Novaculite for gun flints

[GANGGREEN]

This is entirely anecdotal, but I gathered some whitish flint in the Flint Ridge area of Ohio. I don't know if that's technically chert or not. I was told that I should heat treat it, so I did in a turkey roaster filled with sand at 450 degrees for 8 or 10 hours, then slowly backed it down for several more hours. I don't know what I'm doing as far as making flints are concerned, but I was able to get one made in the proper size and that flint is as sparky as hell.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Don't believe the water soak tale. Flint or chert can't absorb water. All that does is give the knapper time to figure out how to knap the flint.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Don't believe the water soak tale. Flint or chert can't absorb water. All that does is give the knapper time to figure out how to knap the flint.

Years ago, for another forum, I wrote to the geology departments of several universities about this issue. The owner of the forum advocated storing flints in a jar of kerosene or water. The experts at the universities said they believed that after 500 years of soaking in water a flint might absorb to a depth of one micron. That ain't much. My opinion is use 'em as you find 'em.

 

[Zonie]

One micron is equal to .000039".
In my neck of the woods, that just means the surface is wet.

 

[M. De Land]

Your probably right but just for grins I'm going to soak some of that tough stuff I got from Dixie in water and then kerosene and see what happens. Perhaps it causes the surface to have less tendency to crush allowing the shock wave from the percussor impact to travel through the chert better.
You learn very quickly in flint knapping while setting up your strike platforms to abrade the impact edge to keep it from crushing. This allows the flake to travel farther, more predictably and with less hinges than other wise.
When one develops enough skill to get into Danish dagger making and large thin spear points they have perfected top flight skill , good tooling and found cooperative material. I'm not near that level yet.
I have also developed some new tools and have been using indirect percussion of late for point and gun flint making which allow another method of driving off longer flakes.

 

[M. De Land]

I'll take some pictures of my set up and use of indirect percussion tools for point and gun flint making next time I'm knapping. Probably this week end or next week. I get to shoot an indoor muzzle loading match tomorrow and am going to use my flint .45 cal SMR. I sure get a kick out of the rock lock shooting but usually don't score as high as with my percussion match rifles !

 

[M. De Land]

I shot an indoor muzzle loader match today with one of the novaculite flints in my SMR .45 cal and it needed one sharpening in a 35 shot match. I had a few failures to fire from a plugged flash hole, the pan flash was very reliable. I wound up in second place three points behind but was very happy with how well the flint gun performed.
Sure get a hoot out of shooting these flint guns.

 

[M. De Land]

I should have practiced what I preach and touch the edge up after every ten shot relay but forgot to on Saturday and was into the second relay before it started to show that it needed a tune up. Actually I'm kind of glad I forgot it because it revealed that after the tune up the novaculite flint edge held up really well and lasted the rest of the match without touching it.
You could barely see the tiny chips that came off the new row they were so small but was all that was needed to make it spark like 60.

 

[M. De Land]

Here are some photos of the tools and how they are mounted and used on my upper legs. The rods used for indirect percussion are held under my knee with a rubber strap around my thigh. I have a thick leather with a cussion pad under it on the other leg for pressure flaking while seated. The right leg with the punch is elevated with a wood block under my foot.
Click on the picture for an enlarged view.

 

[Musketeer]

I bought a knapping beginner's kit a couple years ago, which came with some basic tools and a selection of novaculite, dacite and obsidian chunks. I broke off a small flake of the novaculite and tried it in a flint pistol and it worked splendidly. I was going to make some flints out of it for my Pedersoli Bess, but then I got sidetracked with other things and never got around to it. Now that this thread has brought the idea back to mind, I think I'll do so this weekend.

Btw, it's been ages since I posted here on the forums. Hello again to any old timers who may remember me.

 

[M. De Land]

I bought a knapping beginner's kit a couple years ago, which came with some basic tools and a selection of novaculite, dacite and obsidian chunks. I broke off a small flake of the novaculite and tried it in a flint pistol and it worked splendidly. I was going to make some flints out of it for my Pedersoli Bess, but then I got sidetracked with other things and never got around to it. Now that this thread has brought the idea back to mind, I think I'll do so this weekend.

Btw, it's been ages since I posted here on the forums. Hello again to any old timers who may remember me.

Welcome back , make some flints and comment on your progress. I'd like to see some of what your able to produce and how the different material works for gun flints. Pictures would be nice as well.

 

[stank]

I realize this thread is 2 years old but is this novaculite ? It is white and kind of chalky.
thanks
Stank

 

[hanshi]

I realize this thread is 2 years old but is this novaculite ? It is white and kind of chalky.
thanks
Stank

I'm afraid I don't even know what novaculite is or even where it is found. Sounds interesting though.

 

[stank]

It is basically soft Arkansas sharpening stone. If you go buy a smiths soft stone. It is novaculite. Kind of white,grey and sometimes some red streaks

 

[david w]

I like Arkansas stones. One can put a fine edge on a blade using the Arkansas Black. I've often wondered how Novaculite would work for flints.

 

[stank]

I like Arkansas stones. One can put a fine edge on a blade using the Arkansas Black. I've often wondered how Novaculite would work for flints.

I have read somewhere on this forum that the soft Arkansas stone sparks well. Un heat treated. Some arrow head knapers heat treat novaculite to make it easier to work

 

[Ricochet]

Ive got a few flakes of the heat treated Novaculite from some points that I made and they spark to beat heck on a steel! They seem to break easy in the gun though. Im gonna try some untreated and see.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I like Arkansas stones. One can put a fine edge on a blade using the Arkansas Black. I've often wondered how Novaculite would work for flints.

The same company that mines and sells Arkansas stones for sharpening makes gunflints from their novaculite. I have a couple but am not happy with them. Their cost is through the roof. Stick with English blacks or German sawn.

 

[ord sgt]

I have been using the pieces that M. DeLand was kind enough to send. I had one break apart on the second shot. So far, the rest have sparked very well. Worn one piece down to a nub before replacing it. All I can say is, "they will spark"! Thank you for the chance to experiment with your chert.

 

[david w]

The same company that mines and sells Arkansas stones for sharpening makes gunflints from their novaculite. I have a couple but am not happy with them. Their cost is through the roof. Stick with English blacks or German sawn.

I will only use French amber or English blacks. There is local chert available, but I'm not too good at making my own flints. They're either paper thin, or humped back whales.