Howdy all,
In an earlier thread I had mentioned picking up a Tower Ball & Chain recently and as such I will be putting this up for sale or trade. Figured I would post it here first and see if there is any interest. Just shoot me an e-mail if so or just let me know your thoughts on the item.
Thanks!
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Hello,
John Bushey here. I traded Joshua for the Bean Giants. The Bean Giants were one solid mass of rust. Pitting runs nearly as deep as the thickness
of the handcuff. Absolutely zero movement in bows. They were rusted solid. I wanted them for parts (pawls) if they were even present. But, I also
had a notion to see if it was even possible to "bring them back". After talking to Ian, and soaking them in a solution I have, I took a brass hammer
and hammered them to death, although I'm told they were already dead. Anyway, one bow showed signs of moving. I soaked them again, and scraped rust out
from the keyhole. After repeated soakings, hammerings, scrapings, etc... I got one side open by using a stiff pick. Then, I drilled where I thought
the rivets were (too rusted to tell) and punched the lock cap off from inside the open bow hole. I used a screwdriver and actually got the back plate
off intact and without a single bend, with locking mechanism attached (they weren't supposed to be).
The pawls were indeed present, although one was broke. I've started to repair it, and went to work on the buttons. I used a punch and hammer, and after repeated soakings and scrapings, got both buttons moving (not loose yet, but moving with punch and hammer). I think I can get them loose. I drilled the bow rivets, removed the bows and started sanding/filing them to "bring them back". There is no way to get all the pits out, but most of them will come out. I have to rebuild the inside walls the buttons go through, and then finish repairing the broken pawl. The springs were still good, and it's just possible this rusted dead Bean Giant will once again operate semi-normally. I'm taking photos along the way, and will say that after building two bean giants from Ian's castings this is a little different in how it goes together. Not a lot, but a little different. The question will be the whole lock case was bent/twisted, and whether I can straighten it or not is the huge question. I have to be careful so as to not break it. I also have to re-machine the stepped rivets that the pawls rest on. This was a huge challenge, and I've worked like crazy, into the nights, to get where I am. I'm excited, and the handcuff has been invaluable to me for research, learning, and practicing repairing one of these rare handcuffs. That is why I wanted it so bad. No matter what I did it couldn't get worse (knock on wood)! Anyway, I saw that others were interested in the cuff, I'm guessing as a wall-hanger, and wanted to let you know where it went. I'll post photos soon, of the cuff taken apart, and more as I clean, sand, buff and polish whats left of the bows and lock body. I can definitely say that no matter how much soaking or trying to get them to work, that it would not have ever been possible if I had not taken them apart. They still may not work. The insides were not as bad as the outside, but were "fused together" by the rust. Best wishes, John Bushey
