filing hardened metal

[JohnN]

If I wanted to file on a piece of hardened metal, in this case a tumbler, how would I soften it ? There is just a little wiggle in the tumbler-hammer on a lock I have and I either need to file the tumbler where the hammer goes or use a shim of some sort between the tumbler and lock plate.

[Firewalker]

Use a shim, its easier.

[Captchee]

Well the issue probably isn’t  what you think .
 If the tumbler wobbles its because the  hole the tumbler goes through is to big .

 If the issue was  one of the neck of the tumbler being to long , the tumbler would move in and out  not wobble .
Making things tighter  may seem to reduce the wobble . But in reality the play in yur tumbler hole is still there .

 Now that being said . If you think shortening the neck  is what you need to do . Then you can use a diamond hone  to take it down some . using such a hone is much easier then  trying to  draw out the temper and then try and  replace it
 Or you can use a shim .
 But keep in mind you can actually end up with things being to tight  and thus induce drag into the lock

[Firewalker]

Years ago I had one like that and made a shim from a nickle plated .38 spec. case.

[JohnN]

Its not a wiggle. The hole for the tumbler is fine. The tumbler goes in and out a little. May be from the filing and sanding I did to prepare the lock for polishing (military flintlock). I would like to decrease that movement just a little to make sure the hammer does not go past the top of the lock plate when fired. Will try a shim first and then the hone.

[Captchee]

Its not a wiggle. The hole for the tumbler is fine. The tumbler goes in and out a little. May be from the filing and sanding I did to prepare the lock for polishing (military flintlock). I would like to decrease that movement just a little to make sure the hammer does not go past the top of the lock plate when fired. Will try a shim first and then the hone.

gotcha

[JohnN]

Made a shim out of some 22 gauge metal and it seems to work pretty good. Movement is gone and the lock operates properly.