flints

[long carabine]

 I have been having a current problem with my flints breaking after about 4 or 5 shots. There breaking at the edges but they still spark. I use black english flints. Tim

[roundball]

Can you share any more particulars like the type of lock, the width of the frizzen, the dimensions of the flints you're using, bevel up vs. bevel down, etc, etc?

For example:

If a flint hits too straight on, too square into the frizzen they can break...bevel up / down can change this angle;

If a flint it too wide it's outside edge can be coming down on the edge of the pan and breaking;

[Dphariss]

I have been having a current problem with my flints breaking after about 4 or 5 shots. There breaking at the edges but they still spark. I use black english flints. Tim

How many shots do you get from a flint?
This is the important criteria.
Guns that eat flints usually have a frizzen that is too soft or the design is poor.
Dan

[Randy Hedden]

How many shots do you get from a flint?
This is the important criteria.
Guns that eat flints usually have a frizzen that is too soft or the design is poor.
Dan

Or he is using the wrong size flint. Or the frizzen is rebounding and breaking the flint.

Randy Hedden

www.harddogrifles.com

[long carabine]

 I have an L&R Early germanic lock and I am using 3/4 flints. I measure the width of the frizzen and order accordingly. I only have this problem with certain flints, not all. Tim

[roundball]

"...I only have this problem with certain flints, not all..."

Then what is the common denominator of those certrain flints?

How are they different from flints that work OK?

Length?  Type material?  Brand?

[George F.]

What shape is the frizzen in? is the face of the frizzen relatively smooth or is it getting gouged?  how about in the past have you had any problems like your having now? If the face of the frizzen is getting gouged, from the flint digging in, then I believe it's getting soft.  Any way, that's what I think. One more point, is the flint coming down and hitting the side of the barrel causing them to break?That's all I got.....Geo.

[Roger Fisher]

Try bevel up she will then hit the frizzen at more of an angle rather than a flush on smash.  Can also leave bevel down but cut a hole in the leather where said flint rests on the cock screw (meaning the vertical one) that should also cure the straight on smack agin the frizzen face.  Polish the frizzen face also. 

[long carabine]

 the flints are not hitting the side of the barrell but the frizzen is fetting a tad bit rough. I sanded it down and that cured the problem for a while. Tim

[George F.]

My lock is doing that after a faulty attempt at hardening it. My tank is getting low and couldn't get it hot enough.  I usually don't have a problem with the Siler lock frizzens, I guess they're a tad smaller than their Colonial lock frizzen. Have you tried the file test on you frizzen? Mine would just about touch it, where as on the Siler frizzens it wouldn't touch them at all. ... just a thought.  ...Geo.

[long carabine]

 George, I am not familar with a file test. Can you explain that one to me?? Thanks, Tim

[George F.]

When implementing  "The File Test"  what  you do is take any old file and push it across the face of the frizzen. The results will be the file will not grab or attempt to cut the frizzen at all, but rather skate, glide,skip,or what ever term you feel applies, right over the frizzen without even touching (cut) the frizzen. You'd get better results from glass. If the file grabs any where then the frizzen needs hardening and tempering. I have to redo mine , it'll spark some ( I think the edges are properly hardened) but the center has been gouged and are breaking flints.

[long carabine]

 I will try this test but if I have to reharden the frizzen how is it done and will i lose the finish on the frizzen.

[Daryl]

A 6" or maybe it's an 8" grinding wheel will put the proper sweep to the frizzen's face. Tayor does this from time to time. I need to do mine now as well, then test for hardness.  Although the face is badly gouged by many shots, it still usually gets around 100 to 130 shots per flint. Of course, some flints break after only a few shots, but most flints, either English or Rich's flints last 80 to 120 shots.

[jrscott]

I didn't see this mentioned in any of the earlier post, so I'll throw this in... I noticed a big improvement in flint life when I set the flint up a little further(1/32 - 1/16") off the face of the frizzen when the lock is at half cock.  I had been putting it just touching the frizzen at half cock and was getting similar results with the flint smashing too hard into the frizzen resulting in 10 -15 shots before adusting.  Also occured to me that it would be bad if the frizzen bumped the flint when I snapped it closed...

I've only been shooting the flints for 5 years now and still learning a lot.  Using Siler locks.

- John

[Daryl]

John- setting the flint back a bit will increase the angle of attack somewhat. Out further strikes the frizzen sooner but with less speed at impact - to my way of thinking.  The flint has to accellerate teh blow, instead of letting the cock get up to full speed before the flint strikes.  It is probably the changed angle which improves things in your lock.