The flint that does not fail

[Newtire]

I have a flint that is made with diamond dust. It is a great sparker, and never needs knapping. The only problem for me is that it is only 1/2 X 1/2" and it doesn't fit the cock of most of my flint locks, but works well in a pistol.

Such a flint would be rough on frizzens…

 

[Coinneach]

"Near" 100%..yep I get that..but I am talking about shooting game..not paper...and no I did not give a thousand bucks plus for one..nor would I. I am aware..that one can spend a bunch of money and have.."near" 100% reliability..I already have that..near is not close enough.

If your Lock is tuned and its geometry correct, barrel vent clean (especially of oil residue) Frizzen maintained and sharp Flint itself fitted correctly; then you can rely on 100% ignition every time. Sure it takes a little effort but that's the challenge we enjoy.

 

[Coinneach]

I appreciate the nostalgia of shooting a flintlock..but enjoy the shooting more.. I have yet to find a flint that would strike every time...someday..I may need to feed myself with this rifle..I want every advantage.

Like everything Flints wear out with use, the trick is to ensure your Lock itself isnt chewing them up (mainspring often the problem) and learn to lightly tap a renewed edge on the Flint in the cock jaws. The heel of the Frizzen can be used for it.

 

[Coinneach]

I have a flint that is made with diamond dust. It is a great sparker, and never needs knapping. The only problem for me is that it is only 1/2 X 1/2" and it doesn't fit the cock of most of my flint locks, but works well in a pistol.

Where are they available ?

 

[Coinneach]

No problem sparks every time with English flints I make. Flint from the south chalk hills of uk. Ok after a while they get blunt and the sparks fall off. But no worries Love glints in original Bess locks my coat flint pistol lock never misses

"Love glints" ?

 

[Coinneach]

Here in Australia Gun Flints have become scarce as Rocking Horse manure, seems that the Brandon Flint napper is no more.
Recognising that USA is the major user population of Gun Flints, how do you guys source your Gun flints ?
Your advice and recommendations are welcome.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

I’ll have to become a flint napper How many flints needed a year world wide and how about price and postage. Trade deals. Ha ha. Intetesting

 

[Coinneach]

I’ll have to become a flint napper How many flints needed a year world wide and how about price and postage. Trade deals. Ha ha. Intetesting

Well the Brandon Napper Tom (cant recall his 2nd name) was the only one left for decades, he had a lucrative village industry that supplied gun Flints all over the World.

 

[Tumbledown]

You know...when these rifles were invented..had someone done this..folks would have used the manure out of them because they work better than what came before..people did not decide they would never used percussion caps when they were feeding their families..so..if you are so caught up in "nostalgia" that you will not improve your odds then do not..I shared it so somebody might be able to use the idea to put food on their plates..those of you who have open minds and tend to adapt will understand..those who do not will talk manure..good day yall.

Oh, Lord, not the "they would have used it if they had it" argument.

If I know what I am doing?..did you not see the video..mine sparks just fine..EVERY SINGLE TIME..sooo..I guess I do know what I am doing..you must get alot of black eyes..or you do not talk to people like that in person...my guess is the latter.

Yes, if you know what you are doing. That is "you" as in someone shooting a flintlock, not YOU specifically.

This gizmo may spark every time, but so does my cheap Traditions gun, if I do my part.

We saw the video. Did YOU read the responses? Did you catch the part where you were informed no state approved it for hunting, and thus can't be used for putting food on our plates? Maybe you *don't* know what you're doing.

You are new here. We are far more than a bunch of seasonal hunters who shoot muzzleloaders to squeeze a couple of more weeks in. There is a wealth of knowledge in these forums, but accusing people of talking manure and being worthy of getting a black eye will get you nowhere.

 

[Grimord]

Where are they available ?

I have no idea, I got it over two decades ago and can't remember where. I have CRS disease. (Can't Remember Sh**)

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Heck, in the early 1980's, I had a trade gun with one of those uranium faced frizzens. Bright blue-white sparks would sit and sizzle in the pan for a few seconds slowly turning orange.. I thought they would work underwater.

Frankly a real English flint on a proper alloy frizzen works as good as all the gimmicks.

Better than the match lock my buddy built in college that used old barn burner matches and a piece of fine grit emery cloth glued to a board above the touch hole.

 

[French Colonial]

Buy a wheel lock, same principle and HC

Some of the old wheel locks were works of art. A gunsmith friend of mine built one years ago using English walnut and it had several really neat features, one that really caught my eye was the engraved skeletonized butt plate. Another good friend he built it for died a couple of years back and the gun has disappeared, damn shame.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have no idea, I got it over two decades ago and can't remember where. I have CRS disease. (Can't Remember Sh**)

They were never commercially manufactured. The few he made (crudely) were done by hand.

 

[Robby]

A solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
Robby

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I saw something similar at the sportman's show in Harrisburg, PA back in the late 1970's. That one was made of brass or bronze. But same idea. There was another one that had a plunger that replaced the frizzen, sort of like the plunger ignition on those toy carbide cannons.

 

[Coinneach]

A solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
Robby

Well its a problem here in Australia, Gun Flints are almost impossible to source at reasonable prices, even at high prices now.

 

[Robby]

Aboriginals didn't have any trouble finding flint for centuries. Maybe they could help you out.
Robby

 

[Coinneach]

Aboriginals didn't have any trouble finding flint for centuries. Maybe they could help you out.
Robby

I grew up in the bush, no the Aborigines used shards of this and that, not Flint in the conventional sense.
The only known location for a Flint source is near Mount Gambier in South Australia, but no-one there knaps Gun Flints which is a specialist skill, I know a few very practical fellas who've tried Flint knapping and gave up.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

They were never commercially manufactured. The few he made (crudely) were done by hand.

Maybe his were never commercially made, but somebody was selling them online about 10 years ago. The subject came on some of the muzzle loader forums.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@rich pierce was knapping gun flints from Missouri Chert some years ago. However after he spent way too much time making flints for the unit's wall gun, he determined that for the time involved and minimal profit margin, commercial gun flints were not a lucrative enterprise.