More Smithin’ Tools

Following my first article on shop-made smithin’ tools in the December 2016 issue, I’ll cover several more handy gunsmithing tools I have made over the years. Some of these are from existing commercial tools modified for my own use and others are from scrap tool steel and brass rod I had on hand. I hope to feature other shop made tools in future articles. I’m sure with the ingenuity, thriftiness, and craftiness of the smithin’ trade that many of you have already made some of these tools or facsimiles of them.

The tools covered here were made from relatively cheap, common, ordinary screw drivers kept on hand for just this type of project. Some of these tools I have had for well over 40 years and they have seen more use than I can remember! Not only have these tools been mighty handy for gunsmithing work, but for a myriad of problems around the house I have encountered over the years such as repairing snowblowers, generators, small game traps, etc.

Some of them were made for specific tasks and some for general workshop tasks. I’ll let you be the judge as to how you want to use them in your work. You may find you want to modify my tools for more exacting use. There are several old, used tool places here in Maine where I find many specially-made tools by some other enterprising soul for a special purpose. Usually being able to procure these for less than a dollar, I scarf up most of them for future modification.

I’m sure you have some of these places near you and it’s worth finding them. It’s also entertaining figuring out what the tool was made for. Some of them show definite signs of commercial industrial manufacture, but reasons not immediately obvious. Once in awhile, I find one that I am relatively sure was made by a fellow gunsmith because it is usable as is in gun work. Enjoy these tools as you ponder which one of them will help you in your shop.

Brass Pry Tools I made these brass tools many years ago as I was always grabbing a handy screwdriver when I needed to pry up on a spring or other gun part during disassembly or repair. Often times in my haste (sound familiar?) I would mar apart using that hardened screwdriver to my chagrin. Needing something stronger than plastic or other synthetics, brass rod seemed ideal. For many years, I have kept on hand in my shop various common sizes of brass rod for parts or projects.

These tools are easily made in 20 minutes or so, and are the first I reach for on many occasions. The first one is made out of 1/4" semihardened brass rod just the way it comes from Industrial Supply. The rod is 3 3/8" long with an inch of it entering the wood handle. The handle is simple 5/8" dowel rod 3 3/4" long with a 1/4" center hole drilled 1" deep with the rod epoxied inside. This ensures a strong handle for the tool.

The other end of the rod is ground down in the shape of a common screwdriver tip, finding this most useful for my needs. You may choose a different shape for your needs. The 3/16" tool is made the same way utilizing 3/16" brass rod of the same type and 3 3/4" in length. I made the shaft 1/4" longer for better utility. A bench grinder or belt sander shapes the tip, thought I prefer the belt sander here. When your tip gets marred after extended use, it’s easily cleaned up with apiece of 100 grit sand paper.

Dick’s Poppers These are made from common 3/16" shaft screwdrivers of any tip style as it is cut off. Both have

3" handles, with one shaft being 2 1/4" with a 90 degree bend on the end, and the other with a 3 1/4" shaft with a 45 degree bend. I use a Dremel tool with a cut-off disk to cut off the end of the shaft, however, a hacksaw will work if the steel is not super hardened. You can use a regular propane torch to do the bending and then anneal the shaft if required. I heat up the shaft tip, do the bend, then quench in either water or motor oil depending on the hardened state wanted. Both methods work.

If you break or bend one of these out of shape, make another and throw the old one away. I made these for pushing in on the plunger and releasing the trigger guard assembly on Ruger revolvers but have found other uses in general gun work. Once you have the shaft tip shaped properly, set up on a drill press and drill the tip with a 1/8" drill bit or ball endmill approximately 3/16" deep and clean up on a wire wheel brush.

General Purpose Plunger Tool This tool is very similar to the popper tools but a little smaller for general gun work involving depressing plungers and detents. I found the poppers to be a little too big for some work so made the smaller tool. It has a 2 1/2" long, 3/16" diameter shaft with a 2 5/8" handle and a 3/8" 45 degree bend at the tip. I used a 1/8" bit to drill the tip to a depth of 1/8". It is made the same way as the poppers.

S&W Tools I originally made these tools for disassembling the rebound slide on Smith & Wesson revolvers but have found them useful on a lot of other gunsmithing jobs. I made them with two different diameter shafts. The first on has a 3 1/8" handle with a 3 3/8" long, 3/16" diameter shaft. The tip was cut off straight as in the previous tools. I cut out a 3/32" wide and deep gap. The second tool has a 3" handle, 2 3/4" length shaft, 1/8" in diameter, 3/4" 45 degree bend, followed by a 1/4" straight tip.

It has a 1/16" gap width, 3/32" deep that I cut with a Dremel tool disc. This smaller shaft tool has come in mighty handy on a lot of similar gunsmithing jobs.

General Purpose Tools These tools are all self explanatory. I did not make these tools for a specific purpose except for the one with the grossly curved tip, made to disengage the end of a very strong stretch-type spring on an old gun that escapes my memory. It has come in handy on many other gunsmithing jobs. I made a small concave cut near the end with a small round Dremel stone to be able to retain apart without having it slip off the tool.

I have used all five of these tools more times than I can remember on a myriad of gunsmithing jobs and other projects. I was told early on by an old timer gunsmith that gunsmithing is 33% knowledge, 33% skill, 33% ingenuity, and 1% luck. After 49 years in this business, I have to agree with that ol’ codger! These general purpose tools are between seven to eight inches in length with either 3/16" or 1/4" shaft diameters. Here again, the tips were heated and bent with a propane torch and shaped with a Dremel tool.

General Purpose Spanners I show only two of the many spanner wrenches I have made over the years to give you a general idea of how they are made. Whatever your needs are, these are tools that are easily made for the purpose. The round one was made to remove firing pin bushings from shotguns. I must have well over a dozen of these in different sizes for different makes of guns. The shaft is made from apiece of drill rod and is drilled on one end for a handle which is another piece of smaller drill rod.

You can drill a slightly smaller hole for the handle and press fit it in or epoxy the handle in. The pins on the business end are also drill rod and fit the diameter of the bushing holes. Spacing is determined by the bushing hole spacing. On the wrenches that I knew would not see a lot of use, I epoxied or super glued the pins in after drilling the appropriate size holes.

On others, I went to the trouble of drilling side holes and threading the holes for cap screws to be able to adjust the pins and/or easily replace a broken pin. Again, your choice. Should you break a pin on ones you have glued in, rotate the shaft and drill for anew pin with the same spacing. Break more pins? Just make anew wrench. The flat-type spanner wrench was simply made from apiece of tool steel scrap I had on hand.

I used the exact size piece I had, rounding and smoothing the edges to prevent cutting my hand in use. It may be handy to use a leather glove when utilizing these type of tools. A hole was drilled to hang the tool up and two holes drilled for the pins with proper spacing. On this particular spanner, I press fit the pins in. Spanners are easily made and I must have a ton of them hanging around my workshop.

Synthetic Wedges Somewhere, a very long time ago, I picked up apiece of Bakelite, neoprene, plastic, or whatever it is for one whole dollar. Probably at a garage sale! It was a foot long, 1 1/4" wide and 3/4" deep. The first thing I did was cut off two pieces with my bandsaw and shape them on a disc sander. The bigger wedge is 5 5/8" in length, 1 1/4" wide and 3/4" deep. I sanded a 30 degree slope in it, approximately 3" long and utilize it for straightening bent cylinder yokes in revolvers, among other things.

It is a tough, non-maring tool. The smaller wedge is 2 3/4" in length, 1 1/4" wide and 5/8" thick, also with a 30 degree slope. I use this for many small jobs where wedging or spacing of some sort is needed. I hope you will be able to use these examples of tools I have made to make your own tools that will fulfill your needs. As always, I welcome your comments, ideas, and feedback on my articles. Strive to learn each day and enjoy the trade. AG