Tip #8 - Lockface Filing Jig

Peter Atwood

Peter Atwood

Joined
Oct 26, 2000
Messages
2,468
lockfacejig.jpg



All it is, is a simple piece of aluminum angle stock with a 1/4-20 allen screw through it. What I do is clamp my lock slab onto it and then use the screw to push the lock out and away from the rest of the piece so I can get it up to the platen and work on it. Use a square to make sure that the lock face is as close to square to the jig up and down as you can make it.

Once it is clamped in place and square make sure that your workrest is square to your platen before going further. With that done you can then set it on the workrest and ease it towards the finest grit belt you've got going on the grinder. I just take a tiny bit off the face, enough to make it flat and smooth as possible. Keep the angle on the lockface as close to square as you can. I used to make the lockface have a slight angle but I have stopped doing that and now keep them as perpendicular to the lock arm as possible. I think you get better lockup that way.

With the lockface flat and true, I drill the detent hole and then cook the lock with a propane torch. Once the lock face is all set then I fit the blade tang to the lock.

I'm trying to eliminate a lot of the "by eye work" and get a little more organized and consistent with my results.
 
Peter,
The picture isn't comeing through for me. Can I find it somewhere else?
Thanks, Lynn
 
Just to be clear, you are grinding perpendicular to the spring, not the liner, or frame. This will enable the spring lock face to engage the lock face on the blade tang more squarely. Is this correct?
 
Yes Don, exactly. It's a stupid simple contraption but it works very well. It presumes that you have already cut your lock somewhat close to fitting and this is just to dress off the lockface. I prefer to do the actual lock fit by grinding the back of the tang but you could probably use this jig to accomplish that task as well.
 
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