Ideal No 5 (black) powder measure seized

I cannot get the handle that releases the powder to release. I last used it about 6 months to a year ago, stored in a basement, but dry. It is stuck, if looking at it, at about 1 or 2 o'clock, and, if I recall correctly, you pull it forward and the powder comes out down the brass tube. Inert black powder shouldn't be corrosive, and, in it were a few grains (20 to 40) of black powder, meaning individual granules, not a measure of 20 to 40 grains. It is also brass within an iron housing, so I don't even know how or why this would seize. I now have sprayed Kroil in it, and after half an hour, no further movement. Am I recalling something different than I recall, as to movement of the handle?

Also, while I'm at it, the adjustment gauge, which is brass, contains numbers on it. What do they mean, as, for example, one sets it to "20" it isn't even close that 20 grains of powder are released?

What vintage are these? The last patent date is 1899 on it, and it looks old, but that doesn't really mean anything. For all I know, these could still be manufactured today.

Well., one would think this would easily disassemble.

To the left is a screw with an oversized washer which covers the internal mechanism, shiny steel and brass. The other side, one removes the brass linear measuring "ruler" revealing a threaded round piece that is shaved on one side to fit under the ruler device. That threads into the brass rectangular piece that the "ruler" slides on. Disassembly frees up nothing. The handle has a small piece which appeared to be an Allen set screw but is not and may not even be a set screw at all.

Okay disassembled to the point last and did remove handle after realizing that what I thought was a set screw is really likely part of a hammer. It appears that the brass bar is assembled to a brass sleeve around a steel core, and this brass sleeve no longer will rotate around the steel core, dispensing powder in the process. I sprayed Kroil at this junction and will let it sit overnight. Not quite sure what got in there as last time I used it there were no problems.

Maybe after 100 years it's time for some lubrication.

I assume the part of the handle you grab on would have been originally wooden? Mine, as obtained, has a 7 mm round used as the grip part of the handle. I guess other than the nail part and the round as a handle, it otherwise isn't half bad!

I bought it about 5 years ago and paid $10 or $20 for it I think. Something old and neat that I can actually use.

Okay so I should attempt to knock the steel and brass components out of the hopper mechanism which contains them?

Which might be what I need to do to dry all components prior to future usage.

Kroil overnight did free up the handle and movement is somewhat choppy. Which is better than being seized but not ideal. IIRC, prior actions a year ago yielded movement with minor force but it was not smooth.

Now, what one has is the potential for a gummy mix of powder is added. I initially assumed seizing was from lack of use, but now that I understand how this measure works, it's amazing it works at all and did not seize previously. Using the mechanism properly is going to emulsify some grains of powder and, IIRC, you could hear some crunching when the handle engaged the cylinder to rotate.

Amazing how complex this is and the tolerances involved for 19th Century technology!

PWC: The file you have did not arrive in my inbox yet. Did you attempt to send it yet?

While we are at it, What purpose does the screw at the end of the long brass rectangular bar serve? It has to be screwed in just right so that the shaved side faces up to allow for clearance of the sliding bar with gradations.

It doesn't seem to serve any purpose whatsoever but it must serve some purpose.