The C shape flint striker is THE MOST COMMON style/shape of flint striker across the centuries - from very early Roman times B.C. on up to the present. THE MOST COMMON shape/style.
An original Roman era C shaped flint striker will end up looking pretty much like early Colonial ones. There are a number of people on evil-bay that are buying original Roman era flint strikers, and then selling them as Colonial American strikers for more money - from an old collection, found on private property with owners permission, 1770-1790, Rev war, and usually then with a specific Rev War battle site mentioned - like King's Mountain, or Trenton. They buy the originals from Europe coming out of the Balkans for under 10 bucks, and used to get $150 to $250 a piece for them as Colonial American with a Rev War pedigree. But lately they are only getting around $25 to $30 for them - from people who believe their evil-bay claims. And YES, the people doing this KNOW what they are doing!
But there are little ... variations ... in the final shape/style of C strikers over the centuries - with a number of regional/cultural differences. Those early Romans loved symmetry - both ends being shaped/bent the same way. The Vikings liked theirs with a pronounced peak in the middle, and the ends drawn out a lot more and curled back/forth more. A lot of cultures over the centuries liked a C striker with something of a peak in the middle of it. But a lot also like theirs with that striking bar being fairly straight on the inside.
By the early 1800's for the Rocky Mountain Fur trade area, the C striker shape/style had become more consistent. It usually had one end left fairly straight, while the other end had an extra curl on it.
And there were always exceptions over the years. That's just how things go when your are hand-forging steel.
In one painting of Kit Carson, he is shown with a triangular shaped C striker. It does have an extra tiny curl on each end, but the sides are fairly straight on that triangle shape leaving the center pretty open. But the corners are pretty tight/abrupt - not gentle corners. It's been a while since I saw that painting, so I don't remember the specifics of it.
I do like that triangular Roman style. And there are more variations of it. But it is a tad tight in the center compared to that Kit Carson striker.
Hope this helps answer some of your questions.
Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
