Knapping. the flint

[rjpalmer]

What are some of your preferred methods of knapping a gun flint while on the gun. What tools do you use. I know about small knapping hammers, but I'm guessing other implements are used as well.

[bob in the woods]

I have a little tool that I made that resembles the tip / end section of a Robertson screwdriver.   The "ledge" sits on the flint edge, while the "tit' acts as a guide or stop.  It rides along the edge of the flint while I tap it with the handle of my knife.  It allows for a very well controlled dressing of the flint edge.  Pretty simple to use.

[Hungry Horse]

 Exactly what Bob said, except I tap it with my snapping hammer.You get a lot more miles out of every flint.

             Hungry Horse

[hanshi]

I made a knapping hammer with a screwdriver handle from a piece of copper given to me by Taylor Sapergia.  I hold a finger under the flint edge while pulling the cock out of battery.  Then I tap the edge at an angle and flakes line up on my finger from the flint bottom.  Not pulling the cock out of battery causes the tapping to put stress on the sear.

[smylee grouch]

At the range I use a small "hammer" I made from a chunk of antler and a copper chunk from a large fuse, hunting I use the back of my hunting knife.

[Ron T.]

I did the "knapping" thing for a while, but noticed I was knocking off fairly large pieces of the flint in knapping it, so I looked around for a better way to make and keep my flints sharp... and I found it.

Harbor Freight has a diamond impregnated file set (9 or maybe 10 small files of different shapes and sizes) for $9.95 that work just great for sharpening and shaping the "nose" of the flints.  A few strokes of the file and the flint's edge is sharp again with no real loss of the flint's body itself.

This method seems to be a much better way to sharpen the nose of the flint and there's no chipping away of the flint itself.  Thus the flints are lasting a lot longer.  So I carry one of the several files in the old fishing tackle box in which I keep all my muzzle-loading "stuff" to take to the rifle range with me when I go shooting.

My old tackle box is like a "possibles bag"... and is very handle to carry to the rifle range, but naturally, I don't use it when I go hunting... it's too big and clumsy for that use.

Jus' my 2˘...     


Strength& Honor...

Ron T.   

[Hungry Horse]

 Ron T;

   Myself, and others here, prefer the knapping pin. It removes minuscule flakes, and produces a cutting edge sharper than one worried away with an abrasive. It is a lot faster as well. If I get a good flint I can get 60-70 shots out of it, using this method.

                Hungry Horse

[bob in the woods]

Sharp is right !   Wiped out the pan the other day, and sliced my finger……again      I have got to stop forgetting about that razor sharp flint   

[rjpalmer]

Could someone illustrate or describe a knapping pin? I've never seen, or heard of one before it was mentioned here. I'd like to give one a try. I have a small set of "duck bill" pliers that I'm going to try. They came in a set of mini for hobyists purchased from Harbor Freight years ago. They are hardly HC, but small enough to fit in my shooting pouch.

[Frizzen]

Here is what I use.

[Mike R]

I use a large soft iron nail that I notched at the end--similar to the illustration shown on another reply. but one-sided.

[Hungry Horse]

 I use a piece of 3/16ths mild steel. Brass just goes away too fast. The working part of this little tool, is the sharp outer edge of the step. When that goes away the tool doesn't work nearly as well. Thats why I use mild steel instead of brass.

                  Hungry Horse