Do I need to temper the frizzen?

[Model19]

I'm using a Davis english fowler lock, and have tested it and it sparks well as delivered. Do I need to temper or harden the frizzen though?
I have not loaded and shot the piece yet but have flashed two primer loads in testing and they touch off fine. The frizzen face shows very very shallow scrapes were the flint has struck it.

 

[nchawkeye]

I wouldn't, it sparks, no need to...The face should show where the flint hits, the flint flakes off little pieces of steel, that's what the sparks are...

 

[MSW]

if the lock sparks properly, and from your decsription it appears that this is the case, i would recommend against any modifications.

enjoy the sure shower of sparks, the smell of the smoke, and the strike of lead on target!

it ain't broke, so don't mess with it...

 

[54ball]

No.
Every new lock has a break in period. Just make sure your flints are reasonably straight across the frizzen face. You want to avoid a single area of contact, a pointed flint or too small a flint.

Sometimes especially with a new lock, where the flint strikes, it will leave horizontal lines. This is normal but sometimes it will dig in and roughen the face of the frizzen.

Do nothing to it now. It should do fine.

Later if you find it consistently eats flints, the face of the frizzen may be too rough.

The cure is simple, polish the face of the frizzen with fine emery cloth to give the flint a smooth surface to make it's strike instead of "digging in".

 

[Model19]

Thanks for the advice. I'll leave it be. Can't wait to touch it off for real soon!