Yes... not only CLEAN the lock, but put a bit of grease on the bottom of the frizzen's "leg" where it rides on the "flat" of the spring. You also need to slowly drop the flint against the frizzen to see where it's hitting.
The flint should hit the frizzen about 1/3rd. of the way down from the top of the frizzen and make a clean "slide" down the face of the frizzen in the MIDDLE (left/right) of the frizzen's width.
You can adjust how far "in" or "out" the flint lays in the cock... plus you can turn the flint over (putting the bevel down) and cause the edge of the flint to hit sooner. You can easily adjust the flint to hit higher or lower on the frizzen by merely doing so. Naturally, the higher the flint strikes the face of the frizzen, the more force is put on the frizzen to retract.
If you're using leather to hold the flint in the cock, you might try using two pieces of soft lead rather than leather. Sometimes, the leather "gives" too much and doesn't force the edge of the flint HARD against the frizzen when would then create exactly the problem you've got.
I've found that by using lead to hold the flint rather than leather to support the flint in the cock, I can more easily and surely put the flint further out in the cock thus causing the flint to strike the frizzen EARLIER which would result in the frizzen being "knocked back" harder by the falling hammer/flint combination.
Once the lead supports get squeezed down and they form to the grooves in the cock and the irregularities in the flint, the whole "situation" becomes more solid and the "push" against the frizzen caused by the falling hammer/flint becomes more "positive" thus causing the frizzen to be pushed back which, in turn, causes the frizzen to "uncover" the frizzen pan faster and wider.
If you have a local muzzle loader's group, you might try asking some of their more knowledgeable members about this problem. Without seeing it, it's hard to say exactly what the problem or combinations of problems is causing your frizzen to NOT get knocked back by the hammer/flint.
The above suggestions by the other members of our Forum are all valid, but until you "know" exactly why your frizzen isn't being forced open & going beyond the center point of the spring tension which would allow it to open all the way, you can't fix it.
The mechanism is simple... look at it carefully and allow the cock/hammer/flint to move forward S-L-O-W-L-Y and you may see which one or which of the several "problems" your rifle's frizzen may have.
Don't get discouraged... you're facing a "learning curve"... and rather than "fight" it,
ENJOY it and learn from your mistakes. And you will make a great many mistakes... we've all "
been there and done that", trust me!!!
One piece of equipment you should get is a COČ "unloader" to blow out a "dry ball" (a round, patched ball you've seated without the benefit of putting the powder in first). It is common knowledge that there are TWO kinds of flintlock shooters, those who
HAVE already "dry balled" their rifle and those who
WILL dry ball their rifle.
I must have "dry balled" my rifle at least a half a dozen times until I bought my COČ "gun"... and I haven't dry balled it since, but I'm confident I will dry ball it again, sooner or later 'cause we ALL do so with regularity... some more than others!!!
Enjoy your "learning curve"... to "fight it" only causes you frustration. In a short time, you'll have most of the "answers" and you'll "smile" when you remember how frustrated you became at all the "problems" (real or imagined) you had at first with your new "toy".
Good luck and make GOOD smoke !~!~!
Strength & Honor...
Ron T.
