An Eibar couple with patilla locks

[Philip]

Taking them out requires some technique but it's not such a frightening procedure. First, find some thick sheets of rubber, or scraps of old carpeting, one should be large enough for the entire pistol, also a few smaller pieces too.
You will need a machinist's drift punch, designed for precisely this type of operation, available at many tool stores. Get one (or two, since they can bend) that are of same or smaller diameter than the pins in question. The useful thing about these tools is that they have an expanded "handle" which is easier to strike accurately with a small hammer. Much safer than using an old nail or something like that.

Locate the pins you need to remove. Look for one side that is bigger than the other end, if that is the case you need to drive out the smaller end. The difference in diameter, if it exists, will be very small. Sometimes the surrounding wood looks like removal of pins was done before during the gun's working life.

Lay the pistol on the big sheet of rug or rubber. Use the smaller pieces underneath, here and there, for added support if needed and to provide some clearance underneath the pin you want to drive out.

Now, very important, align your punch so that it is in-line with the axis of the pin. This may be a different angle from the 90-degrees to the tangent of the stock surface at the end of the pin. You must drive the pin in the same direction as it is oriented in the stock, otherwise you run the risk of slipping and marring the wood. Tap gently. Check the other side to be sure the wood grain is not raised in slivers (sometimes this is a risk if the wood is swollen by oil). If things look OK, keep tapping until the pin is out. You can pull it out from the other side if there is enough exposed pin to grab with a needle nosed pliers.

Please share pics once your cleaning operations are finished. These are an attractive and good quality pair of pistols.

[fernando]

There you are, the way to remove a pin with a full technical description. Obviously things are not so smooth and easy as Philip's put them, with all his experienced expertise, although possible to carry out by a person with a minimum ability.
... contrary to my humble self, with only one (non dexterous) hand ... and no rubber sheets at hand; such exercise becomes a saga .
Last time i succeeded in removing a pin the gun, a rustic blunderbuss that was well worn, the stock wooden hole was too large from overuse, but the pin was rusty and stuck into the barrel lug.
One other time i had another worn gun missing the pin; i used a normal nail, cutting it to the necessersy length and leaving its head, to better lock on the worn woden hole. A couple minutes on the stove flames turned it dark enough to eliminate its shiny brightness.

[midelburgo]

Originally Posted by Philip

Taking them out requires some technique but it's not such a frightening procedure. First, find some thick sheets of rubber, or scraps of old carpeting, one should be large enough for the entire pistol, also a few smaller pieces too.
...

Thank you. I will try to follow the advice.
It all sounds like the bicycle tool to remove links from the chain. Just on a larger scale. Maybe it is worthy to build one, from a table clamp or a c-clamp.

[Fernando K]

Hello

Watch out. It usually happens that the pin has rusted, the rust has increased its diameter and is firmly fixed and the work with a punch cannot be carried out, destroying the surrounding wood in the attempt- If this happens, the only thing that remains is to destroy the pin , by means of a fuse of almost equal diameter, but be careful, the weapon must be held firmly by some artifice and the fuse must be oriented perfectly in the direction of the pin

Affectionately

[midelburgo]

Originally Posted by Fernando K

Hello

Watch out. It usually happens that the pin has rusted, the rust has increased its diameter and is firmly fixed and the work with a punch cannot be carried out, destroying the surrounding wood in the attempt- If this happens, the only thing that remains is to destroy the pin , by means of a fuse of almost equal diameter, but be careful, the weapon must be held firmly by some artifice and the fuse must be oriented perfectly in the direction of the pin

Affectionately

Wood seems in remarkably solid condition. Pins do not have rusted aspect on the outside, but that does not cover inside the wood. I take for granted that half a century could have passed since the last time barrel was detached.

The makers are Gabiola (GABYOLA), of which a pistol with very similar decoration is present at Madrid National Arqueological Museum, and Orbea (ORBEA) which family members would become famous from the middle XIX century. I take that Orbea was apprentice to Gabiola (active 1791-1810).

http://ceres.mcu.es/pages/ResultSear...9&listaMuseos=[Museo%20Arqueol%F3gico%20Nacional]

[fernando]

JUAN ANDRES GABIOLA, a reknown lockmaker master; has been a dinner guest in the home of famous barrel maker Juan Esteban Bustuindi in 1791.
ORBEA brothers; are these the ones that were making guns since 1840 and in 1930 changed their trade to bicyle makers ? Isn't 1840 too late to be the date or your flintlock pistol ?

[midelburgo]

Originally Posted by fernando

JUAN ANDRES GABIOLA, a reknown lockmaker master; has been a dinner guest in the home of famous barrel maker Juan Esteban Bustuindi in 1791.
ORBEA brothers; are these the ones that were making guns since 1840 and in 1930 changed their trade to bicyle makers ? Isn't 1840 too late to be the date or your flintlock pistol ?

There are orders by Phillip II in XVIth century to an Orbea for several thousands of arquebuses. It seems the family kept a low profile in XVII and XVIII centuries.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by midelburgo

There are orders by Phillip II in XVIth century to an Orbea for several thousands of arquebuses. It seems the family kept a low profile in XVII and XVIII centuries.

Yes but, your pistol; could it be from close to mid XIX century ?