Does the tool with the chamber reamer actually lengthen the chambers significantly or only to the few thousandths that it deepens the rim recess?






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Dean, It was my understanding that the chamber and forcing cone were cut separately from the rim recess. The original Parker tools cut the rim only, so going in with a modern tool would only just contact the original chamber when the rim portion of the tool had gone in sufficiently. The original Parker tool came with a go/no-go gauge. I am not planning on cutting the rim face, just the diameter. We're only talking about .0025" (.005 on the diameter)

Dean, the reamer I used will cut chamber and forcing cone as well as the rim recess. HOWEVER, the reamer did not take ANY metal from MY particular forcing cone or chamber. It was a very non-invasive reamer at the front end. It is piloted and makes a beautiful cut at the rim. The reason Edgar doesn't believe my description is because Manson and Clymer probably don't make this reamer any more. Not finding it in the catalog doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Edgar should know that.

The Clymer reamer I have has a bolt like shaft in front of the recess reamer section that has a sliding pilot cylinder on it. I'm thinking it just isn't machined properly and that I should toss it. Here's a pic. Does this look right to anyone? I think I remember this was not a catalog item and was 'custom made'....

Bill, What The F'n hell are you talking about? What don't I believe?
And, they ARE still in the catalog, but I don't need either, as I'm going to use an original Parker Rim cutter, not because I have to, but because I don't have to spend $300 bucks for a tool I'll likely never use again. I don't know who your friend is, but if you wanted me to know, you would have told me.

My VHE 28" 28ga "0" frame gun from 1911 had to have the rim cut larger. I used an older version reamer and it just barely took a cut into the beginning of the forcing cone. Has worked great and is one of my favorite dove guns.

I borrowed back the 28ga. rim cutter, part of a set which belonged to James Hayes, now in a private collection. When I owned these tools, I loaned the 28ga. cutter to another member who reported that it worked perfectly, and despite being 100 years old, cut perfectly. I used the darkest hand cutting oil I had and the newly cut surface was great.
It took only a few minutes per side to enlarge the rim recess to .681, removing .003" and .0035".

As you can see, the tool is date stamped '1921' which was common practice for cutting tools. James Hayes, was technically still called a tool maker, though at this time, if I recall, he was Asst. Superintendent.

Edgar, can you show a closeup picture of the working end of the cutting teeth? Am wondering if you keep cutting if it will make the recesses deeper. Is this the kind of tool they cut the original recesses with?

That really tickled me... Here's a guy (Edgar) who owns each and every model of vise that Parker ever made and look at the vise he's using... :biglaugh:





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It IS the tool they cut the rim recess with. The flights are sharpened both on the side and the end. It belonged to James Hayes.