Flint Ridge, Ohio

[GANGGREEN]

I've never really shot a lot and as such, never found the need to replace or repair a ton of flints, so I never really learned to knap. I've recently retired and I do shoot more than I used to, but still can't imagine going through much more than a handful of flints a year, maybe a dozen tops. That said, I love to gather. I like to make things from stuff that I find. I only recently learned about Flint Ridge in Ohio and because I'll be travelling to visit my son in Louisville in early October, I'll likely try to stop at the Nether's Farm and mine some flint material while there.

Can anyone tell me if there's something specific that I should look for, a certain color of flint, a certain shape or a certain way that it should flake off if it's of knapping quality. Am I likely to get decent quality flints for my muzzleloaders or would I be better off finding one piece as a keepsake and to continue to purchase French or English flints? Finally, should I get or make some knapping tools and try to make my own or is there someone who will take the raw flint that I find and make me a few dozen decent 5/8 and 3/4" flints? As I said, a few dozen flints will likely last me a long time, but I have at least a few friends that I'd share them with and I've built (and am building) guns for my sons and would like to give them each half a dozen Flint Ridge flints if they're of decent quality.

Finally, if anyone's in the area, are there other sights and events that I should see in or around Louisville? We'll likely do a bourbon tour or two, will take advantage of some of the downtown restaurants and my wife and son want to see the Ark Adventure and the museum that I guess are an hour or so away, but is there anything frontier history related? Anything muzzleloader related that I should take the time to find? Thanks in advance for any advice or input...

 

[ohio ramrod]

Flint from flint ridge have been found in all 48 main land states the native americans traded for it as it was considered the best. When I was a kid some people from Ohio State University spent a week in our area looking for the site of a Wyndot village. Every kid in the neighborhood knew it was in Wandel's woods. They were excited to find some flint shards and were going to come back the next year to to some serious excavations. We thought we would make them some "points" to find. We discovered it is not easy to knap flints! I have had two serious knappers try to teach me how to knap flints but I am knapping impaired.

 

[GANGGREEN]

Which is precisely why I wouldn't be opposed to paying someone to knap a few dozen flints for me, but I really don't have a clue what to gather, how much to gather, how large a flake is needed for a single flint, etc. etc.. Looking forward to gathering some even if it just ends up sitting on a bookshelf or something.

Flint from flint ridge have been found in all 48 main land states the native americans traded for it as it was considered the best. When I was a kid some people from Ohio State University spent a week in our area looking for the site of a Wyndot village. Every kid in the neighborhood knew it was in Wandel's woods. They were excited to find some flint shards and were going to come back the next year to to some serious excavations. We thought we would make them some "points" to find. We discovered it is not easy to knap flints! I have had two serious knappers try to teach me how to knap flints but I am knapping impaired.

 

[Nutnfancy]

I have a cousin in Xenia, Ohio who goes to Flint Ridge at the time to get flint for his flintlock. He said they sell it by the pound and from what I saw of his supply he has made several trips, must have close to a hundred pounds of it. I gave me some for fire starter kits and they spark pretty good, have started more than one brush fire with them.

 

[GANGGREEN]

Well, I'm hoping that someone who's actually made flints from them will have some advice, but if not I'll probably give a review this fall after I go there.

 

[AZbpBurner]

Too many irons in the fire & too many projects on the workbench to bother with trying to develop the skill to properly knap flints - you either have what it takes, or you don't - I don't. I already cast several sized of RB's and conicals, and found it easier to just order my Fuller rifle & musket flints from ToTW.
I've got enough to last me the rest of my life.

 

[Rudyard]

TOTW must have bought tons of flints as Tom Fuller packed up years ago I called in one time he had just one flint gun and was'nt sure which way the flint should fit. But that's down to the lock so fair enough .Whether the Ohio flint is flint or a chert I no not. But true flint comes in a matrix of chalk presumably from very ancient sea beds .Sea shells on Mount Everest That sort of ancient !. There is a very good article in ' Frontier guns' ? big soft cover book with an Indian on the cover put out by Martha Hamliton. from memory & a Seymore De Lotbinairy section on mining & knapping flints he was seemingly the Squire of Brandon and extensively studied the flint industry . I would send him any variant flint I came across since I travelled quite a bit. He once sent me a flint so perfect that you would think it was cast !. If you could afford a Manton you expected the best in flints no doubt . I lugged them accross the pond in thousands but never as nice as that' Best 'flint .
Rudyard






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