Flintlock Question

W

WestWA Hunter

New member
Here's a frontstuffer technical question. I am using the T/C "premium" agates on a .50cal Hawken flintlock. I am having trouble keeping the flints in good condition for more than six or seven shots in a row. They don't chip but they do get very rounded-off and/or uneven. I've aligned them to the frizzen IAW the manual but . . .
How do I prevent this from happening? Any suggestions on some very good quality flints? Any comments would be appreciated.
 
Flints generally don't have a very long life span...

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I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me
 
Are these the flints that are sawn, instead of knapped?

If so, you're probably not going to have much success with them at all. I never did.

I invested in some some English flint (or chert) at a gunshow. About $4.50 a flint :eek: but WELL worth it. All told I got nearly 100 shots out of the one before I had to scrap it.

One of the tricks you'll need to learn is using your short starter to "field dress" the flint while it is in the cock. Mine has a brass stub on the end that makes a VERY nice knapping tool.

With some practice you'll be able to sharpen your flints in no time.

Another thing I've found is that the flints ABSOLUTELY have to remain in the jaws without slipping. If the flint starts to slip forward every time the cock drops, it's going to shatter sooner or later.

I never had much success in using leather to hold the flint in place. I finally got frustrated one day and, remembering something I read in a book a long time ago, I pounded two roundballs flat and wrapped the flint in them, then cranked down the jaws. The flint stayed EXACTLY where I put it until I took it out again.

What model flintlock do you have? I built my T/C Renegade from a kit. It was a LOT of fun, but I finally had to give it over to the gunsmith to finish it. I couldn't get an even brown on the parts. All the different steels took the brown at a different rate, so I finally had it hot tank browned.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
You can fashion a flint knapper by turning a slight shoulder on a steel rod & unsing it to sharpen your flint.

For those who care about such things. The Redcoats used leather to retain their flints, while the Americans used lead as described.

I went ML hunting during a wet snowfall a few years ago. There were 13 of us on the hunt. Mine was the only flinter. When we came out @ the end of the day, mine was one of three guns that fired. One of the newfangled in-line shooters groused "Ya, but how many times did you change the primer?" My reply, "About 30-11 times, but MINE went 'boom' while yours just popped 6 primers!" I still don't trust those new fangled little copper cups!

Yr. Obt. Svnt.

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Fred J. Drumheller
NRA Life
NRA Golden Eagle
 
If you can get a very thin peice of lead sheet and cut it to be about 3/4" wide by 1" long, and wrap it around the back of the flint that will help hold it in place better.

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I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me

[This message has been edited by Dangus (edited August 13, 2000).]
 
Hi, guys,

Mike's 100 shots is about the best I have heard and I agree with what he says about flints. The normal military practice was to change flints every 10 shots, combat permitting, of course. In fact few battles required more than that.

Jim
 
Hey Dangus,

You don't need to "get" thin sheet lead. You only need a hammer to make your own from a round ball! That's how I made my flint keeper. :)

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
Good point :)

I guess not everyone has a sheet of virtually every kind of metal laying around like I do...

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I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me
 
I also bought some English flints at a muster, and they work fine. Practice your knapping on some cheap flints until you get the hang of it.

I didn't know about the lead ball trick - For my Bess, I have always used thin leather, say no more than 1/8" or so. The secret I have found is dipping the leather in water first, then wrapping the flint and placing in jaws. It will then dry into conformity with the surface of the flint. Trim excess leather to front of jaws.


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Panzerführer

Die Wahrheit ist eine Perle. Werfen sie nicht vor die Säue.

Those that beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those that don't.
 
Panzer, you may be suprised how much better the lead works. I became a believer :)

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I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me
 
I will certainly give it a try - it was just the first I'd ever heard of it. Then again, I never went looking for another method because leather has worked well for me.
 
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