Wiping frizze and flint with alcohol

Been thinking about wiping the frizzen and flint after each shot with alcohol to keep fouling from the pan flash from building up on them which I have suspicions of effecting spark production.
What think Ye?

Not necessary.
Both will work through many-many shots with a decent lock. If cleaning is necessary I use my spit dampened thumb. Tastes great. :blah:

Yuck!!!!!! :rotf: Thinking in terms of competitive string firing. Mike D.

I do wipe out my pan and wipe off my flint after a few shots, but I only use a small dry cotton rag that I carry in my shot bag.

I wipe the barrel with alcohol and the flint and pan at competitive shoots. It has worked great for me for many years.

Jim

M.D. said:

Been thinking about wiping the frizzen and flint after each shot with alcohol to keep fouling from the pan flash from building up on them which I have suspicions of effecting spark production.
What think Ye?

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Considering that you'll get everything from, "Not necessary" to "It's a must", why not just try it? It will cost you nothing. IMO

Au contraire. I've tried it.

Smelling even dried bourbon that's only a few inches from your nose when you're shouldering your flintlock longun is a terrible distraction. I went back to drinking it and spit-wiping a gross flint and pan with a rag on a busy day where the brush just ain't cuttin' it any more...

You're kidding us, right. I've fired over 300 rounds, without wiping, in a row, with not one failure to fire. L&R Manton. Sometimes ya gotta think out side the box/old wives tales!!! Follow your own trail!!! Yur gun will tell you what it wants!! Trust it!!!!!!!!!!

I don't see where it hurts any thing once in a while. I usually have one with me if shooting a bunch. Larry

I did just that this afternoon and found that the thing that really worked well on my gun was to wipe the underside of the flint edge after each shot as it was black with fouling.
Keeping it clean and dry made for much quicker and more reliable ignition.
Wiping the frizzen didn't seem to improve anything but the underside of the flint edge was a different story.
Makes sense when you think about it as the frizzen pops up and away but the flint nose stops just above the flaming pan. Mike D.

I've never noticed any difference by wiping or not wiping flint or frizzen. I only wipe when there is a lot of crud build up, and only then just because I feel I should, whether it really matters or not. What I have noticed is that if I pick the vent after loading, it makes a 50/50 risk for a hang fire. I only pick when I cannot easily blow air out through the vent. But that's just my experience. Not saying right or wrong, good or bad. I agree with Ft. Jefferson.

I take a wetted patch with water, wipe down the frizzen, then flint, then the portion of the frizzen that cover the pan, then the pan. Then I use a dry patch to wipe dry.

I keep the dry patch and use it as the wet patch.

I do this every 3rd shot or so.

A big difference is playing with powder amount. Less powder can be better than more. Too much pan powder makes a mess and causes ignition problems.

That mucky black mess contains moisture. Which reduces the flame temperature. Also, dirty surfaces do not reflect heat.

Less than the best locks materials and design need clean surfaces much more.

A cleaning rag can be one of the most important accessories you bring with you.

I whipe when its so hot out in between shots theres moisture in the pan and on frizzen but usually just use a dry cloth from the bag.

In a match, I wipe frizzen,rock,and pan in that order with one of those prepackaged alcohol wipes between every shot. I know, I know...compared to some folks, that might be considered just a little much..it's not necessary, etc. I want every shot to see the same conditions. That applies to every aspect of the shot...ball, powder, patch, barrel condition (i.e.:level of fouling), amount of compression AND..ignition.
Shooting in high heat and humidity in South Georgia and Florida a lot of wet crud accumulates. I have no idea how long I could go without wiping, and don't feel the need to find out.

Shooting in high heat and humidity in South Georgia and Florida a lot of wet crud accumulates. I have no idea how long I could go without wiping, and don't feel the need to find out.

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We all have our personal routings and mantras when shooting. I understand the mud situation in humid weather. Sometimes I just wipe with my fingers, other times I'll use a flannel cleaning patch. Necessary or not, it is part of the routine. This is a do yer own thang game. Carry on. :v

now, I don't do it like DonSteele, but then again, I don't shoot in matches, and if I did, I would certainly give his system a try.

consistency breeds repeatability, which is accuracy with fancy spelling...

then again, I never could spell tu gud ...

Well if I were you I'd at leest wipe betweene shots with my hawkins, strt with de frizin then the flent and lastley the pann. :blah:

I have not shot my flint in a while but recall I would wipe down with a moist patch every 4-5 shots. Thing eats flints. After reviewing several tips here I will soon take out again and see if I can get it "tuned". It was very very accurate, breaking clays at 90 yds repeatedly last time out. just ran outta flints (not knowing one could "knapp") and didn't pick up any more. Now have some and will be back out....maybe I too will be consumed into the dark side?

I can usually been seen drinking the alcohol, I cant see much sense in wasting it on the frizzen, it won't care.

There's only one historically correct way to do it, as John James Audubon describes.

Audubon and His Journals. Vol. II by Maria Audubon, Deer Hunting, pg. 468

"He has reached the declivity, upon which the sun shines in all its growing splendor; but mark him! he takes the gun from his shoulder, has already thrown aside the leathern cover of the lock, and is wiping the edge of the flint with his tongue."

Spence

Guess that would work if one dips his tongue in alcohol first! :rotf: MD