How many shots can you get-When you have a GREAT flint ?

[Ponderosaman]

I have no flintlock, but reading this thread makes me think of using pens. I don’t believe I have ever used all the ink in one pen. For this reason if/when I get a flintlock, I can’t imagine using one flint to exhaustion.

 

[tenngun]

I have no flintlock, but reading this thread makes me think of using pens. I don’t believe I have ever used all the ink in one pen. For this reason if/when I get a flintlock, I can’t imagine using one flint to exhaustion.

I dread tha klach, and I’ve never had a misfire hunting
After a few shots I tap the edge
If I get a klach I retap, if it happens in the next few I change flints. There is no fun in iffy ignition
I sure wouldn’t be surprised if some one could sharpen flints a whole lot better then I do and make ‘em last a lot longer, but I would trust my flinters to fire when needed.

 

[#blackpowderbill]

The most shots I had on one flint in my Deerhunter rifle was 150, and the most on my Trapper pistol was 169. Both usually get about 75.

And those both have Traditions locks which I'm told are junk.

I do kind of nurse my flints, only knapping them when they start to cause misfires, and moving them forward as needed till they are too short to properly hit the frizzen. If I have a no spark misfire I'll use an alcohol wipe on the frizzen and flint first which often does the trick. Knapping is a last resort if that doesn't work.

I don't hunt so an occasional misfire isn't a big deal.

YES !!!
This flint was hand knapped and as long as we could make it when cocked set to fire.

 

[#blackpowderbill]

Factory flint between hand knapped. That thin straight knife sharp edge on the store bought looks nice but will chip crooked the first or second hit.

The knapped has a thicker taper to the edge and if you can see it has teeth. These teeth bite into the frizzen and IMO create more spark with a smaller edge.

Headed out to hunt.
TTYL

 

[DuncNZ]

View attachment 110380
Factory flint between hand knapped. That thin straight knife sharp edge on the store bought looks nice but will chip crooked the first or second hit.

The knapped has a thicker taper to the edge and if you can see it has teeth. These teeth bite into the frizzen and IMO create more spark with a smaller edge.

Headed out to hunt.
TTYL

Your "factory" flint is indeed hand knapped . I find that "store bought " flints wear evenly unless the flint isn't lined up with the frizzen properly , or is loose or the frizzen isn't properly and evenly hardened .

 

[Art Caputo]

I agree with comments that the lock and flint “combination” determines the the flint life/reliable ignition.. I think the longest life I gotten from a flint on the rare occasions I have knapped and adjusted to try to extend the life, was at 40-60 strikes before I decided to change flints…and I’m not sure how many more reliable ignitions would have been possible, but the cost/benefit doesn’t line up for me. Being exclusively a hunter, most all of my shooting is for load testing, practice, in preparation for a hunt. Most all of my flint supply and new purchases are Fuller(or similarly styled black English flints) in a particular size, and it’s orientation in the lock well understood to easily achieve reliable ignition for the particular hunting rifle for at least 20-30 shots or so before the flint is replaced, with the used one tossed into a bag for any practice, testing, or the possibility of commercially available flints becoming an issue, and restoration becoming necessity.

 

[waksupi]

Knapping technique probably depends on flint life more than anything. If you are hammering away at the edge of the flint so it looks like a rat chewed it off, no, you won't get many shots.
I have a piece of brass flat stock around 3/16" X 3/4" X 3". I put the edge of the brass on the front few thousandths of the worn flint edge, and strike straight down with a small hammer to take off a very thin section of flint.
If you do it correctly, and if your lock is a good one, a flint will last a long time for you. If you have a cheap lock with poor geometry, they will be rock eaters no matter what you do.

 

[#blackpowderbill]

The term' skinflint 'derives from you fellows . There was a parralel term "Not worth a gun flint "& I believe' Tinhorn' refers to some City shooters metal powder Flask rather than the Rustics Cow horn flask .Iv'e never known anyone get such shooting from one flint . & Iv.e been around flintlocks a long time . Rudyard

Several who have replied have gone quite a ways. I know another individual who'd run his down to nub.
I've watched a lot of mistakes over the years.

 

[hanshi]

It's difficult for me to come up with figures for flint life in my flint locks. It's because being frugal cheap I save all used flints for later "freshening" and use. There've been a few that self knapped and kept on "trucking". One spectacular flint self knapped, and as it neared 100 shots I stopped counting. Eventually it became so tiny there was no way to hold it in the cock. I still have what's left of it. There've also been flints that quit before I could reach five shots. While a new flint is always installed at the beginning of hunting season, I like to use old ones at the range when I can.

When a FTF happens I will wipe the edge and try again. If that doesn't work I will gently scrape the top and bottom of the leading edge. Normally that's good for a few more shots. After that I start knapping-in-the-cock. That's usually good for anywhere from just a few to many more shots. Never had good luck with "cut" flints but black English, French amber and white flints seem to be about equal. But if I had to make a guess on average flint life, it would be; 30 before anything needed to be done and 50 when given even a little bit of attention.

 

[DuncNZ]

I used to chip along the edge of the flint with the back of my patch knife , while the flint was in the jaws , Now I just change the flint and re knap it by putting it in a vice and chipping off small spalls all along the edge using a punch and hammer knapping kit i once won as a blanket prize . I had a cut jasper flint which self knapped , the edge would all chip away then I'd turn it over and off we would go again , until the flint wore down to a nubbin , I miss that little red and green flint . I preset my flints by super gluing the leather to the flint at home , then I don't have to worry about getting everything set up at the range or in the field if I have a flint snap in half .

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Never counted. I shoot all season, then nap them when needed, and change them when they get too short.
Another Chambers lock, tuned and polished by old man Rice, God rest his soul.

 

[#blackpowderbill]

. I preset my flints by super gluing the leather to the flint at home , then I don't have to worry about getting everything set up at the range or in the field if I have a flint snap in half .

Gluing,
It's nice not having to fumble around on the range to drop in a new flint & leather.

 

[#blackpowderbill]

I was at a shoot one day I was trying to beat on this Flint to get a new edge on it.
Fellow shooter and a friend who was a machinist comes up to me and hands me this little tool.
One edge just little chips, big edge big chips. Just set it right down the edge, tap it easy & it will flake right off.

Stainless steel

 

[DuncNZ]

Gluing,
It's nice not having to fumble around on the range to drop in a new flint & leather.

I had a new flint snap in half on the range one day and being unprepared I had to find the correct size flint and leather then set it up again . I got a big ration of " Flintlocks are unreliable " etc so after that I decided to do the glue trick .

 

[#blackpowderbill]

How about lubrication?
Inside the lock clean & grease.
Dozens of locks & even on suppository firearms dry ,fouled & galled bearing surfaces.
Causing locks to slow down,or fail.
Rough edges not cleaned up.

 

[DuncNZ]

I was at a shoot one day I was trying to beat on this Flint to get a new edge on it.
Fellow shooter and a friend who was a machinist comes up to me and hands me this little tool.
Eagles a small lady just little chips big edges big chips he goes just run it right down the edge, tap it easy & it will flake right off.
View attachment 110582
Stainless steel

That is sort of what I have but mine is smaller and needs a hammer . I stopped knapping in the hammer jaws as I had been told that can damage the notches in the tumbler or sear tip

 

[#blackpowderbill]

I had a new flint snap in half on the range one day and being unprepared I had to find the correct size flint and leather then set it up again . I got a big ration of " Flintlocks are unreliable " etc so after that I decided to do the glue trick .

Yea heard that one a few times.
Then five minutes later the guy who ran off at the mouth dry balled for a second time in two shots.

 

[DuncNZ]

How about lubrication?
Inside the lock clean & grease.
Dozens of locks & even on suppository firearms dry ,fouled & galled bearing surfaces.
Causing locks to slow down,or fail.
Rough edges not cleaned up.

My complete firearm is cleaned and lubed after each shoot , lock internals , the whole thing

 

[johnfrommd]

Shooting for money are you mate?

 

[Surfinator58]

Flints used to only last one or two shots on my India made fusee ,mainspring measured 40 lbs of pressure,after that I Recontoured the springs and the lock geometry now I get about 40 to 50 on a French amber flint