Battlefield Pickup Flint

Wouldn't it be cool to find an actual dropped archeological flint at a Rev War or maybe F&I War site, and use it in your own modern flintlock at least once? Has anyone done that? Of course you have to be careful not to find a loose flint from a re-enactment!

If it’s found in a national park it would be illegal to remove.

In 1971 , on the old west bound Kittanning Indian trader path , just passed Chest Springs , Pa., an acquaintance said he was crossing Chest Creek at a gravel bed in the trail , and found a handful of English flints, in the gravel. He brought some of the flints to a m/l shoot to ask folks about them , and they sure looked old to me......

I found a broken rifle flint near an old mill site along the Natchez Trace here in Tennessee. By broken, I mean the edge was dulled beyond further use.

My father found a flint while weeding in our yard in Bergen County NJ back in the sixties. Since I was into rock collecting at the time he gave it to me and I still have it. It's a small pistol size light color French flint. I will try to dig it out and take a picture.

The New York metro area, especially New Jersey was crisscrossed again and again by British and American armies as well as by Loyalist and Patriot militias. It's not uncommon to find flints.

That’s to cool Mike, I grew up in Middlesex co. NJ

I knew a couple who were off the charts on the life they led, living off the grid on the gulf, small scale commercial fishing, running a salvage company diving on suken wrecks, hunting from Alaska to Mexico, they did it all.

They found one wreck that they dove on for years and never found any treasures, they did find they usual bottles, plates and remnants of armaments.

I did something nice for them but I don't remember what, they gave me a gunflint they recovered from the wreck with a certificate of authenticity.

I have often thought of putting it in my 12ga English fowler and taking a few shots with it but haven't so far.

Pete G said:

If it’s found in a national park it would be illegal to remove.

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Only if you get caught, so mine are legal

oldwood said:

In 1971 , on the old west bound Kittanning Indian trader path , just passed Chest Springs , Pa., an acquaintance said he was crossing Chest Creek at a gravel bed in the trail , and found a handful of English flints, in the gravel. He brought some of the flints to a m/l shoot to ask folks about them , and they sure looked old to me......

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True but really a new flint is also old.

Mike Gordon said:

My father found a flint while weeding in our yard in Bergen County NJ back in the sixties. Since I was into rock collecting at the time he gave it to me and I still have it. It's a small pistol size light color French flint. I will try to dig it out and take a picture.

The New York metro area, especially New Jersey was crisscrossed again and again by British and American armies as well as by Loyalist and Patriot militias. It's not uncommon to find flints.

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Here are some photos of my flint that my father found almost fifty years ago.

I found a flint in a field, near the sciota river in Ohio a while back, I’ll have to dig it up.

At one time you could buy salvaged antique flints from Dixie Gun Works, that even came with a certificate with information on the ship they came from.

duca said:

That’s to cool Mike, I grew up in Middlesex co. NJ

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And, I grew up in Burlington Co., NJ

My Dad found a lot of arrowheads in different fields around the area, and also a large stone axe head among the gravel along the shore of the Delaware River up in the Delaware River Gap.

Years ago I found a used English gun flint in an Indian campfire here in the Texas panhandle. Sure enough from the Brandon quarry.

I've heard if guys firing actual civil war bullets, but never anyone finding and using flint. If I ever do, I'd be tempted to try it at least once. Would be cool to take a deer with it.

oldwood said:

and they sure looked old to me

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All flint is "old". Really, I believe some things simply cannot be dated. e.g. There are many flint knappers today who make and sell arrow heads that cannot be distinguished from a 200 year old pick up. If an arrow head is found in a creek bed, one can be reasonably sure it is old but there is no way to prove it to others.

IMA was selling “ old “ flint by the pound. Bought them , tried them. Most had smooth edges so I believe they were used ones.

I think it was about 15 years ago that TOTW was tossing in three Napoleonic War musket flints with each order. They were a little dirty and mostly dull. I still have them. Tried them on a D. Aune striker and they still spark if I find a sharp edge.