Frizzen covers

[olgreenhead]

When did they come into play ? What was the reason for them? Was it safty from sparking,how many folks use them .

 

[roundball]

When did they come into play ? What was the reason for them? Was it safty from sparking,how many folks use them .

Actually known as "Hammer Stalls" (frizzen covers is a modern day contrivance) they are indeed a safety to prevent accidental ignition from a hammer prematurely falling onto a closed frizzen of a loaded flintlock. I use them on every Flintlock I use for hunting.

Imagine chambering a cartridge into a Remington 700 and closing the bolt...you have just now cocked that rifle, and there is a safety to prevent the firing pin from ever touching the primer until the trigger is actually pulled.

A "Hammer Stall" on a Flintlock prvides the same protection...when I get on stand, I prime the rifle, close the frizzen, slip on the thick leather 'Hammer Stall', then cock the rifle.

I am then sitting there with a loaded deer rifle like the Remington 700, that is cocked with it's safety in the on position. When a deer gets close enough to take a shot, the "Hammer Stall" is slipped off and the shot is taken.

In fact, they work very well...last year I was surprised by a big 10 pointer, whistle stopped him, raised the rifle, touched the trigger and heard a dull thud...had forgotten to take off the hammer stall and the flint simply hit the leather and stopped.
(The good news is he turned his head the opposite direction at the strange sound, I was able cock the hammer, slip off the stall and get him)

 

[djnye]

i use a hammerstall all the time. i often leave a charged--but unfired--rifle overnight during hunting season wih one on. it is not only a safety, but also a warning flag along with a turkey down quill in the touch hole.

take care, daniel

 

[sherpadoug]

All reenacting groups I know of require you have one. Some are really anal about using them all the time. Others use it sparingly as it can cause rust on the frizzen or leave oil behind. As a reenactor I usually only load shortly before firing. So I only use the frizzen cover if an unexpected dog or child disrupts our usual firing, or if I am not sure my gun has gone off and it is not an appropriate time to secure (dump) the load.

 

[Russianblood]

They've been around since the 18th century (that I know of). They were required by the British Army in America during the F&I war (though it doesn't seem like they followed that rule very often).

 

[BRUN]

Could you make one out of a leather glove if you cut off one of the fingers?

 

[Halftail]

Could you make one out of a leather glove if you cut off one of the fingers?

Yes Brun,
I dare say you could.As you can see though by Roundballs picture they are fairly simple to make.I made mine with a sewing awl and some artificial sinew.

 

[roundball]

Could you make one out of a leather glove if you cut off one of the fingers?

I tried that too at first but they were too big/too loose...it's possible you could use a finger tip but to ensure they stay on during handling they need to be somewhat snug...so depending on the size of your frizzen you might have to run another stitch along one side to snug it up then cut off the excess.

Then I found a guy that makes them for big frizzens on military flintlocks, send him a TC frizzen as a template and he made a bunch for me like (see photo above) couple bucks each.

And, you don't want leather so thin that a sharp english flint cuts through it to the steel...I use 1/8" leather and a sharp flint makes a slight cut mark in it's face but doesn't get through.

 

[Cherokee]

When I take my flinter hunting I use a piece of scrap leather tucked between the flint and frizzen. I only use it for walking in for safety.

 

[Cruzatte]

They've been around since the 18th century (that I know of). They were required by the British Army in America during the F&I war (though it doesn't seem like they followed that rule very often).

They have? I thought soldiers, either British or American were issued flint sized wood chips to put in their musket locks when they weren't needed immediately for guard duty, etc.

Personally I suspect frizzen stalls, like flash guards are re-enactorisms.

Cruzatte

 

[roundball]

"...flint sized wood chips to put in their musket locks when they weren't needed immediately for guard duty, etc..."

Has nothing to do with a hammer Stall...a Hammer Stall is a safety device for use with a loaded and primed Flintlock...a "wooden flint" is a substitute for a real flint used to practice dry firing.

Personally I suspect frizzen stalls, like flash guards are re-enactorisms.

Nope...not a modern reenactor item...they do use them but they weren't made as a result of reenactors coming into being.

Scroll down to the section entitled SAFETY in this War of 1812 reference document:

http://www.iaw.on.ca/~jsek/us17pg4.htm

 

[750k2]

I have one for my 40 and thought it was just to keep the frizzen clean and dry. Gotta make one for my Beck - lost a chance a
buck this season when he heard my siler come to full cock.
With this I'll have it at full and unset.. always learnin somthin

 

[roundball]

I have one for my 40 and thought it was just to keep the frizzen clean and dry. Gotta make one for my Beck - lost a chance a
buck this season when he heard my siler come to full cock.
With this I'll have it at full and unset.. always learnin somthin

FWIW, and I may overly worry about these things, but for my peace of mind I made sure mine were made from completely dry leather, not oiled leather

 

[sherpadoug]

From the referred 1812 website:

It is simply a thick leather cover that slips over the steel, covering it and preventing the flint from striking. Although there are contemporary references to hammer stalls, these appear to mean some sort of lock cover to keep out moisture. The reference in Duane's Military Dictionary has hammer stalls used by guards to preserve their arms. The device seems to be a modern invention, but a requirement for safety.

So even they say it may be a modern invention...

 

[roundball]

Have to be careful of modern writer's interpretation of things...some do not know that back in the day what we call the Frizzen today was actually called the hammer back then...and some confuse a cow's knee with a hammer stall.
==============================================
Try this...it clearly dates them to at least as early as 1768.
[url] http://home.earthlink.net/~colscoy/uniformspecs.html[/url]

AN ACCOUNT OF THE REFERENCES AND SOURCES USED IN REPRODUCING THE UNIFORMS, ARMS, AND ACCOUTREMENTS OF THE RE-CREATED COLONEL'S COMPANY OF
H.M. 33RD REGIMENT OF FOOT, by Bennett Cuthbertson's 1768 edition of A System for the Complete Interior Management and Oeconomy of a Battalion of Infantry, hereafter referred to as "Cuthbertson.

"Article XIII. On service, leather hammer-stalls are undoubtedly an advantage to a Battalion, when loaded, and resting on their arms, as accidents may be prevented, by having them fixed upon the hammers of the firelocks; but at other times they can certainly be of little use." Cuthbertson.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Could you make one out of a leather glove if you cut off one of the fingers?

Sure could & why not, I would think nothing of use would have been discarded if it could serve another role. In the F&I war British infantrymen also made forager caps out of old coat sleeves.

 

[CrackStock]

Actually, I would use a thicker leather than most gloves are made from. The stiffness helps keep the stall in place where thin leather is likely to slip off and the thickness gives a greater degree of strength and protection when a sharp flint strikes the leather.

Farmer's bundles are too cheap, useful and readily available to pass up for me.

CS