Webley Junior (pistol) sear

[ggggr]

I'm currently looking for a sear for a Webley Junior pistol (and a barrel catch) and just in case I am looking for some advice.
As far as I know the sears are steel and not sintered. So--is it possible to heat it up with a butane blow lamp, to soften it then tap the front of the sear to either, hopefully bend it up a little or spread the metal upwards a bit.? Then how would I go about hardening it and /or tempering it to a suitable state?
I see Nibbs sell one but they state "May require some fitting. Will need hardening." which i think is pretty poor really.
Ideally someone will have an original one knocking about they can spare, but what do you reckon to the heating and tapping? Thanks

[ccdjg]

I would certainly give it a try Guy, as you have nothing to lose. Get it as hot as you can in the blowtorch flame, nearly white hot if you can, and quickly tap it on your vise while hot. It might take several goes. Let it cool naturally so it will be soft and easy to file to shape. Then to harden it, heat up to bright red again and quickly plunge into water. It will now be as hard and brittle as glass. To temper it so that it is hard and tough, heat it up to 200-300 degrees C (you can use your oven for this; or you can polish the metal white and warm it slowly until it turns blue. Let it cool naturally, and there you are.

Funnily enough, I have just made a replacement cocking rod for a Eureka pistol using this technique to form the expanded end that provides the air seal in the cylinder. In this instance though I hammered the silver steel rod into a specially made die to get the right profile:

[ggggr]

I would certainly give it a try Guy, as you have nothing to lose. Get it as hot as you can in the blowtorch flame, nearly white hot if you can, and quickly tap it on your vise while hot. It might take several goes. Let it cool naturally so it will be soft and easy to file to shape. Then to harden it, heat up to bright red again and quickly plunge into water. It will now be as hard and brittle as glass. To temper it so that it is hard and tough, heat it up to 200-300 degrees C (you can use your oven for this; or you can polish the metal white and warm it slowly until it turns blue. Let it cool naturally, and there you are.

Funnily enough, I have just made a replacement cocking rod for a Eureka pistol using this technique to form the expanded end that provides the air seal in the cylinder. In this instance though I hammered the silver steel rod into a specially made die to get the right profile:

Thanks John. I thought you would pop up with the answer. I have currently swapped it into another pistol and it is working, I've found this can happen with Mk1's and Premiers too. With wear at the holding face of the sear, the back comes lower and touches the trigger before it engages. With the trigger removed the sear holds, so the actually face is ok.
I only have a butane blow lamp, but hopefully it should be ok should I attempt it.

Obviously another working sear turning up would be the best option, and I'd feel better about having a go at the old one.

Some of the Premiers have sintered steel sears so they are non starters

[deejayuu]

If it's medium/high carbon steel it may be wise/possible to harden locally at the engagement point. Process as described by ccjdg but only quench engagement point then polish body as it cools till desired temper colour is seen and quench again. Hard point, tough body.
Very satisfying exercise and good fun. Practice with the tang of an old file

[harry mac]

I've got one Guy, but I'd like to swap it for a Mk1 pistol sear.
I got a replacement from Knibbs, and let's just say the "may require fitting" is proving problematical.

[ggggr]

I've got one Guy, but I'd like to swap it for a Mk1 pistol sear.
I got a replacement from Knibbs, and let's just say the "may require fitting" is proving problematical.

Well I effed that up when I tried to heat the sear up and bend it last week. It disappeared in the shed and I''ve not found it . I'm pretty sure it flew into the bin but despite emptying it and going through the contents wit h a magnet, could not find it.

SO--still looking for a Webley Junior sear , for my Christmas present to me OR a MK1 sear for Harry