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FLINTS

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So how long does a flint last? (I have cap guns..)
Well....you're in luck. They last forever. You don't even need to keep 'em dry.

Now as to how many shots you'll get from a flint, it's variable. You might get one, which is rare. Or, you might get upwards of one hundred, with judicious knapping.
 
knapped a flint from a stone i found in my Late Fathers rock collection. no idea what it is but it is white and sparks well enough to fire my FL 20 times yesterday. i live also where it is 500 miles to the nearest chert deposits. most of our stone is granite.
Now that I have three flint rifles n one pistol. Where I live in Texas chert ( flint) is readly availabl. So far I have been able to pick up a 5 gal. bucket full from my front yard. YouTube helps, but if anyone can help. I would like some help on making my own gun flints.
 
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you can make your own but there is a learning curve and a lot of waist grey rock texas chert white oky
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No natural flint within about 500 miles or more. I'd love to find a spot where I could collect a few nodes and work on developing knapping skill. I know I can practice on beer bottles, but they don't spark worth a damn.

Nearly every place has something. Novaculite, jasper, agate, quartz, etc. will all spark. Though most of these may not be as durable as proper flint, they can keep you shooting in a pinch.
 
there are good vid... on making flints. every one that shoots a flinter should learn to make his own flints. i get most of my chert from my driveway.hard gravel rocks.throws good sparks.
 
One of the weekly ads from IMA (International Military Antiques) a couple of weeks ago said they were selling flints from that Nepalese cache by the pound. Seemed to be a mix from pistol to musket size, luck of the draw in a grab bag. I didn't order any, but you might check.
 
I piled up some flints over the years by padding small orders with a dozen flints to make it worth the postage. After a while I built up a decent inventory. Then last year after a conversation with a seller concerning his worry about a good supplier/knapper in Europe, I bought 200 while he had some. Money in the bank now.
 
Nice to know I'm not a bad guy :thumb: I have couple of flintlocks and like them but if you like revolvers:horseback: you are pretty much stuck with caps😅
one thing about caps, you don't get a flash in the pan. they are pretty Shure fire!
 
One of the weekly ads from IMA (International Military Antiques) a couple of weeks ago said they were selling flints from that Nepalese cache by the pound. Seemed to be a mix from pistol to musket size, luck of the draw in a grab bag. I didn't order any, but you might check.
thanks for the heads up. I allready gotten some of them. a bit pricy though.
 
I use QUARTZ ARROW HEADS that I find in the turf fields around my area. they rely through a shower oh sparks!
 
One of the weekly ads from IMA (International Military Antiques) a couple of weeks ago said they were selling flints from that Nepalese cache by the pound. Seemed to be a mix from pistol to musket size, luck of the draw in a grab bag. I didn't order any, but you might check.
I purchased a pound. Mostly Bess size but a few to fit my large siler lock. As a side note, bess flints will work in a Kibler colonial. Just have to offset rock away from your barrel.
 
I haven't bought flints is several years but have a very modest supply that should last a while. Quite a few years ago I bought a bag of old, mixed flints and still have many of them. The majority of them fit at least one of my rifles without doing anything to them. A few will need a bit of chipping. Some were black and some were amber and they all sparked well, that I've installed in locks that is.

I have some obsidian and used it in a couple of rifles just as a test. Sparked fairly well and gave a few shots then stopped. Obsidian doesn't make good flints at all.
 
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