Economy is

[don hepler]

I only hand pick flints. There is a lot to consider, such as how fragile does the edge look, are there any cracks, how parallel is the top and bottom. I can look at a flint and determine if it will give good service or is a piece of junk. I carry a small gage in my pocket and place the flint in it, which helps me sort out the length, thickness, etc.

So far....vendors have let me pick thru. I guess they sell the rest to the people who don't have a clue.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Where does one get a "diamond stone"....?

They are becoming more common. I bought a three grade set from Grizzly last year for about $20.00. Offhand don't remember, but I did a search and found a source for a diamond drum that I use in my drill press. Mostly I use it to remove those awful 'humpies' on many of the black flints that are sold these days.

 

[Rifleman1776]

So if a flint is good for 20 average shots and they sell for 2 to 2.50 per flint ... this is from8 to 10 bucks per 100 flash's whereas caps sell for 6.50 for 100 and cheaper for quantity and i get ignition EVERY TIME with no flash in the pan

Don't know wat yer point is. :idunno:
This is a do yer own thang game. Ye don't like flint? Use a cap gun. But, think about it, no avocation these days is cheap. Consider photography, woodworking, etc. Investment is a major part of those activities. Pick yer own pizzen.

 

[Rifleman1776]

good sawn (agate usually) flints should be in the conversation- the most readily available being the TC "Premium" ones.

They are easily good for 250 shots. They are also somewhat easier to knap in some ways, though I just use a coarse diamond stone when I get home.

I like yer reply. Usually I stand alone in defense of sawn flints. However, the qualification, which you used, is "good" . There are some out there which are pretty pitiful. The ones I used were Gunter Stifter's from Germany. He uses a variety of stones and all work well and last a very long time. BTW, I have also used (tested) sawn flints made from novaculite, ceramic, quartz and probably others. Unsatisfactory results from all.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

The only gun I have had that ate flints in an average of 20 shots was a TC hawken. My early Northstar tradegun went several hundred shots without changing flints. If your guns eats flints like that, it is bashing flints and something is not right with your flints, lock, hammer, or the way you have the flint mounted. perhaps the frizzen spring not polished, or too strong, crappy flints, hammer at the wrong angle, frizzen too soft, a host of possibilities.

 

[Tom Compton]

So if a flint is good for 20 average shots and they sell for 2 to 2.50 per flint ... this is from8 to 10 bucks per 100 flash's whereas caps sell for 6.50 for 100 and cheaper for quantity and i get ignition EVERY TIME with no flash in the pan

What lock are you using? What flints? What size?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I shoot a flintlock because it is way sexier, I enjoy the challenge and the 1700s interest me more than the 1800s. Percussion is a superior ignition, history has already shown that, but again if I wanted ”˜better’ ... I'd shoot cartridges and smokeless.

LOVE IT - best quote of the new year!

 

[timothy prouty]

Try to go to Amazon and get some Flint rocks they are about$30to60 dollar and learn how to Knapp and you will have all the Flint you can use they are15lbs

 

[AlanG]

Clyde- they are readily available anywhere. I use a very aggressive 220 grit 12" 3m stone- it makes quick work of sawn flints. A smaller diamond file or stones will work, just get the coarsest available- I just have lots of sharpening stuff because of the business i am/was in.

Though part of me thinks you were being a bit of a wise a-s because I said diamond and stone in the same sentence!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Where does one get a "diamond stone"....?

They are becoming more common. I bought a three grade set from Grizzly last year for about $20.00. Offhand don't remember, but I did a search and found a source for a diamond drum that I use in my drill press. Mostly I use it to remove those awful 'humpies' on many of the black flints that are sold these days.

Went to our local Harbor Freight today (for something else) and noticed they have a good selection of diamond grit sharpeners.

 

[Bo T]

Another alternative is CBN.

 

[Brokennock]

Maybe. Depends. On what? Well, not sure, any combination of things I guess. I get a lot more shots than that from a flint. And, have a LOT more failures to fire and delayed ignition with my caplocks than either of my flinter. Not to mention the cost of caps that don't even get the chance to fail. Dropped (I hate fooling with those little things) caps, wet caps (flint gets wet, it will still work later), old caps....
Not saying flinter, or the people who shoot them, are better, not trying to proselytize and convert (so, certain folks, don't go getting your knickers in a twist), just that these things seem to work differently for different shooters/guns.

There seems to be very few absolutes in this endeavor of ours.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

good sawn (agate usually) flints should be in the conversation- the most readily available being the TC "Premium" ones.

I've tried them several times, ..., Never..., had them work as well as actually knapped, English flints. Tried them in TC locks, CVA locks, Pedersoli Locks, L&R Locks, Davis locks, and Chambers locks.

:idunno:

LD

 

[don hepler]

Funny thing about the sawn agate flints, I have a pistol that will only work with them. Might just be due to the size. All my other guns, I use regular flints.