Flint Substitute?

appalichian hunter · Jul 19, 2020

I would think if you are on a flint hunt or looking for a reasonable substitute it would be a neat ideal to try it on a fire steel striker, if it sparks on that would it spark on a frizzen, seems this approach would be better than using the frizzen and the risk of harming the face of the frizzen. perhaps a question for those with more knowledge than I. Is a frizzen harder than a fire steel striker. Me I will stick with good black English flints carry at least a dozen in my possibles at all times.

tenngun · Jul 19, 2020

Gunflint Michigan ( I think Michigan) was named for the deposits of good flint. And I’ve got good spark off of local flint. I use the bigger hammer style of knapping. Hit a rock with big hammer and pick it the flakes that look like they would work.
However:
With all the good flint, jasper, chert, to be found in America, French and English flint was imported by the shipload full to America.

tnlonghunter · Jul 19, 2020

I think it's Gunflint, Minnesota. At least I went through Gunflint, MN on my way into the Boundary Waters Wilderness area about 20-odd years ago.

LawrenceA · Jul 19, 2020

musketman said:
Seeing how you are from Qld - Australia, have you ever considered trying greenstone (from Western Australia greenstone belt), it's suppose to be like quartz in properties, it should spark...

If he is in Qld then perhaps a trip to Agate creek is in order?

Many Klatch · Jul 19, 2020

Strike anywhere kitchen matches will work. But you only get one shot per match.

Eterry · Jul 19, 2020

tenngun said:
Gunflint Michigan ( I think Michigan) was named for the deposits of good flint. And I’ve got good spark off of local flint. I use the bigger hammer style of knapping. Hit a rock with big hammer and pick it the flakes that look like they would work.

I've driven thru Gun Barrel City several times and never seen a gun barrel laying around... maybe i should pay more attention next time... lol.

hanshi · Jul 19, 2020

I've had excellent service from Black, amber and white chert flints and consider them equal. I tried obsidian (volcanic glass) once and got sporadic ignition in the rifle. I give a 'thumbs down" to obsidian and anything similar.

wild colonial boy · Jul 19, 2020

from my find here in the north east, just wondering which side used the Crystal quartz material, as we had first americans, new englanders and marylanders, then German Hessians, and then British regiments

M. De Land · Jul 20, 2020

Chert, "flint", agate, petrified wood (most of it), novaculite, chalcedony, jasper, etc all are in the quartz mineral family, therefore of similar hardness (mohs scale 7). Glass (and obsidian=volcanic glass) is not crystalline, not a mineral, and softer at mohs scale 5 or 5.5. Hardened steel won't spark well if at all with glass because steel is slightly harder--you want something that will strike off tiny shards of hot steel, and glass does not "cut it", pun intended. The reason novaculite makes a good whetstone is beacuse it is made of microscopic-sized quartz crystals which abrade the steel--and will wear out your frizzens faster than most flint. Modern stainless steels won't spark because of too much alloyed chromium and etc, and you need carbon steel--also novaculite does not cut many high grade stainless steels very fast because they are harder than most carbon steels (>6)....

I knapp all my own flints for pistol and rifle trying any chert I can get my hands on. So far I like the Keokuk light chert that comes out of Oklahoma and the Grey Novaculite that I think comes from Missouri. Both spark like crazy and knapp quite easily. I prefer thicker flat flakes to those commercial offerings made from blades which have the humps on them. Flakes are harder to make but work better for me and seem to last every bit as long as any of the English I have purchased and the best part is they are free being debitage ( left over) off spear and arrow points.

toot · Jul 20, 2020

it Shure looks' like a holder for a gun flint to me. a rely great score!!

user 36911 · Jul 20, 2020

I don't understand "in a pinch"? You should always carry spares.

Cattman · Jul 20, 2020

i was told by a old arrowhead knapper that their is no real flint in the united states, only europe. how ever what they make arrow heads out of over here sparks real good.

Flinty Scot · Jul 20, 2020

A quick check shows the main Noviculite quarries to be in Arkansas, but some fgringe quarries were in Southern Missouri.

Bob McBride · Jul 20, 2020

There’s two things I wouldn’t substitute. Flints and BP. Everything else is fair game. Except for Tacos. They’re not fair game at all.

SDSmlf · Jul 20, 2020

Cattman said:
i was told by a old arrowhead knapper that their is no real flint in the united states, only europe. how ever what they make arrow heads out of over here sparks real good.

Don’t the folks in Ohio who put the Flint Ridge State Memorial look foolish now? Along with entire state after naming flint the State of Ohio’s gemstone.

toot · Jul 21, 2020

Bob McBride said:
There’s two things I wouldn’t substitute. Flints and BP. Everything else is fair game. Except for Tacos. They’re not fair game at all.

when you eat em after a while they both sound and smell the same!!

appalichian hunter · Jul 21, 2020

Never tried a taco how they spark.

RB POWELL · Jul 21, 2020

appalichian hunter said:
Never tried a taco how they spark.

Depends on the HOT SAUCE!

appalichian hunter · Jul 21, 2020

I do not want to hi=jack a thread but that is funny, There is a new hot sauce out by a limited run made bye old bay seafood seasoning very good. Now back to the flints. (loyalist Dave get you some) being a Maryland boy I think you would like it.

bldtrailer · Jul 21, 2020

The "flint " in the new world is older deposits called chert and is silica based (as all flint is but not as pure ) as the younger deposits in england /france old world . If the rock is a hardness of over 7 (scratching glass) quartz, agates,

then it should spark ,but may be to brittle to use. Pyrite is used in "bic" lighters and wheel locks and is know as fools gold it will spark if shaped right. The photos show texas chert (grey) Oklahoma chert white and english flint black and french amber/blond flint in the lock photo

Flint Substitute?

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