Flint

[PA.1740]

What is the best way for the flint to be up or down?
Phil

 

[Keb]

Yup.
Seriously. What ever works best. I favor bevel down. But that depends on which lock I'm talking about.

 

[Fred_Dwyer]

It depends on the individual lock and the individual flint. There's no rule, except that your lock has its' own likes or dislikes.

 

[roundball]

What is the best way for the flint to be up or down?
Phil

You approach it from the point of view of how the flint contacts the face of the frizzen.
You want your flint in the jaws in whichever way it best allows the edge to strike the frizzen at a very slightly downward angle at the moment of impact.
You don't want the edge of the flint to be hitting the frizzen straight on / square...and as others have said, the bevel might be up or down depending on the size of the flint and the particular lock design you're using, to achieve that.
Just try them both and see which position gives you the best angle of attack into the frizzen so to speak, as that normally results in the best sparks / flint life / reliability.

As an example, using Tom Fuller 3/4"W x 7/8"L black engish flints in TC locks and Jim Chambers deluxe siler locks, "bevel up" always gives me the best performance.
BUT...even that awareness has to be tempered as you go along...as the flint wears shorter from use and/or knapping, it's arc will have it impacting the frizzen lower and lower.
Eventually it's performance will fall off, and at that time I flip the flint over so it's bevel down which raises the leading edge of the flint back up a little to a more optimum impact location.

 

[rich pierce]

For some reason many English locks like them bevel down.

 

[StewartLeach]

That's the Sasenachs for you, Rich. They will boil a steak, and drink their beer warm.

White Fox, proud descendant of Ulster Scots.