Costs of Flints

[M. De Land]

I don't buy flints any more and have a life time supply of Keokuk heat treated chips from spawls for making arrow points. The flakes left from point making are perfect size for gun flints,especially pistol size which is what I make and use, 5/8" wide by 3/4" tall.
I make them for a fellow pistol match shooter and he really likes the thin flat ones. The chert seems to resist edge cracking better than the black English from TOTW.

 

[stubshaft]

I have a lifetime supply of Lava. If you want to trade some chert for it let me know :rotf:

The chert I was getting from Rich was great too and seemed to last as long or longer than English Black. The last batch of English that I got from Neolithics seems pretty darn good.

 

[Turtle Dave]

I get eng black flints for $2 each. Totw use to sell 22 for$20. Hope this helps.!

 

[wulf]

Has anybody every tried cutting quartz? I used a
piece in my fire starting kit and it seemed to
spark pretty well. It might take one of those
special saws...We have tons of quartz here in AZ.
I would sure like to hear from somebody who has
a lap-a-dary [spl] saw, to find out if it works.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Has anybody every tried cutting quartz? I used a
piece in my fire starting kit and it seemed to
spark pretty well. It might take one of those
special saws...We have tons of quartz here in AZ.
I would sure like to hear from somebody who has
a lap-a-dary [spl] saw, to find out if it works.

I don't have a saw but I once sold quartz jewelry. Arkansas has several large quartz deposits and is famous for it. Despite quartz rating the same on hardness scales I was never able to get any kind of spark from it. Dunno why. :idunno: Just wouldn't produce for me. BTW, those quartz mines are not very far from the novaculite quarries where Arkansas whetstones come from. They make gunflints from that also. I've tried them with no success. Was going to sell but some local market research indicated nobody wanted to buy them.

 

[wulf]

Well.....It was a thought....and a hope. Thanks
for the input...

 

[stubshaft]

Thanks Dave :hatsoff:

 

[akapennypincher]

Flint Napping is a skill that takes time to be great at. Anyone with some skill, time on their hand can do it.

But it is like any skill, time must be invested to be good at it.

I am sure someone has post a U-Tube on how to do it like most things, just take time, and the ability to understand your first attempts will not be perfect.

I have tryed my hand at it once or twice, but never were at it to be good, just practiced it to try it.

The people who do it well, did not become great on the first try. JMHO

 

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

Starting to learn flint knapping is a good deal if you can readily find a good source of large enough nodules ... No chance to find any near where I live, I started to think about how to prolong flint life as long as possible. I learned here on the forum a few different methods of (traditional - HC - PC) re-knapping ... Recently I bought myself a small and dirt cheap diamond file (coarse) that I put in my shooting box, when going to the shooting range. Every now and then, when I feel that my flint is getting a bit less sharp, I make a few strokes over the edge of the flint... You remove only some dust, and the edge of the flint remains straight. A bonus of this method is that the flints don't get that saw-like edge, and therefore the frizzen remains much smooter... Flint life prolongs for quit a bit... Try it out - it will cost you only the price of a flint or two, but the flints (and your frizzen) will last much longer! A win situation on the long run... Of course ... for the HC/PC people ... if you don't like this - so don't use it ... :v :hatsoff:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Well.....It was a thought....and a hope. Thanks
for the input...

That was my experience. If you have resources and access to a saw, worth a try. Most communities have a rock collectors club. I'll betcha you can find someone with a stone saw that will help you. Prove me wrong. :wink: A quartz gunflint would be very pretty.

 

[Don Steele]

Thank You.... :hatsoff:
I have a new "Doo-Dad" to shop for..!!
After reading your post, I did a quick search and find there are files specifically known as "files for glass". I suspect something like that might be just the thing. :hmm:
Once I find one with the best size and shape...I'll replace the plastic handle with a piece of Deer antler to drive the HC folks crazy..!! :rotf:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Thank You.... :hatsoff:
I have a new "Doo-Dad" to shop for..!!
After reading your post, I did a quick search and find there are files specifically known as "files for glass". I suspect something like that might be just the thing. :hmm:
Once I find one with the best size and shape...I'll replace the plastic handle with a piece of Deer antler to drive the HC folks crazy..!! :rotf:

Don, there are quite a few diamond grit tools on the market that can help with this project. I have a couple drums, about 2" diameter, that I use in my drill press to take off the humpies from new flints and have restored the edge on some sawn flints with it. Not expensive, shop around.

 

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

You are right about those drums! They work very well ... the advantage about the little files I talked about is that you can take them with you in your shooting pouch and use them on the range where you might have no power ...I

 

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

I like that ... a diamond file on a piece of deer antler or bone or something like that ... worth a try! :thumbsup:

 

[stubshaft]

I gotta give it a try too.

 

[Rifleman1776]

the advantage about the little files I talked about is that you can take them with you in your shooting pouch

Yep. That's how the original mountain men did it. :shocked2: :rotf:

 

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

.... put it in your pouch to the shooting range ... :shake:

 

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

... or put it in your shooting box to the range ... :v

 

[azmntman]

wal-mart bag :redface:

 

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

:haha: :thumbsup: