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I have an 1886 single set hammer that has the overhang on the safety notch either broken off or filed off. The notch is still there and engages the sear, but with the overhang missing, pulling the trigger releases the hammer so there is no safety. My question is whether a groove can be filed to recreate the safety overhang or does metal need to welded on top the broken edge and the old notch shape re-filed.
This being a single set hammer, the metal is only half its normal thickness where the safety and full cock notches are so that the heat from welding might distort the fly and its groove.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
You can’t file a new notch above the old one because the fly that rides the sear over the half cock will not work now. You have to build it up with weld.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
1873man:
On closer examination of the part, I see what you mean about filing a new groove under the broken notch. So that leaves welding on a small extension to restore the original safety.
From what I’ve been able to research (I know nothing about welding) it appears that TIG welding is the way to go. Is there a danger that the temperature of the welding will distort the fly or its groove? Also, the hammer still shows lots of signs of being case hardened so will it take a weld?
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
You remove the fly before welding and then you clamp the hammer in a vise with aluminum pads. The aluminum will sink the heat so you don’t discolor the case color that will show on the outside of the gun. When you use a tig welder to build up weld you are doing that on the cool side of welding otherwise it will flow out and take a lot more weld to build it up. You will not distort the hammer.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Thanks for that information. I wasn’t worried about the color of the case hardening, only that the part might need to be annealed before welding due to the surface hardening. Now I need to find someone who can do the work.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
What they are going to need is the complete tang and a good hammer so they can copy the shape.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
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