The Monster Enfield Defarbing Thread

[Joe Walker]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

Years ago Parker Hale supplied their version of the"Y" shaped sgt's tool with their 2-band Enfield and possibly their artillery musketoon. I have one, and most likely their are some floating around.

Joe Walker

[FlaYankee]

Re: Anyone have pics of JRA Enfields they can share?

Mike; did you get the pics I sent you via email?
Regards

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

Threads are different. The arm has to be re-threaded for the right worm

[MassVOL]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

I picked up a sergeant’s tool from someone at the NSSA Nationals a couple of years ago and had some similar problems. The worm wasn’t quite right and in setting it next to an original the difference in shape etc jumped right out at you. I have purchased an extra worm from Blockade Runner and will see if that one will fit on it. I have also purchased the private’s tool from Blockade Runner and want to compare it with an original private's tool when I get home but I was curious about the Peter Dyson tool as a Sergeants tool. Coming in at 50 pounds sterling I would like to know something about it before I bought it and whether it was much of an improvement over the currently available Sergeants tool I already am dithering with.

[BrianHicks]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

Regarding the 'Y' shaped Sergeants Combination tool for the Enfield. I have seen a few of those reproduced, but I am not familiar with the 'Y' shaped Sgts tool with regards to when it was originally produced/used.

[Edwin Carl Erwin]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

For the past year I've used the Enfield Sergeant's combination musket tool from Track of the Wolf www.trackofthewolf.com with success.

Regards,

[BrianHicks]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

I have, and had no problems with it. Perhaps the original run of those tools were a better quality?

The Sgts tool I posted above, is an original I am fortunate enough to have acquired. It is a Model No. 4 which began being manufactured in 1859 and was replaced by the No. 5 which began being produced in 1861. The difference between the No. 4 and No. 5, is the length of the main shaft.

[BrianHicks]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

Good news. Regt Quartermaster has an Enf Sgt's tool for $39, the one with the mainspring vice on the post, and it is a good quality tool with a deep blue/black finish. It functions well except the worm is incorrect (they said they will switch it out). I bought one at Mill Springs to evaluate for a future article, and used it to completely tear down an Enfield when I got back from the event. That one is coming with me to events.

I could not find the above described item on their website.

Which model or version do they have?

Does it look like this one?

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

Try using the screw driver blade to remove a stubborn screw and see what happens. Although Brian has a point in that I have bent and broken the blade on other (modern) screw drivers in removing stubborn screws. This happens when you work on old guns sometimes. It could be the nature of how I have used the tool. Your experiences may vary and Brian reports no problems. I would still say the Regt QM Enf Sgt tool is the better made of the two.

I do know this...The Tim Prince/BR Enf Pvt tool is made in India. I am going to assume that the metal used has the same properties as the low carbon (mild) steel they use in the repro bayonets that we all treasure so much. If you heat treated the tool (which is a very good idea) that would add carbon which should harden the metal, I don't see why that wouldn't work. We do it on the soft repro Italian gun parts all the time. Let me hasten to add I am no metallurgist, but I like that idea. The BR tool looks very accurate to the original, and if it were made more functional it would be a winner. I use mine for a cone wrench, vent pick, etc... just not the screw driver appendage.

[BrianHicks]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

I've been using one of Tim Princes Repros (which were made in partnership with the Blockaderunner) for about four years now. I've never encountered the issues that Barry described above.

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

Anyone know what kind of steel is on the BR tool? I'm wondering if it couldn't be heat-treated and hardened?

Paul

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Anyone have pics of JRA Enfields they can share?

This was a point of discussion with Mark Hartman (JRA) a few years back so I am pleased that he is now case coloring the lock plates. As you state the plain lock should accompany an unadourned (as Geoff Walden put it) hammer. I had a Potts & Hunt they did for me and the hammer was plain. I have to assume this detail slipped by. A Colt Special Model hammer makes a good hammer for a Potts & Hunt because they were business partners of sorts. It will fit.

If you are talking about the "snail" you can carefully re-shape that part of the bolster with a moto-dremel tool. The problems with the Armi Sport bolster do not end with the cosmetics.

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

Good news. Regt Quartermaster has an Enf Sgt's tool for $39, the one with the mainspring vice on the post, and it is a good quality tool with a deep blue/black finish. It functions well except the worm is incorrect (they said they will switch it out). I bought one at Mill Springs to evaluate for a future article, and used it to completely tear down an Enfield when I got back from the event. That one is coming with me to events.

I have the Blockade Runner Enf Pvt tool as well. The metal (mild steel) is not quite hard enough to for the intended purpose of tearing down the rifle-musket, the screw driver blade bends under the requisite pressure to remove some of the screws, but the other parts function well enough like the worm and cone wrench. I am not familiar with the Peter Dyson, Ltd version.

[BrianHicks]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

Has anyone had the opportunity to compare the Peter Dyson Ltd, and Blockade Runner Enfield Combination tool to an original?

The Blockaderunner tool, compares extremely well to an original. Now... if they'd do the same for Sgts. tool.

[FlatLandFed]

Re: Enfield Combination Tool

Seek out this man:

Tim Prince
Member CWDCA (The Civil War Dealers & Collectors Association)

at

collegehillarsenal.com

Regards,
Paul Hadley