Flint

[Crow#21957]

I played around and messed up my flint. I have quite a few black snd amber color.
Didn't know if I was going to get it right or not. It either hit the frizzen straight on or way low and wouldn't knock frizzen open. The worst thing was all the flints look the same size as old one side by side. I turned them flipped them held v them out a little to make the work as if they were longer. Ended up getting it but the flint is upsidedown.
Lowering the hammer the flint hits 3/4the way up and the hammer/flint have a slight angle downward. Is it always like this?
Large siler
Flints are 3/4 wide and 7/8 long (correct) for lock?
The one on right was original and I knapped it once successfully and then today messed it up.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

No right or wrong way to do it. Go with what ever works.

 

[rchas]

With the hammer on halfcock and the frizzen closed, the flint should just barely touching the frizzen

 

[Cruzatte]

I can't see the underside of the flint on the far right. But my hunch tells me it might be salvageable.

 

[Crow#21957]

Almost touching at half cock seems like alot. My flint at half cock is a good 3/4 in. Away from the frizzen but it works good and ignites the pan fast.

 

[deerstalkert]

Crow, can you post a picture of the lock with flint mounted in the cock jaws and the lock at half cocked and one at full cocked?
will really help us give you the wrong answer.
none of my cocks hold the flint 3/4 " away even at full cock.

 

[Crow#21957]

Here ya go full cock,, half cock,, and at rest on frizzen.

 

[Crow#21957]

I'm learning all the time. I appreciate the help.

 

[deerstalkert]

OK. you can use those flints but you need to put something behind them to move them closer to the frizzen. when in the fired position the flint should be pointing down into the center of the pan. IF the last picture is the cock in the fired position you have problems.
best solution is to get longer flint.

 

[Crow#21957]

Fired position here

 

[deerstalkert]

put a solid spacer behind the flint or get flint longer than those.
nice rifle!

 

[Crow#21957]

New frame. Just change flint. Looking at it it's like this flint is guiding the sparks down to the center of pan.Rchas it seemed weird to me but I believe you are right. I've got a weird one I guess. With that position it cand sling the frizzen open. But I've read that can be a different problem.thanks

 

[deerstalkert]

note the distance from the cock screw to the back of your flint. add that to the length of your current flint and you will have the optimum length for flints .
if you can put something between the screw and the back of the flint it will keep the flint from creeping back when in use.

 

[hanshi]

Your particular lock has poor geometry; the flint should be only around 1/8" from the frizzen face at half cock. Yes, moving the flint farther out by putting something behind it might help. As long as the flint hits the frizzen at an angle of, oh, somewhere around 60 degrees (+ or -) it should work. The cock goes too far back for a proper lock IMHO.

 

[Crow#21957]

There's no way it would even work if I rotated the hammer forward to the next flat-footed the shsft it's on right. Dumb question I know.This is a large siler that came from pecatonica with a kit. Why would they sell stuff like that. Is there anyone that would tune the lock and correct what geometry that could be corrected?
Thanks

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

He's doing fine by what I see in the pictures. If he puts a spacer behind the flint the jaws will not hold the flint. Many of you folks are using L&R locks that have too short of throw. His Siler lock has excellent geometry.

 

[Crow#21957]

Well thankyou Comfortably_Numb
I got the flint in the way I wanted. If I put it out close to the frizzen at halfcock then it wouldn't open the frizzen. I found one of the small screws in the lock was slightly rubbing the backside of hammer. Cured that.Then I found hammer excessively hard to cock.Could cock it but it was heavy. Found lock just to dirty inside from the build. Cleaned and oiled. Everything is doing ok for now.

 

[Sidney Smith]

With the hammer on halfcock and the frizzen closed, the flint should just barely touching the frizzen

This depends on the lock and or flint size. My large Siler locks all have a slight gap between the flint and frizzen at half cock. Same holds true with the queen Anne style lock on my smoothbore. The recommended flints are 3/4 X 7/8 for both..

 

[Crow#21957]

I was going to attatch video of primed lock and unprimed being fired but it's like the site won't allow them.

 

[Jason holgate]

Great post