BSA 1926/36 underlever question please.

[crowbar]

You can get five garden pump (sprayer) washer off the bay for about £12 posted .

I thought the fit of a leather washer was governed by the size of the filler washer in the cup .
If the diameter of this washer is reduced then the leather washer will close up around said washer .

[Lakey]

It almost certainly IS leather. They will have used thick leather and pressed it into a mould wet, then allowed it to dry. The polished outer surface will be the skin side, and the "woven" looking side will be the fiberous inner surface. If you want the leather soft and flexible, you need to work it with your hands after soaking it in neatsfoot. I would sand the hard seal to fit, then soak, then work, work to make the leather supple. You can also fit the seal hard, and let repeated use of the gun, eventually soften the leather, but that take 10 times longer.

[Geoff555]

Hello Lakey, thank you. I don't think, that to be honest, I am strong enough to move the leather. I did try with the spare one and the only way I could shift it was to actually use a vice.
Thank you again, I will try the various options.
Cheers.
Geoff.

[Lakey]

Hello Lakey, thank you. I don't think, that to be honest, I am strong enough to move the leather. I did try with the spare one and the only way I could shift it was to actually use a vice.
Thank you again, I will try the various options.
Cheers.
Geoff.

Yes, I remember it well. The last one I did, I used two pairs of pliers, to start the process off. Once you start to "break" the initial moulded shape of the washer, it gets a lot easier quite quickly.

But, like I say, you can fit the sliding dry(ish) washer into the gun, and then allow the air pressure to mould the washer into shape. Most people do this, but it does take a time to get the piston washer to maximum efficiency. Leather washers in these guns are supposed to operate in a soft and supply state, lubricated by small amounts of oil. Its that oil that gives the little wisp of smoke ( and that gorgeous smell) on firing.

Good luck with bringing the gun back to life.....


Lakey

[nige346]

You can get five garden pump (sprayer) washer off the bay for about £12 posted .

I thought the fit of a leather washer was governed by the size of the filler washer in the cup .
If the diameter of this washer is reduced then the leather washer will close up around said washer .

yep, that works as well, I have done this to use spare seals I have that were not actually made to fit a particular gun and are larger than needed but final sizing I do by reducing the "closed" diameter to a sliding fit, As mentioned there are probably various different ways favoured by individuals that will do the same job, every gunsmith has his own tricks of the trade methods.