Flintlock Tinder lighter and candle holder

[wet willy]

How to regulate the frizzen spring.

Many of these around, mine's from Dixie about 30 yrs ago. (GOOGLE the subject line for many images of both original and modern repros.) Frizzen spring tension can be adjusted via a screw near the pan opening, so what is the optimum for most sparks? Really stiff or very soft?

[bryanbrown]

Well the hammer (frizzen) is dead soft as sold, so first step will be to temper/caseharden it

Then you want just enough  pressure to pop as you pass the knee

[wet willy]

Thanks. I did case-harden the frizzen. As you said, it was soft as acquired.

Is the "knee" the transition from the striking surface to the pan cover? Would your advice apply to all flintlocks?

[Dphariss]

Thanks. I did case-harden the frizzen. As you said, it was soft as acquired.

Is the "knee" the transition from the striking surface to the pan cover? Would your advice apply to all flintlocks?

The frizzen should start to snap open as or just before the flint comes off the bottom of the frizzen face. But this will vary with the length of the flint and should be tuned for the shortest (usually a used) flint.

I like stiff frizzen springs over soft ones. On a rifle that is actually USED a soft frizzen spring can cause lost prime if the frizzen is brushed or bumped.  Stronger springs also tend to spark better than weak springs since they hold the frizzen against the flint better.

Dan

[wet willy]

Thanks for the various replies. I got the frizzen spring as tight as I could, nearly to the point where the cock/flint would not open it. This little item I have came from Dixie at least 20 yrs ago, and not an antique.

It works OK ... not great. If the pan has some powder & char cloth, most of the time it sparks enough to light the cloth, enough so then I can light the candle, but I wouldn't depend on it. Being from that source and era, it could be an Asian/Spanish/Italian/Indian etc copy, and clearly lacking good modern metalurgy.

I think the best place for this is on display on my bookshelf.