I've been wondering about something, having recently bought a nice gun cleaning accessory kit that contains a set of three unground screwdrivers (turnscrews in Brit speak). If turnscrew is the proper British name for what we call a screwdriver, why is what we call a screw called a pin in British gun speak? Why wouldn't the Brits call the tool a turn pin? Why do you gents use a turnscrew to turn a pin?
Maybe there's some English doublegun history that would help explain that apparent contradiction ?
The term turnscrew probably originated from the woodworking trade like cabinet or furniture making and just stuck. In the gun trade….a screw goes into wood while a pin goes into metal. A “wire” isn’t threaded and takes the place of a pin and usually holds the Sears and hammers/tumblers into the action.
Just to confuse issues further, in the 1830's, Thomas Boss helped Purdey's finish off their guns. His main work was "screwing them together," that is, making screws then fitting the various parts together. This from Dallas' book on Boss.
i suppose there are similar situations where American gunsmithing terms seem to be contradictory. If anyone knows of any I'd be interested to hear of them.
So it's okay to use a turnscrew on a pin, in steel, and it's also okay to use it on a screw, in wood?
I wouldn't want to misuse the new turn screws, don't you know. As I understand it they are to be ground to fit the screws, and pins, on a particular gun. And, unless the slots are the same on another, should not be swapped around.?
So it's okay to use a turnscrew on a pin, in steel, and it's also okay to use it on a screw, in wood?
I wouldn't want to misuse the new turn screws, don't you know. As I understand it they are to be ground to fit the screws, and pins, on a particular gun. And, unless the slots are the same on another, should not be swapped around.?
Stan, I probably have 30+ turnscrews, all ground to fit most slots I come across. I’ve got a few specialty ones that I’ve made as well. I don’t think 3 that come in a kit are gonna cover it for all needs. Yes, fit them to work on a particular size slot. I’ve found that most turnscrews that come in kits or even fancy ones found in cases aren’t what I’m looking for in a working tool.
So it's okay to use a turnscrew on a pin, in steel, and it's also okay to use it on a screw, in wood?
I wouldn't want to misuse the new turn screws, don't you know. As I understand it they are to be ground to fit the screws, and pins, on a particular gun. And, unless the slots are the same on another, should not be swapped around.?
Stan, I probably have 30+ turnscrews, all ground to fit most slots I come across. I’ve got a few specialty ones that I’ve made as well. I don’t think 3 that come in a kit are gonna cover it for all needs. Yes, fit them to work on a particular size slot. I’ve found that most turnscrews that come in kits or even fancy ones found in cases aren’t what I’m looking for in a working tool.
Dustin notes correctly that turnscrews of many sizes are needed. In the following video the gunsmith is using a turnscrew that also shows that proper handle size and blade strength and size is important for the type of work needed on occasions. In this video a slip of the turnscrew will be costly.
Most apprentices joining gun makers were in their early to mid teens. Hence it was useful to have terminology easily understood by them and precise enough to avoid confusion in the workshop. This might explain why most gunmaking terms are short words of anglosaxon origin and not long latiny ones. Almost every one understood terms like pin, screw, wire, dog, axle and having just one term for each thing helped avoid confusion.
Thanks, Dustin, and others. I didn't mean to mislead ..... I have many on my workbench as well, and have long understood the necessity of perfectly fitting them to the screw being removed/replaced. I was being a bit facetious about these fancy nancy turnscrews that came with this set. Not quite what I am used to.
While we're at it, is it true that all better English guns have screws with tapered slots? I'm not being facetious about this. My only English gun is a Hollis and I've never needed to disassemble it, except for removing the barrels.
Out of respect for the "gunsmiths" who built my doubles, I no longer turn a screw if possible. There is a shop an hour away, who is excellent for just about any job I need. I will repair a mass production gun, when needed, but not one which was hand made for the most part, or in its entirety. I hate buggered screws and just do not want to create any myself. I also have stopped feeling the need to renew case colors. If I can fade away, my guns should be allowed to do so as well. I do still enjoy stock work and refinishing stocks but can see that too will cease to be a major thing soon. I guess I have gone from altering as needed, to restoring as wanted, to now conserving for the next generation to enjoy as near to condition as I find guns.
Stanton, I too have noted many with tapered slots (in German guns). In observing the screws/pins being fitted in the first place I noticed the following. Most had a sacrificial slot that was filed away in "clocking" them. If the final slot was filed, it was usually tapered, but if sawed with a jewelers saw had straight sided slots. I also noted that most screwdrivers/turnscrews were self-made, mostly from worn out Pilar files and also most were twisted like a corkscrew, to guard against breaking. Mike
A screw requires a turnscrew to “screw” it in or out and has threads on it. A pin is simple a cylindrical push in push out peg. Usually used to allow something like a hammer to rotate on it. But not always.
