New build rough on flints,IMHO

[Joe S.]

Was out sighting in my new build and think its real hard on flints,after six seven shots the flint would need a little adjusting.The edge looked really chewed up as well.Appears to be at the proper angle,flint looks like it hits at the right angle.Any thoughts?frizzon was color case hardened,about the only thing I wondering and forgot to check was it rebounding back into the flint.

[Frank]

What lock do you have?

[Dennis Glazener]

Try flipping the flint and see if it helps
Dennis

[rich pierce]

If the frizzen spring does not feel quite strong it may be rebound. I put white bandage tape on top of the flint just back from the edge and smear grease on the bottom edge of the frizzen, and dry fire. I just recently fixed a rebounder and flints last at least twice as long.

[Joe S.]

L&R lock,Dennis flipping had no effect,same thing.Rich I will try that to see if thats the problem,thanks for the replies

[Stophel]

If the flint crashes too square into the face of the frizzen, it will chew up the flints, and more importantly, it will chew up the frizzen.  You want as slight and glancing a blow as possible.  Sometimes using a shorter flint will help some.  Even if you catch less of the frizzen, that's fine.  Often, things just need to be reworked so that you get a better strike.

[AsMs]

My lock (Davis Colonial) has bounce back.  It was smashing brand new flints on first strike.   Quick and easy cure was to place the leather across the top of the flint about 32nd past the edge.  The leather cushions the blow and does not interfere with the sparking.

AsMs

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Joe:  is it L & R's Ashmore/Hawken lock?  I've used a lot of them over the years, and they are famous at least to me for easy on flints, instant ignition, and long wearing flints, as well as no rebound.

[Joe S.]

Yes,Taylor,L&R ashmore.Rich,video tape shows no rebound,frizzen stays put after its struck.Wondering now it frizzen being color case hardened and the cock,one or both are ever so slightly at the wrong angle.While it may look to the eye as ok perhaps its enough to cause the flint to strike a little more square than it should.Where abouts in your opinions is the optimun strike point on the frizzon,if we look at the wear pattern could that be a clue?

[retired fella]

I just replaced the main spring on my Siler and was having a bit of an issue of rebounding.  After seeing this post I went out to the shop and tried bevel up/down to no effect but when I changed to another flint, works like a champ.  Thanks guys.

P.S.  The broken main spring was on me.   Don't ask....... 

[Stophel]

That L&R late "Ashmore" lock SHOULD have everything good as far as the direction of the flint strike already.  The frizzen should be arced and leaning back, the cock jaws angled down, it SHOULD make a nice glancing blow as it is...  But that doesn't mean that there isn't something out of whack on your particular lock.

Use the shortest flint that will function in the lock.  Just long enough for the flint to reach the bottom edge of the frizzen, and then it snaps open.  With a shorter flint, you may not even catch one half of the frizzen, but that's ok.

What does the frizzen face look like?  Is it making a big crossways gouge when the flint strikes it? Or do you just have light marks from the flint skating down the surface (which is what you should have)?  Also, how many different flints have you tried?  Sometimes you simply get cruddy flints that just don't want to stay together, and they flake apart.

By the way, I never could understand how people could use a flint "bevel down/edge up"... going that way the flint is being hit in the direction that it naturally wants to flake off.  That's the direction you go to knap the flint.   Every time I have tried doing that, the flints have self destructed in short order.  Never made sense to me.

[Marcruger]

Stophel,

My Late Ketland Chambers works better bevel down/edge up. 

Once I extended the leather out to the edge of the flint, rebound knapping went away. 

I am ashamed to admit this, but the last flint went 50 or 60 shots with no knapping.  I would look at the edge, and it looked dull as a stump.  BUT, it kept on sparking just fine.  So, I left it and watched it.  The last time I shot I had to replace it. 

So, in my limited sample of one, a dull flint, bevel down, still sparks like mad in a Late Ketland. Not sure I'd bet on that with other locks, but there you go. 

God Bless,   Marc 

[Joe S.]

After coming home,I broke out flints from another supplier and they seem a lot harder than the couple I used for the sight in.Those flints came from the same supply.The old ones seemed brittle compared to these different ones.We will see.

[Dennis Glazener]

Stophel,

My Late Ketland Chambers works better bevel down/edge up. 

Once I extended the leather out to the edge of the flint, rebound knapping went away. 

I am ashamed to admit this, but the last flint went 50 or 60 shots with no knapping.  I would look at the edge, and it looked dull as a stump.  BUT, it kept on sparking just fine.  So, I left it and watched it.  The last time I shot I had to replace it. 

So, in my limited sample of one, a dull flint, bevel down, still sparks like mad in a Late Ketland. Not sure I'd bet on that with other locks, but there you go. 

God Bless,   Marc

I have had the same experience with one of my late Ketland's. Not sure if they are all like that since I only shot the others enough to test them. I have a standard Chambers Siler on my hunting rifle and I easily get 50 to 60 shots without knapping (too lazy to knapp!)
Dennis