A few weeks ago I did a post about Jason starting to Spot or 'Jewel' the lockwork on the pair of 4 bore shotguns we are completing. At the time I estimated about 60 hours of work to complete the locks and how wrong was I. I think now that every part of estimating time on this pair of guns has been wrong!
Jason has been sitting at one of 3 machines it has required to complete this job for endless days now. The first lock he completed, the spots were slightly too large so he started again. The second attempt was also slightly large as well so a 3rd size of spot was chosen. This final size worked well on the plates and all the limbs of the lock.
So how many individual spots are on a lock? This is how he has filled his time, counting carefully!
Lock Plate 3360, Dog 428, Main Spring 519, Hammer 719, Sear 396, Lock Plate 3360 The total for one lock is 5422 individual overlapping spots. Four pairs of locks 21688. Then there are 2 cover plates with 1755 spots and a top bolt with 113 making a grand total of 25,424.
2 More lock plates to go and he is done. I should have had a competition on the number of spots, I know I would not have come close!
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Boyd Schomaker on August 19, 2015 at 3:25 am
Of all the gun makers Westley Richards reminds me of the best watch makers in the world.
To take the time to "Jewel " the locks and other parts of this 4 bore is a lost art. ( Spot is just a bad English for a proper description of “Jeweling” )
In fact the jeweling machine are becoming rare and the artist who knows how to use this item are few and are far between.
As you Simon had no idea of the time spent I must applauded you for by standing back and giving Jason the the freedom to carry on where as other Italian and British gun makers stay clear of this costly finish.
I applaud you again at allowing Jason to do it until it was "RIGHT ".
Again this is why I say Westley Richards is my bespoke gun above all others
as you have not killed the artist by giving him a cost per hr per gun value.
Simon Clode on August 18, 2015 at 8:46 pm
Come and say that to Jason’s face!
Larry on August 18, 2015 at 8:01 pm
Awesome. I think I see a flaw on the bottom plate ;)
Simon Clode on August 18, 2015 at 6:50 pm
Entirely aesthetic. You have probably seen old locks where the gulling has been rubbed off and the locks don’t look nearly ‘so complete’!
Vic Venters on August 18, 2015 at 5:37 pm
Great insight in to bespoke gunmaking, and why it costs so much.
Does the jeweling have any underlying utilitarian function or is it entirely aesthetic?