Flints

T

ThomasT

New member
I have seen several threads on making BP like the one going on now but does anyone knapp their own flints? I have been watching youtube videos on how to make them and it doesn't look too hard. But most were made using Engliush flint. Its reported to be the best for the job. I have a pan of flint I have picked up over the years found here in Texas. But I have been told it needs to be heat treated to knap properly.

So I watched a couple of videos on heat treating. I know you can the flints, I just looked on Track Of The Wolf. They seem sort of expensive. But I have never owned a rock sparker and have no idea how long a flint last before it is worn out. I know they can be sharpened. So whats your experience?

I have shot a flinter. My bud had one with no flint. So I chipped out what looked like a workable flint and we shot it a few times. It didn't go off every time but it did more often than not. I thought it was cool. Then one day he told me he sold it!!! He never even offered me first shot (sorry) at it. I would have bought it. It was one sold by Dixie but I don't remember which one now. Not one of the more expensive ones and not a CVA/Traditions either.
 
I don't knap flints. I willing to let those who know how _do it for me as I have no problem with compensating another's ability.
I do own a rock lock. A t/c hawken 50 cal. Use to shoot it some. Gave up. Not at all reliable even having new English flint tightened in its cock I bought from Track. With my rifle I think its frizzen needs re-hardening. But casinite is no longer available. So my rifle has been a safe queen for quite a few years.
There's a technique to knapping flint kinda like opening the shell of a oyster. When done incorrectly both techniques can go South in a hurry for those doing the prying. I don't recall how many shots can be made off a flint? But knapping the edge over and over I'm assuming its quite a few.
 
I don't, and like to give business to the few professional gunflint knappers extant.

But I'd be willing to try if the opportunity presents itself.
 
Sharpening flints is no big deal, but starting from scratch to build them to the proper size you need I think would be a lot more difficult. I guess it's just in knowing what your are doing.
McGee....I have seen quite a few of the TC's with frizzens that needed to hardened better. I did an experimental job for a friend once and using metal from a file, soldered and shaped it to the face of the frizzen and it works just fine now.
 
for your TC flint rifle, buy a lyman frizzen. you will have to thin the knuckle that the lock screw goes thru holding the frizzen, it does not take much to thin it just right. I have done it a dozen times and always use English black flints and use the biggest ones the cock will hold with out hitting the barrel when fired. the frizzen and flints are the heart of a flint lock and if either are sub standard you will have a nice walking stick.
 
Thanks for the replies. I tried a little flint napping last night and the first thing I did was pound my thumb. I never did get a flake I liked. I did watch a guy on YouTube and he made it look pretty easy. The whole secret is good English flint.

I think I will shelve the idea of getting a flintlock for the time being.
 
Sure Shot Mc Gee I watched a video on YouTube from Swallow Forge on how to reface a frizzed with saw blade metal. It looked easy to do. I would post a link but I don’t know how with my iPad.

Apparently the new substitute for Casinit is called Cherry Red And is supposed to be sold by MIdway.
 
It takes safety glasses and practice. Dean taught a short seminar at Friendship during a National Match (Friendship, IN, NMLRA HQ)
 
It's important to use the right material for rifle flints , some stone are flint but just not the right stuff for good sparking. Dixie Gun works sells English, American and German rifle flints , already shaped $3.00 to $6.00..... Or you can buy a three pound nodule of English flint for $25.00 and make your own....they even sell the knapping tools.

I've tried making arrow heads...flint knapping ain't easy , unless you just want a new hobby buy a few already made.
Utube video's make it look way too easy...take them with a huge grain of salt, I think a lot of them are rigged so the Utuber looks like he knows what he's doing.
Gary
 
I have knapped flints, but I have no real skills. I took a big hunk of flint I found in the Blanco River in Tx. I just cracked on it and cracked on it until some pieces came off that needed minimal shaping. They worked fine, but I wasted a lot of flint. If you have a lot of flint around you, waste away. :D
 
A buddy that lives in south Tx told me he bought a book on flint knapping and started making arrow heads. He said you can't tell his from ones made by injuns. He said the whole secret to using the native Tx flint was to heat treat it. There are Youtube vids on doing this.

There is flint around here if you are in the right spot. But some of the best I have found was along railroad tracks and peoples rock gardens around their houses. Most don't even know they have flint laying right there. A lot of the rock in rock gardens seems to be imported from somewhere else.

I am cooking hamburgers for my son tomorrow and I may drop a couple of flints I have on hand in the grill and see if that works any magic.
 
I've played some with plain old Texas chert, and it always seems to spark just fine for me. It might not last as long as some good English flint, but it's laying around free.
 
Hey Stony thats how I came to have small selection of flint. I started picking it up to use with my home made flint and steel. I can't walk by a piece if its any size without picking it up.
 
I've made fire steels for friends and boy scouts for years now, and a good flint or chunk of chert will last for a lot of fire starts. They don't take the punishment against a fire steel that the strike against a frizzen will do though.
 
I tried the flint rocks I had in the grill last night. One of the rocks I have saved for years turned out not to be flint after all. But the other rock was flint and heat treating it made a world of difference in how it flaked. So I am on to something new now.
 
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