herewith some photographs of the lock, courtesy the incredibly dimwitted works camera and a lot of patience. I've been test-firing the lock a couple of times, and discovered a couple of points:

1) Having removed, oiled and partly cleaned the cock, it moves smoothly and with a minimum of friction, so far as I can feel.

2) The half-cock notch appears to be both corroded and clogged with god-alone-knows what, but removal of some of this with a small steel pick has not improved results; the sear still grabs the half-cock, and halts the firing movement unless the trigger is kept depressed.

3) If the trigger is depressed, the gun will snap to half-cock and then discharge from there, albeit very quickly - the cock scarcely has time to slow down, but there are two distinct, audible clicks as the sear first releases from the full-cock position and then catches the half-cock notch, so far as I can tell.

No doubt I'm teaching my grandmother to suck eggs, but I hope that the photos show the asymmetrical wear on the tip of the sear itself and the very heavy wear on both the half and full-cock notches. I'm also concerned that the toe of the mainspring is barely being held in place by the tumbler in the "fired" position, which may explain why bringing the gun to the half-cock takes a surprisingly strong pull; certainly much more than the works percussion jezail's lock, which may of course be rather later and is now in better nick.

Edit: And, as promised and somewhat late, the pictures. In order:

1) Lock in full-cock position. 2) Lock in full-cock position, from bottom left and showing wear to notches and sear. 3) As #2 but from bottom of lock. 4) Lock in half-cock position. 5) Lock in fired position. 6) Lock overhead view, showing clearance between cock and plate, fired position.

[Jim McDougall]

Congratulations on this outstanding piece of history.....which is clearly every bit as rugged as the Khyber regions from which it came!!! This is all the better as it obviously has stories to tell.
Its fascinating watching you going through the disassembly and working on the restoration, and as a complete novice at guns, the information provided by Philip, is pretty amazing in the detail......this is probably why I know so little on guns!! way complicated, and me with zero mechanical skill.

What I do have is my ever present curiosity on markings, and this old balemark is amazing. The old heart topped by a 4 was the old East India Company 'balemark' , which was a merchants mark used to identify goods.
These were typically placed on the locks of guns as well. What is interesting is that the typical EIC balemark seen has the heart quartered, with the initials VEIC in the quarters (United East India Company, the V is seen as a U).
The configuration seen within the heart on this is the much older EIC balemark, interestingly applied with other than EIC initials. The 'I' character is not only applied flanking the 4 within, but in a five place sequence on the lock where 'TOWER' would have been.
The 4 was a key element of merchants balemarks as it was an often used cabbalistic symbol appealing for protection and good fortune and as such on the marks hoped for the best as materials were transported. The individuality of the markings and initials in them of course were identifiers.

What this signifies to me is that this lock was either faithfully reproduced by a native locksmith, interpolating symbols or characters that were known to him in interpeting the old markings seen on other early locks. As we have discussed, such markings were often seen by natives in thier own talismanic perspective, and as such must have been imitated with some of thier own application. Since this early form of balemark was from around mid to somewhat later 18th century, it sets the mind to wonder just how long this old flintlock was around.

I think there is far more to the story of this old 'camel gun' than we yet realize, and need to think more on it as this intrepid restoration continues.

Well done RDG!!!!!

All the best,
Jim

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by RDGAC

Oh god... why does this happen to me!? I'm now in deep trouble. I have a copper brush jammed in the damn thing and I can't get it out. Nothing I have will do the job and I'm desperate to remove it - it came cleanly off its bloody cleaning rod, threaded portion and all, and nothing I do will grip it or remove it I am, needless to say, pretty damn upset right now, especially since I was getting somewhere with this mysterious obstruction; this time the cleaning brush stuck far too hard for me to extract it, and the usual trick of twisting the rod clockwise to slowly extract it has now left me with an immovable blockage in my new and beloved gun!

You might be able to snag it if you use a woven wire 'noose', like a snare. Use a long wire (and a torch of course to guide it) to push it onto the end or the metal body of the wire brush and hold it in place while you pull it tight, then either pull or twist using a handle until you get movement.
I'd try a few different ones made from unbreakable lines like woven wire or nylon starter cord.

[Jim McDougall]

I just wanted to add my 'concurrent thread' to add some comments that I have discovered after my last post, and addressed to RDG. I wanted to add them here rather than editing them into my last post so as not to be overlooked.
As I previously noted in my last episode, these markings appear to be based on the earlier flaunched version of the EIC balemark. The two key characters selected to place within these markings are the 'I' and the '4', and where the TOWER mark would have been, the I is placed in a sequence of 5, in the same curvature and configuration.

I would suggest that the prototype for this lock's markings may well have been from an earlier East India Company gun from regions to the south in Sind, where the Company was well present after the mid 1750s after securing diplomatic relations with Talpoor. The East India Company heart shape marking in variation seems to have prevailed into the mid 19th century with the Scinde Dawk stamp, however weapons by this time were being marked with the rampant lion.

It seems quite feasible that flintlocks with the old flauched heart balemark ended up to the north in Khyber regions, and were probably remounted numerous times as well as copied by local gunsmiths. The gunsmiths of Darra Khel are world renowned for thier work at fashioning modern style guns with only the basest tools and technology. This type flintlock was probably done sometime in the early 19th century by a local artisan in Khyber regions.

Like Rick, I cannot stop thinking of Kipling's quintessant words, 'ten rupee jezail' ! Beautiful !!! History in your hands RDG.

All the best,
Jim

[RDGAC]

Aha - I did wonder when Jim would smell interesting local markings Like leading a mouse to cheese... and once more I learn. I'd no idea these were referred to as "balemarks" for a start, let alone that this enormous, engraved "4" was something more sophisticated than a local artisan's attempt to replace something he couldn't copy - I really rather feel I've unjustly maligned him, long dead though he is, and it just goes to show the danger of letting preconceptions run away with you. This is especially poor, on my part, since he obviously made the rather elegant border around the periphery of the lockplate as well.

Now, as to the age of the lock, it does rather set the mind wondering, but here we come up against another question: although this duplicates a style of lockplate decoration seen in the mid-to-late 18th Century, at what point did the Khyber gunsmiths acquire the skill of making the flintlock? In fact, another question must be asked: am I wrong in thinking that the reason many jezails made during the 18th and 19th Centuries used a captured British flintlock was that its mechanical complexity (or some other aspect of the design) taxed local gunsmiths beyond their means, for some time?

My my, mystery upon mystery...

Thanks for the suggestion, Atlantia - I can probably acquire some wire cheaply enough, but you mention using a torch to guide it. I'd be most interested to find a torch that would allow me to see all the way down the barrel of my gun, since I'm presently finding it impossible with an ordinary hand torch, but don't know what exists for this purpose; some sort of fibre-optic bore light perhaps. Do enlighten me as to what I might be able to get in this field

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by RDGAC

Aha - I did wonder when Jim would smell interesting local markings Like leading a mouse to cheese... and once more I learn. I'd no idea these were referred to as "balemarks" for a start, let alone that this enormous, engraved "4" was something more sophisticated than a local artisan's attempt to replace something he couldn't copy - I really rather feel I've unjustly maligned him, long dead though he is, and it just goes to show the danger of letting preconceptions run away with you. This is especially poor, on my part, since he obviously made the rather elegant border around the periphery of the lockplate as well.

Now, as to the age of the lock, it does rather set the mind wondering, but here we come up against another question: although this duplicates a style of lockplate decoration seen in the mid-to-late 18th Century, at what point did the Khyber gunsmiths acquire the skill of making the flintlock? In fact, another question must be asked: am I wrong in thinking that the reason many jezails made during the 18th and 19th Centuries used a captured British flintlock was that its mechanical complexity (or some other aspect of the design) taxed local gunsmiths beyond their means, for some time?

My my, mystery upon mystery...

Thanks for the suggestion, Atlantia - I can probably acquire some wire cheaply enough, but you mention using a torch to guide it. I'd be most interested to find a torch that would allow me to see all the way down the barrel of my gun, since I'm presently finding it impossible with an ordinary hand torch, but don't know what exists for this purpose; some sort of fibre-optic bore light perhaps. Do enlighten me as to what I might be able to get in this field

LOL, hmmm yeah it is problematic.... prehaps a single LED on a wire?
Actually, thinking about it, have you tried getting a thick steel coathanger and straightening it out and bending a tiny hook (like 5mm) on the end, then attaching it to a rod for length and seeing if you can hook it round the obstruction and pull it out?

[Philip]

Bravo, I think you've come up with a potentially workable solution to that stuck brush: cut the bristles with the sharpened edge of a metal tube! The copper wires aren't very thick, after all. How about filing the end of the tube into saw teeth, get them as sharp as you can. It'll be a variation on the "crown-saw" that locksmiths use to bore holes in doors to install doorknob kits (or what surgeons use to drill holes in our heads to get at the gray matter inside, haha!). Lemme know how it works!

Now, I don't recommend using C-clamps to compress those V-shaped springs. The clamps are just too unstable on such surfaces, the main- and frizzen springs are pretty powerful. I suggest that you buy a mainspring vise, available through suppliers of gunsmith tools and those firms selling supplies to shooters of black-powder replica firearms. These handy and inexpensive devices are articulated to fit just about any size of flint or percussion mainsprings and frizzen springs (they will do also on wheellocks, but won't work on the huge external mainsprings of Spanish or Near Eastern "miquelet" locks due to their size and the way they're mounted, but the average collector has little need to disassemble those locks). The small sear spring can be restrained with a pair of needle nosed pliers. Just pinch the spring enough (use tape on the plier jaws) to relieve pressure as you back the screw out just enough to allow the spring to rotate free, then release and continue unscrewing.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Philip

Bravo, I think you've come up with a potentially workable solution to that stuck brush: cut the bristles with the sharpened edge of a metal tube! The copper wires aren't very thick, after all. How about filing the end of the tube into saw teeth, get them as sharp as you can. It'll be a variation on the "crown-saw" that locksmiths use to bore holes in doors to install doorknob kits (or what surgeons use to drill holes in our heads to get at the gray matter inside, haha!). Lemme know how it works!

Now, I don't recommend using C-clamps to compress those V-shaped springs. The clamps are just too unstable on such surfaces, the main- and frizzen springs are pretty powerful. I suggest that you buy a mainspring vise, available through suppliers of gunsmith tools and those firms selling supplies to shooters of black-powder replica firearms. These handy and inexpensive devices are articulated to fit just about any size of flint or percussion mainsprings and frizzen springs (they will do also on wheellocks, but won't work on the huge external mainsprings of Spanish or Near Eastern "miquelet" locks due to their size and the way they're mounted, but the average collector has little need to disassemble those locks). The small sear spring can be restrained with a pair of needle nosed pliers. Just pinch the spring enough (use tape on the plier jaws) to relieve pressure as you back the screw out just enough to allow the spring to rotate free, then release and continue unscrewing.

You seem to be having a lot of "fun" with this jezail, but it (by the look of it) has potential to look rather nice when finished. A WORD OF EXTREME CAUTION. When you purchase that correct mainspring clamp, be VERY CAREFUL not to clamp it any more than you need as you could easily snap the mainspring! Also I would suggest that if you do not intend to shoot the gun, that you ignore that strange obstruction in the barrel and simply make sure that any internal rusting has been killed.
Good luck.
Stu

[RDGAC]

Hi there Stu, thanks for the tipe! Mainspring vice ahoy with next month's pay packet, I should think (along with some fine files and a set of brass dentist's picks, amongst other things), and I shall be very careful indeed to avoid snapping the spring; I figure all I want to do is move it a fraction of an inch clear of the tumbler in the fired position, to allow re-assembly of the lock mechanism without having to fight (and lose to) the tension of the spring acting upon the machine. Am I correct in my thinking?

Regarding this barrel problem, such was indeed my intention. Since fouling is, as I understand it, quite hygroscopic, and since the barrel has rusted quite a bit already, I want to remove as much of the extant corrosion and fouling as I can in order to safeguard it for the future, before applying a fair bit of oil to keep it that way. This mysterious obstruction has been frustrating my attempts to get to the very bottom of the bore to clean it, hence my eagerness to remove it - not much point having a good, stable barrel if the first two inches of it are as thin as tissue paper.

While I'd dearly love, in time, to shoot a jezail, I do wonder about the wisdom of putting a piece of metalwork such as this next to one's face with a load of propellant within it. Not that I wish to cast aspersions on the fellow who made this weapon, by any means; it's simply that, without testing it at the Proofing House (which is necessary to make it legally shootable, as I understand it) there's no guarantee that the barrel will hold up - and the PH tests might well just destroy her altogether.

I think, much as I'd like to have a go with a jezail, that this one might be in for a well-earned retirement, to a place of honour on my wall

[Philip]

Stu is right about springs. No danger of over compressing a mainspring with the vise however if you don't go any further than if the hammer were at full cock. Since your lock won't hold at cock, simply tighten only as far as you need to be completely clear of the tumbler.

Coca-Cola, in its original "classic" formulation, is a wonderful solvent. When I was in high school, a gearhead buddy told me about how it ate through rust and gunk, he used it to free the frozen cylinders in a FIAT engine. And I read a report about how a testing lab found that soaking a nail in the stuff caused all the galvanizing to dissolve, and it "melted" the letter off a typewriter key that was detached from the machine and stuck in Coke for about a week or two. Think of what it does to your teeth and the lining of your GI tract! I've used it to dissolve gunk from muzzle loading barrels -- just plug the touch hole and fill 'er up.

Thinking about shooting that old gun? In a word -- DON'T! Who knows if that barrel is so corroded that it's no longer safe and serviceable? I might try it if the specimen had a tube in really sound condition, but even then I wouldn't shoulder it with a live load inside until I had it proofed.

[RDGAC]

I too have heard of the near-legendary destructive power of Coke... makes one wonder why you folks didn't weaponise it, like some latter-day mustard gas However, one concern: wouldn't putting it down the barrel leave me with a layer of sticky, hard-to-remove residue?

Regarding shooting, this is very much a vague and long-term idea. Firstly, I don't own a firearms certificate or shotgun licence; obviously, I'd need an FAC to shoot this gun. Secondly, as noted, all firearms must, in order to be legally used for shooting, be proofed at the government Proof Houses in London or Birmingham, to the best of my knowledge, and the tests are stringent (as one would hope); I doubt many (if any) antique jezails would survive the process, though I'm curious as to anecdotal evidence on the matter. And third, as noted, these are often quite badly abused and generally dodgy pieces of work. So, as I say, in the long run it remains most probable that this - and future jezails - shall retire to a life of cosseted admiration in my hands

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you for noting my post RDG!!! and you're right, when it comes to markings, Im there.
I have continued researching of course, and while you guys get the restoring and gunsmithing dilemmas sorted out, Im still busy with this lock.

As might be expected, the deeper I study, the more I find out, and the history of these balemarks is of course a bit more complex than just a simple progression in form. I had thought, per various sources, that this quite different 'flaunched' heart with the initials was an older version of the EIC heart, and that does not seem to be the case. One of the best resources I have found has to do with the coins (Olikara would be proud!!

It is quite unclear exactly when these balemarks of either kind began appearing on arms, but it seems that about the turn of the century is a good guideline. I have seen coins with the quartered balemark, dating 1780s and 90s, but not on weapons. What is curious is that the flaunched balemark appears on a copper coin minted in Calcutta in 1786...before that they were using simply a quartered initials obverse...in 1787 they were back to the quartered heart.

The suggestion is that the flaunched balemark seems to have been concurrent with the quartered heart, and appeared on dated, marked EIC locks around 1806. It remains unclear what took place before that, and with the seemingly singular appearance of the flaunced design in Calcutta in 1786.

Therefore my idea of an earlier EIC gun or lock does not seem valid, and the appearance of prototypes that might have been copied by this artisan, probably Afridi from Darra or Adam Khel, were likely of the guns illustrated in attached here.

Interestingly, the makers names, in this case Barnett and Leigh, appear on the lock tail. For British government locks this practice ceased in 1764, with the word TOWER replacing the makers name.

The Afridi smith, of whom many who illiterate, likely used the stamps he had available in fashioning the marks on his lock.....the I letter placed faithfully in the same curve as the TOWER marking which he had probably seen on the British government locks, in the number of 5 marks. The design of the EIC heart he had likely seen on similarly marked guns he duplicated, again using the letter I and repeating the 4.

The suggestion here would now be that the lock was probably fashioned sometime in early to mid 19th century using an amalgam of British markings as models in this grouping.

Much as I once read someone said, the thing I love best about history is that its always changing

The two locks with makers names and the 'flaunched' (semicircular heraldic design) configuration; the more familiar EIC quartered heart; and the EIC rampant lion which began use c. 1808.

Just wanted to update from 'the markings department'........back to the shop.

All the best,
Jim

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by RDGAC

Hi there Stu, thanks for the tipe! Mainspring vice ahoy with next month's pay packet, I should think (along with some fine files and a set of brass dentist's picks, amongst other things), and I shall be very careful indeed to avoid snapping the spring; I figure all I want to do is move it a fraction of an inch clear of the tumbler in the fired position, to allow re-assembly of the lock mechanism without having to fight (and lose to) the tension of the spring acting upon the machine. Am I correct in my thinking?

Regarding this barrel problem, such was indeed my intention. Since fouling is, as I understand it, quite hygroscopic, and since the barrel has rusted quite a bit already, I want to remove as much of the extant corrosion and fouling as I can in order to safeguard it for the future, before applying a fair bit of oil to keep it that way. This mysterious obstruction has been frustrating my attempts to get to the very bottom of the bore to clean it, hence my eagerness to remove it - not much point having a good, stable barrel if the first two inches of it are as thin as tissue paper.

While I'd dearly love, in time, to shoot a jezail, I do wonder about the wisdom of putting a piece of metalwork such as this next to one's face with a load of propellant within it. Not that I wish to cast aspersions on the fellow who made this weapon, by any means; it's simply that, without testing it at the Proofing House (which is necessary to make it legally shootable, as I understand it) there's no guarantee that the barrel will hold up - and the PH tests might well just destroy her altogether.

I think, much as I'd like to have a go with a jezail, that this one might be in for a well-earned retirement, to a place of honour on my wall

Re the spring....yes you only need to move it enough to release it from the sear. That should mean that it can be swung down (if of course you can not safely remove the retaining screw).
Regarding shooting things like this. IF you plan to shoot ANY old gun and are not sure of how sound it is, then I used to lash it to a suitable car tyre and retire a safe distance with a piece of string attached to the trigger. I can tell you that I have over the years fired some real interesting pieces even just to say that I have done so. We do not of course in this country have the requirement to have guns reproved to legally use them.
I DO think that this jezail when tidied up will look really great on the wall.
Regards Stu

[RDGAC]

Today I have begun treating the stock, applying wood wax in order to try and give it some additional lustre, as well as protect it from further damage as best possible. Prior to this I applied a layer of lemon oil, which the wood seemed to absorb (or which evaporated) with remarkable speed, and effected some improvement. While doing so, I have begun to wonder about the three curious notches, cut with precision and even spacing, present on the tumbler. Any ideas, while I continue waxing?

Edit: Just observed some corresponding notches on the cock, as well as some very nice file-marks showing exactly where they finished it off. Photo included (for real, this time! ).

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by RDGAC

Today I have begun treating the stock, applying wood wax in order to try and give it some additional lustre, as well as protect it from further damage as best possible. Prior to this I applied a layer of lemon oil, which the wood seemed to absorb (or which evaporated) with remarkable speed, and effected some improvement. While doing so, I have begun to wonder about the three curious notches, cut with precision and even spacing, present on the tumbler. Any ideas, while I continue waxing?

Edit: Just observed some corresponding notches on the cock, as well as some very nice file-marks showing exactly where they finished it off. Photo included (for real, this time! ).

Must say I am a little surprised that you are not using raw linseed oil on the stock, especially since you are in the UK which is the home of those beautiful lustrous hand ribbed shotgun and rifle stocks!
Stu

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by RDGAC

Today I have begun treating the stock, applying wood wax in order to try and give it some additional lustre, as well as protect it from further damage as best possible. Prior to this I applied a layer of lemon oil, which the wood seemed to absorb (or which evaporated) with remarkable speed, and effected some improvement. While doing so, I have begun to wonder about the three curious notches, cut with precision and even spacing, present on the tumbler. Any ideas, while I continue waxing?

Edit: Just observed some corresponding notches on the cock, as well as some very nice file-marks showing exactly where they finished it off. Photo included (for real, this time! ).

Must say I am a little surprised that you are not using raw linseed oil on the stock, especially since you are in the UK which is the home of those beautiful lustrous hand rubbed shotgun and rifle stocks!
Stu

[Philip]

Linseed oil is a traditional gunstock finish but it must be selected and used with care to avoid the job turning into a mess. First off, many stock makers and restorers avoid raw oil, it can be quite a bother to prevent it becoming a sticky layer. Boiled linseed is the version to use, it's a lot more manageable.

On an antique stock, whose surface has already been cleaned of dirt and accumulated gunk, you can used boiled linseed "straight" without cutting it with gum turpentine. I like to impregnate small cloth applicator rags with the oil and let them sit in the open for about 3 days to become slightly tacky (but not overly stiff and sticky) before applying generously to the wood. Wipe off the excess several hours later, and apply another, thinner layer. Wipe off the next day and repeat as necessary. Just monitor the surface, the oil shouldn't just be soaking in and disappearing, but it should appear to fill the grain. As you wipe off the excess as you go, the wood should develop more of a soft sheen. Terrycloth towel pieces, or (better yet) pieces of burlap are excellent for wiping and polishing. The idea is not to develop a glossy varnish-like surface, but rather a mellow look like old ivory. With practice you can use the linseed to create this effect without an undue amount of sweat and elboegrease. When finished, let sit for another day or two for final "hard" drying in the wood's pores as well as the surface, and then finish with a good wax.

For bringing out the nice figured grain on fine sporting gunstocks, I've found that tung oil is a good choice. Years ago someone gave me a small bottle of it, the traditional formulation from China, and although trickier to use than linseed, the final result has a slightly richer sheen because it builds up more of a layer on the surface. Each application must dry thoroughly, there is a frosty white coating that develops which must be rubbed out with very fine steel wool. The result is gorgeous on a top-grade piece of wood.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Philip

Linseed oil is a traditional gunstock finish but it must be selected and used with care to avoid the job turning into a mess. First off, many stock makers and restorers avoid raw oil, it can be quite a bother to prevent it becoming a sticky layer. Boiled linseed is the version to use, it's a lot more manageable.

On an antique stock, whose surface has already been cleaned of dirt and accumulated gunk, you can used boiled linseed "straight" without cutting it with gum turpentine. I like to impregnate small cloth applicator rags with the oil and let them sit in the open for about 3 days to become slightly tacky (but not overly stiff and sticky) before applying generously to the wood. Wipe off the excess several hours later, and apply another, thinner layer. Wipe off the next day and repeat as necessary. Just monitor the surface, the oil shouldn't just be soaking in and disappearing, but it should appear to fill the grain. As you wipe off the excess as you go, the wood should develop more of a soft sheen. Terrycloth towel pieces, or (better yet) pieces of burlap are excellent for wiping and polishing. The idea is not to develop a glossy varnish-like surface, but rather a mellow look like old ivory. With practice you can use the linseed to create this effect without an undue amount of sweat and elboegrease. When finished, let sit for another day or two for final "hard" drying in the wood's pores as well as the surface, and then finish with a good wax.

For bringing out the nice figured grain on fine sporting gunstocks, I've found that tung oil is a good choice. Years ago someone gave me a small bottle of it, the traditional formulation from China, and although trickier to use than linseed, the final result has a slightly richer sheen because it builds up more of a layer on the surface. Each application must dry thoroughly, there is a frosty white coating that develops which must be rubbed out with very fine steel wool. The result is gorgeous on a top-grade piece of wood.

Yes I agree that boiled linseed is fine, but so is raw. I am talking HAND rubbed here, and not slopped on with a rag. With the old method of handrubbing, there was some friction heat generated which "spread" the oil and avoided the congealing effect. As you have also stated there are many proprietry products on the market, but the old method IMHO is still the best for refurbishing NICE stocks. Try it sometime and see what you think. It takes time, but the results I believe are worth it.
Stu