The flint that does not fail

[Robby]

I grew up in the bush, no the Aborigines used shards of this and that, not Flint in the conventional sense.
The only known location for a Flint source is near Mount Gambier in South Australia, but no-one there knaps Gun Flints which is a specialist skill, I know a few very practical fellas who've tried Flint knapping and gave up.

You defeat yourself before you begin.
Robby

 

[ohio ramrod]

I used Rich's flints when he was knapping them and really liked them. But The way I see it, the roller flint is just another version of the wheel lock, which is older than flintlocks. Since I always wanted to make a wheel lock, I'll try to make a roller flint and give it a try.

 

[Historian]

It’s my nature at 78 to think outside the box. All a flint needs to be is sharp to scrape off a bit of metal so fast it becomes red hot. Thinking of those who cannot get hold of flints I thought I might try one of those inserts for lathe cutting tools And Wow so successful

"inserts for lathe cutting tools" what is this tool you are describing and how did you make it sir? I am real curious and interested. Thanks!
Rob

 

[Boomerang]

"inserts for lathe cutting tools" what is this tool you are describing and how did you make it sir? I am real curious and interested. Thanks!
Rob

That would be a carbide lathe insert. Something like this: https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/37817822

 

[Davey Boy]

Since I am knapping impaired and considered to be a good machinist. I think I will be making one of those to try.Flints are going up in costs as are caps. I have a good supply of powder and lead so I'll give it a try as soon as i get back into the shop after my upcoming back surgery.

I am new to flint and bought some from Track of the Wolf

I expect I would not be good at knapping, got napping down well though.

I use diamond abrasive tooling for some projects and wondered how flint would react to shaping. Tool pressure would be nill as I do not not make heavy cuts, never more than 0.010" and usually 0 .001-0.003"

If flint needs to be shattered in the knapping process to reveal stable material, then it would not work using diamond abrasive

 

[Rifleman1776]

I use diamond abrasive tooling for some projects and wondered how flint would react to shaping.

Works but is a lot of time consuming work and the diamond tools can wear out rather quickly. You can reduce, or eliminate, the frustration factor by just using good black English flint. Have worked reliably for centuries and still do. Why mess with success? (just joking, we all experiment and try things, my 'flint' of choice for decades were sawn German stones)

 

[Coinneach]

Really, and how ?

 

[rick1964]

man 50 plus years since the buckskinning movement and people still using the if they'd of had it they'd of used it response to using gadgets and modern devices for traditional muzzleloading a flint gun built correct with quality parts doesn't need gadgets if it doesn't shoot then its you ! and you need to practice

 

[Tumbledown]

man 50 plus years since the buckskinning movement and people still using the if they'd of had it they'd of used it response to using gadgets and modern devices for traditional muzzleloading a flint gun built correct with quality parts doesn't need gadgets if it doesn't shoot then its you ! and you need to practice

Yup. If they had cars, they would have used them instead of horses. If they had grocery stores, they wouldn't have to hunt so much. If they had TP, they wouldn't have to use (well, you get the idea.)

 

[French Colonial]

If they had TP, they wouldn't have to use (well, you get the idea.)

Poison Ivy?

 

[Tumbledown]

Poison Ivy?

 

[Historian]

That would be a carbide lathe insert. Something like this: https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/37817822

Ok, but what would you use to shape it to make it usable as a gun Flint? A grinder? That's the next question.

 

[denster]

Ok, but what would you use to shape it to make it usable as a gun Flint? A grinder? That's the next question.

No need to shape it just clamp in the jaws squared up to the frizzen. Also you have eight edges per insert to work with.

 

[Historian]

Really, and how ?

Sir, I feel your predicament down there in Australia. Is there no way you can import a few hundred at a time? Maybe a major purchase but anything is better than nothing at all. Right before the Covid 19 manure hit hard I bought 100 flints from TOW. Now I am glad I did.

 

[Kansas Kid]

You all please post some pictures of your frizzens after using carbide machine tool inserts. Not to mention the damage to the 10 to 20 dollar insert..

 

[Historian]

Never used one before so I do not know sir. I am speaking more about emergency situations.

 

[Coinneach]

Sir, I feel your predicament down there in Australia. Is there no way you can import a few hundred at a time? Maybe a major purchase but anything is better than nothing at all. Right before the Covid 19 manure hit hard I bought 100 flints from TOW. Now I am glad I did.

Fortunately I recently re-discovered a plastic box of Brandon Flints hidden among my old things, there must be around 100 plus Flints there, but I only use Flints for live firing; wooden dummy "flints" for dry firing save considerable waste.

Still interested in a good supplier though, and stocking up more.

 

[Woody Morgan]

You all please post some pictures of your frizzens after using carbide machine tool inserts. Not to mention the damage to the 10 to 20 dollar insert..

I imagine the frizzen scrape would be as smooth as the insert. They aren't "toothed" like knapped flints.
Quite to the contrary.

wm

 

[Buckskinn]

I guess it works, but it's an eyesore... Reminds me of the guys who have their headlights secured with duct tape.

 

[Steve Martin]

You shoot flint for the love of shooting flint, otherwise buy a cap lock or an unmentionable. Getting a flintlock tuned and shooting well is actually part of the whole process of learning to shoot flintlocks. The history and the mechanics and function of the guns is what drew me to them to start with so I don't understand the idea of re-designing the lock or flint for "reliability". You certainly can do so of course but then you are not shooting a "flintlock". Just my 2 cents.