Repro 1841/42 Musket Tool

[crowley_greene]

Has anyone had experiences with the reproduction 1841/42 musket tool available from Blockade Runner (see http://www.blockaderunner.com/Catalog/catpg6.htm)?

I purchased one a few months ago, and didn't have occasion to try it until a couple of nights ago. The ad states "They work on any Enfield or Springfield musket. It was first issued with the Mississippi rifle. It has a socket style wrench on one end to remove your muskets nipple (cone) without slipping and rounding it off, and 2 different size screw drivers on the other. Everything you need to field strip your musket."

I learned that no feature of the tool works on my Armisport 1842 Springfield. The screwdriver blades are too thick at the ends to go into the screw slots, and the socket style wrench is too thick to get down and fit over the squared part of the nipple. When I ordered the tool over the phone, I had asked for verification that the tool would work on the Armisport model, and I was assured it would. It doesn't.

Horrors! A sutler told me something that wasn't so, and I wound up paying money for something that doesn't work. Such disillusionment! :(

The bright spot is that such an experience with a sutler is likely quite period correct. :D

Back to my original question. Has anyone else had experience with this tool? I'd like to read some replies before I go to work on it with the grinder.

Murray Therrell

[Corrected URL - Sgt. Pepper]

[warhoundOH]

I have one bought from Fall creek that works fine on my armi sport '42 springfield bought from RGQM.

Thanks,
Patrick Skeese

[jda3rd]

I happened to have my '42 Springfield with me when I bought one from Blockade Runner a while back, and selected one to fit best. It works fine with every screw on it, my Mississippi, and all the Enfields and Springfields I've worked on. To be honest, I honed the screwdrivers a wee bit for a better fit, but that's the only thing I've had to do. You might have to dress yours a bit for a good fit.
I think these things are like bayonets in that they are probably handmade in India, and there are slight variations in tolerances. I wouldn't complain about the seller, or the tool, at least not the one I bought from them.

Frank Brower

[John1862]

Try Tim Prince if you need another, it is likely a higher quality reproduction. http://www.collegehillarsenal.com/shop/product.php?productid=16180&cat=265&page=1

[crowley_greene]

I happened to have my '42 Springfield with me when I bought one from Blockade Runner a while back, and selected one to fit best.

I didn't try the tool first because it was a mail order.

Oh, my little "jab" was meant to be in good humor, a comment I would even good-naturedly make in the store. I'm sorry if anyone saw it through negative filters. :)

Truth is, I've dealt with Blockade Runner for years, over and over again, and have been nothing but extremely pleased with them. I did drop them a friendly e-mail tonight, calling the problem to their attention, and suggesting that they might want to look into it. I told them I would keep the tool and just grind it down a little bit.

But I also made a point to tell them that I've been extremely pleased both with their products and service for some five or six years, and will continue to do business with them.

Murray

[31stWisconsin]

I bought a 1855 tool from Lodgewood, and all three blades were too thick for my Armi Sport 1861 Springfield. I used a file to remove some metal to make it fit.

[AZReenactor]

I recently had problems with an 1855 musket tool from B. R. as well. It sounds like this is fairly common and may result from the case hardening process causing the metal to expand slightly. I was able to take a metal file to mine and have it usable in a short time. A little bit of a pain but eaiser than trying to exchange it.

[crowley_greene]

It sounds like this is fairly common and may result from the case hardening process causing the metal to expand slightly.

Ah sir, music to an engineer's ears! :D I'm a full-time mechanical systems instructor at Arkansas Northeastern College, and also do a bit of adjunct work with the College of Engineering at Arkansas State University. Interestingly, I have prepared some class materials just this morning on industrial hardening processes for a Principles of Technology class at ASU.

I may have mentioned putting the screwdriver blades on a bench grinder. No, I won't do that -- I'll work them down with a file, to keep from building up all the heat.

Murray

[crowley_greene]

Tonight I sat down with the musket tool and a coarse file, and carefully filed the thicknesses of the screwdriver tips down, trying them from time to time in the screw slots on my Springfield.

When I finally got the blades filed down enough to slip into the slots, I finished them by running them flat over three grades of oiled whetstones -- coarse, medium, and fine. Then finally I polished them on a strop coated with aluminum oxide powder.

I also worked with the rounded wrench head some, to where I could slip it down over the nipple.

Thanks for your inputs everybody. I now have a functional musket tool. :)

Murray