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just what coffee shop do you go to?
Just paid $2.39 for a large regular coffee at the corner convenience store. They wont ship a coffee. You have to pick it up. The shipping fee amortized across 2 dozen flints is negligible. Are you seriously going to order 1 flint?
 
I just ordered French amber for my Bess. She does not do too badly, now - but, I would like to see if the amber is better, as most people say it is...

I guess a better idea for checking out the superiority of French flints would be to see who actually won the battle of Waterloo.
 
The winner was capable of getting 5 shots versus 3 shots a minute off in a minute and the reinforcements showed up in time. Not to mention the French Artillery wasn't in a good position.
 
That's the classic knapping awl. Note that Mark was tapping on the flint very lightly. It only takes a light tap to use the knapping awl. These can be made from brass or a mild steel nail. Since the nail is not hardened and tempered, it will not draw a spark.
 
That's the classic knapping awl. Note that Mark was tapping on the flint very lightly. It only takes a light tap to use the knapping awl. These can be made from brass or a mild steel nail. Since the nail is not hardened and tempered, it will not draw a spark.
I guess it would be a bad thing to draw a spark, even if Mark did clear the pan of priming powder.
 
I would love to get into flinters one day but they seem like they require more time than I have with kids and work at the moment. I don't think flint is overly easy to find in this part of the world.
 
I would love to get into flinters one day but they seem like they require more time than I have with kids and work at the moment. I don't think flint is overly easy to find in this part of the world.

I wouldn't say its too much more time to be honest. Knapping flint takes about 30-40 seconds every 30-60 shots. Maybe a 6 minutes to clean the lock after firing.
 
I wouldn't say its too much more time to be honest. Knapping flint takes about 30-40 seconds every 30-60 shots. Maybe a 6 minutes to clean the lock after firing.

Once you're proficient maybe, I don't have the time to get over the learning curve of flintlocks.
The way some golks talk on this forum at least makes it sound like a long process to get them working effectively.
I never bowhunt anymore because I don't have time to practice. This time of year (hunting season) I'm home after dark from work and straight into parenting duties, then my wife works weekends so have it again. Finding time to zero a centrefire is a challenging enough!

Just come off 3 1/2 hours sleep last night, although I'm assured by people that at some point kids change from not wanting to stay in bed to not wanting to get out!
 
Once you're proficient maybe, I don't have the time to get over the learning curve of flintlocks.
The way some golks talk on this forum at least makes it sound like a long process to get them working effectively.
I never bowhunt anymore because I don't have time to practice. This time of year (hunting season) I'm home after dark from work and straight into parenting duties, then my wife works weekends so have it again. Finding time to zero a centrefire is a challenging enough!

Just come off 3 1/2 hours sleep last night, although I'm assured by people that at some point kids change from not wanting to stay in bed to not wanting to get out!

That makes sense due to time constraints. Personally I don't have a flintlock rifle yet, just a smoothbore. So I don't know anything about zeroing as I have no sights lol. Don't let the guys on here scare you too much! Hope you can get one when things slow down.
 
I be leave that INDIAN LOCKS all have a very powerful main spring that destroys a flint? at least my INDIAN, CHARLIVILLE , BROWN BESS & BLUNDER BUSS, break a lot of flints before they ever get dull.
Indian pieces are best described as "pre assembled kits" depending on who you buy from the assembly is completed to a higher standard.
 
I would love to get into flinters one day but they seem like they require more time than I have with kids and work at the moment. I don't think flint is overly easy to find in this part of the world.
Theres a learning curve for sure but that's no reason to shy away! Theres plenty of knowledge on here and you will rapidly gain experience. I can thoroughly clean any of the flintlocks I have in under a half hour. And I can do it without making a mess. I have a former girlfriend who I was living with for a time, and I could put down a small blanket in here apartment living room and clean without dirtying anything. Don't be scared of flintlocks!
 
i have a Davis M&G classic flintlock on one rifle i have, when it was new i had a lot of misfires and the flint after about 8 or 10 shots had to be sharpened and sometimes changed or it would not shoot. but after a good bit of shooting it got better and better. i used the same flint from the same place. i really don't know why it changed. but now the more i shoot it the better it gets,,,,,,,,,,,,,
 
i have a Davis M&G classic flintlock on one rifle i have, when it was new i had a lot of misfires and the flint after about 8 or 10 shots had to be sharpened and sometimes changed or it would not shoot. but after a good bit of shooting it got better and better. i used the same flint from the same place. i really don't know why it changed. but now the more i shoot it the better it gets,,,,,,,,,,,,,
You. probably had a layer of hardness on the face of the frizzen that.you are slowly cutting through. Hopefully it will keep getting better.
 
I had locks with poor geometry, and they ate flints like mad. Had two hungry locks redone, and they were mucho better at flint life. Other locks I had were very easy on flints, and as a bonus muck more reliable.
A good lock is a blessing, and a poor lock is misery.
In my opinion, if a lock is chewing up flints, have an expert address the issue.
 
I really have to wonder about peoples knapping techniques? Must be bashing the flint with a hammer. Don't! Get a piece of brass stock, about 3-4" long, 3/16" thick, 3/4" wide. Place the narrow edge on the very edge of the flint, and strike it straight down with a small hammer. On wide flints, you may need to strike them twice to get full width. Perfect edge every time, very little flint loss. Myself, and my club members after I showed them how, fully expect at least 120 shots from a flint, and I have a couple locks that will go over 200 shots.

As for the cap lock fan, I have hunted the northern Rockies for over 40 years, in all weather conditions. Flintlocks are more dependable in rain and snow than a cap lock rifle, from repeated personal experiences. When we are at shoots in pouring rain, flintlock shooters are still on the line, long after the cap locks are out of order.
 
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