Rabbit/Jack, If my Memory' serves me....If the Trigger Steel isn't that soft how could I as a 17-18yr old apprentice working under the watchfull 'Eye' of W O Brien,take trigger castings that had to be Hand-Filed,both the 'Blades' and secondly the'Spur' then fitted into the two'slots' in the trigger-plate,that had previously been filed up,by the 'Gaffer'All to Gauges, handed down from Dead gunmakers Relatives to 'Young Apprentices,...Set the 'spurs' to the Gauge to get the correct shape for 1, the front trigger,2 the rear trigger????The stocker,back then,was responsible for fitting the triggers to the'Box drilling and tapping the box for the trigger-pin,making the trigger-pin, using the treadle-lathe I might say!,The trigger 'Spurs' were still in their 'Soft Stage'as after filing-up' the trigger guard-Bow'and inletting it into the stock,Be it Straight-Hand or Pistol-Hand.we sometimes had to,(to use a McIntoshisim)'Tweek" the Spurs to clear the inside of the Bow'.When 'Making-Off the stock and pulling the drawknife towards the action-head the Guard was off the stock, consequently when you had been to the 'Irongate Wharf Pub for the manditory'3Pint Lunch,then picking up the 12'bladed Draw-Knife,then back to pulling-off 'slivers of best french-walnut from the stock.It was very easy to slide off the wood and "SLICE OFF A TRIGGER-SPUR"!!!!Remember , the triggers werenot hardened untill after all the Case-hardening of the Action,Lock-Plates,had been completed and the 'Finisher'had re-fitted "ALL" the soft-parts to their respective'Slots,Holes,etc.I had, for many years,both a front trigger and a back trigger with the blades'Whacked-orf'.Error noted by'Heini" Eye',12InchBladed Draw-Knife!!!!DT.formerli of "PURDY"(Now Purdeys).
