Author Topic: Flints (Read 13721 times)

iloco · « **on:** December 11, 2014, 02:55:03 AM »

What is the correct way to measure so you know the correct size flint to use in your flintlock fowler or rifle.

drago · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2014, 04:15:47 AM »

measure the width of the frizzen, then at half cock measure from the screw to almost touching the frizzen.

Standing Bear · « **Reply #2 on:** December 11, 2014, 08:35:37 PM »

Yep, most correct. Tho for practice and range work, I like to get them long enough to touch the frizzen at 1/2 cock or even very slightly longer expecting more shots per flint.

No, I don't hunt with the flint holding the frizzen open, I use a flint that has been "shot in".
TC

iloco · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2014, 12:44:00 AM »

Quote from: drago on December 11, 2014, 04:15:47 AM

measure the width of the frizzen, then at half cock measure from the screw to almost touching the frizzen.

Thanks very much.

moleeyes36 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2014, 04:51:56 PM »

A good starting place for finding the correct size for most commercial locks is to check this page in the Track of the Wolf catalog. http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/141/1

Mole Eyes

sonny · « **Reply #5 on:** December 12, 2014, 06:01:39 PM »

I always get flints that are slightly longer and crib the flint notch to set back against the hammer top plate screw. This way as the flint slowly wears from repeated shots, the flint can be loosened up an moved forward to correct length again. If you start with a flint just exactly the right length an have wear in on it, you don't get a good bite on slightly longer flint , just edge holding the short one......Becha a dollar to donuts that doing this way is best!!!!.....sonny

CHARLY · « **Reply #6 on:** January 11, 2015, 01:44:07 AM »

where do you buy flints ?
is there a supplier online ? anywhere in the world ?
thanku --

PPatch · « **Reply #7 on:** January 11, 2015, 01:58:17 AM »

Many sources Charly. Almost all of the online muzzleloader supply sites sell them. Track of the Wolf, Muzzleloader Builders Supply and others.

dave

retired fella · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2015, 04:17:45 AM »

I have just found after shooting rocklocks for a number of years that I can get almost 100 shots out of a flint by inverting it. Before I was getting maybe 30 shots. My Silers are quite rough on them.

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2015, 07:54:49 AM »

Retired fella,

When you get near 100 shots on a flint, is it installed bevel up or bevel down? Thanks.

-Ron

hammer · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2015, 01:40:44 PM »

Bevel up or bevel down will depend on the geometry of the lock. The flint edge must strike the face of the steel at an optimum angle to scrape down the full face and produce the hottest sparks. Some locks will only achieve this with the flint edge raised higher than the platform of the lower jaw, i.e. bevel down.

rmatt · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2015, 03:03:32 PM »

Anyone tried these guys? I bought a doz just to look. Look fine and spark well. Reasonable price,quick delivery and great communication.
http://www.neolithics.com/english-gun-flints/

hanshi · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2015, 09:20:15 PM »

IMHO, it's better to have a flint a tad too large than to have one a tad too small. As previously mentioned a largish one can be made to set back a little in the jaws. One can also set a small or worn flint forward in the jaws. Avoid a direct hit on the frizzen and go for a scrape down the frizzen.

LH · « **Reply #13 on:** January 12, 2015, 01:00:34 AM »

The geometry of any and all locks will cause different results from different length flints so you need to pay attention as you wear down your flints and either move them out as they get shorter or perhaps use a shorter than recommended flint to start with. I have a 1803 Harpers Ferry that works much better with 5/8" flints than 3/4 which is contrary to all the recommendations I've ever seen. My late Ketland lock needs a long flint or it will bounce back and break the rock. I have two old small silers that will shoot all day with any half flat piece of driveway gravel.

You can change the angle of attack by shimming your top jaw too. I have used washers cut off to look like a wide flat horseshoe. I've bent several hammers to get different results too. And not all rocks are created equal. Some will last over 100 shots and some just never act right. If you ever do find a lock that prefers a certain shape flint, there are several vendors at Friendship that will let you pick through and buy the one's you like. And remember the old saying, "If God had meant for man to shoot caplocks, there'd be caps all over the ground instead of rocks"

tddeangelo · « **Reply #14 on:** January 12, 2015, 01:42:28 AM »

Semi-related flint question-

I noticed that the last batch of flints (4 of them) I bought at Dixon's are a hair too small for my lock. The ones I've been using are 7/8 and I somehow decided to get 3/4" while I was there. When they reopen, I'll see if I can just swap them. If not, are these an issue for use at the range?

David R. Pennington · « **Reply #15 on:** January 16, 2015, 03:22:46 AM »

Here is what I do. I try to buy them in person when I am at a show or trade fair, etc..,. I took a plastic coffee can lid and cut out a piece the size of a credit card. I take a perfect size flint for my lock and trace it on the card and cut out the shape on the plastic card. I also cut a slot for the thickness I like. Now I have a gauge to help me quickly sort through the box of flints to get ones that fit my lock. I make one of these for each lock I am buying flints for and put them in my wallet.
I also recycle my flints by reshaping them on a diamond bench hone. I save my old dull flints and reshape them on the diamond hone using water as lubricant. The big fowler or musket sizes can be reshaped for rifle locks and old rifle flints for pistol locks and old pistol flints for fire starting. (I'm a cheapskate).

retired fella · « **Reply #16 on:** January 16, 2015, 04:52:05 AM »

Ky-Flinter

Sorry for the delay. RE: Bevel up/bevel down
BEVEL DOWN
I can now shoot at least two matches before I have to change rocks. Or maybe I'm just a cheapskate?? I haven't stooped to pickin' out of the driveway just yet.

rich pierce · « **Reply #17 on:** January 16, 2015, 06:49:28 AM »

Gunflints length is much more important than width. A flint narrower than the frizzen is no problem. A flint wider than the frizzen is no problem. Just mount it toward the outside. It will self-knap. The rule of having the flint just barely away from the frizzen at half cock can sometimes work, but anyone can see that the same flint mounted bevel up versus bevel down will give very different results using this method.

So, the flint must not be so long it keeps the frizzen from closing. But after that, learning whether your lock works best with the flint bevel up versus down, and how high it should strike on the frizzen to both give good sparks and flip the frizzen over reliably, is a trial and error process. Chances are, if you are relying on " almost touching the frizzen", you're not getting best performance.

Daryl · « **Reply #18 on:** January 16, 2015, 09:40:32 PM »

As well, some locks as the Chambers locks have such longer throws from both 1/2 and full cock locations. "Just Clear" at 1/2 bent position is not a good measuring rule.

Where and how it strikes, angles and swept surface are the important factors. Be aware, it must be long enough that neither the top jaw nor the top-jaw screw head hit the frizzen before the flint.

Some locks work well with either bevel up or down - my L&R Dickert lock is one such lock. I prefer bevel down, as that way, the flint scrapes the entire surface, from the top curl, to the bottom. The spark shower with Rich's flints is amazing.

tddeangelo · « **Reply #19 on:** January 18, 2015, 06:49:31 AM »

Quote from: rmatt on January 11, 2015, 03:03:32 PM

Anyone tried these guys? I bought a doz just to look. Look fine and spark well. Reasonable price,quick delivery and great communication.
http://www.neolithics.com/english-gun-flints/

I just ordered a dozen as well. Hard to argue with the price! How have yours held up to use?

rmatt · « **Reply #20 on:** January 18, 2015, 02:29:54 PM »

tddeangelo I just received them. Stuck one on a lock just to see how it sparked. Sparked well. Too cold here at the moment to go to the range.

dagner · « **Reply #21 on:** January 19, 2015, 11:43:26 AM »

I see some of you talking about the flint touching at half cock.very bad idea. watched a guy prime then flip the frizen closed on half cock,he used your long flint idea .gun went off and he burned the $#*! out of hand from flash of gun discharging..saw this happen a couple times over the years.
dag

tddeangelo · « **Reply #22 on:** January 27, 2015, 02:48:56 AM »

My flints from Neolithic arrived yesterday.

They aren't pretty but they are sharp. We are getting some winter for the next few days, but hopefully that will ease up for me to shoot soon and see how they do. I may save the much nicer looking flints I get at Dixon's for hunting and use the Neolithic flints at the range, but the proof is in the use of them. We shall see how they do.

wattlebuster · « **Reply #23 on:** January 27, 2015, 03:42:57 AM »

My order from Neolithic came saturday and they look an feel sharp as razors. Im gonna say they are a darn good buy at a buck apiece

drago · « **Reply #24 on:** January 27, 2015, 03:55:15 AM »

Wattlebuster, let us know how those flints work out

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Author Topic: Flints (Read 13721 times)

CHARLY

hammer

rmatt

rmatt

dagner