Traditional Knapping Hammers?

[Notchy Bob]

That short excerpt was from John Treat Irving's Indian Notes, page 95. the statement that interests me is down near the bottom, "...the soldiers took the precaution to hammer their flints, and renew the priming of their guns." I have no doubt that Mr. Irving meant the soldiers knapped the edges of their flints, and put in fresh priming powder, to ensure their guns would fire, in anticipation of a conflict.

In communicating with a forum buddy, a question came up: What exactly did they use, back in the day, to "hammer their flints"? I was stumped! Was there a dedicated tool, designed for this purpose? What did it look like?

We are not so much interested in modern tool designs that flintlock shooters are using nowadays, regardless of how well those modern tools may work, unless those tools are copies of documented artifacts from history. I keep a little brass-headed knapping hammer in my pouch. It does the job, but I honestly don't know how authentic it is. We would like to know what people were using to knap the edges of their gunflints on the old frontier.

Thanks in advance!

Notchy Bob

 

[.36Rooster]

Anything on dixie, track of the wolf, Townsends, or any of those good stores?

I mean, I've seen authentic stuff on those sites right down to the dinner forks and metallic oil bottles... you might get your answer by looking at them. Just be judicious about it.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

Following...if I can find it, I once came across a reference to using the spine of a knife. I can't remember the time period.

 

[tenngun]

On the Avalon forge web site, and what they say about it, I don’t know if it’s confirmed

 

[Two Feathers]

On the Avalon forge web site, and what they say about it, I don’t know if it’s confirmed View attachment 91412View attachment 91413

tenngun:
Thank ya.' buddy:
This looks good, BUT. It seems a might bit dangerous, whackin' on a loaded rifle flint with a forged steel hammer,YES?
Thank you.
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[Notchy Bob]

I actually have one of those Pickering tools, although I have not tried "hammering" a flint with it. That pointy thing on the end of it looks for ways to jab you or poke holes in your kit when you are not expecting it, and if you use the flat blades as screwdrivers on your forelock, the pointed tip will find a way to scratch your stock if you are not extremely careful. It needs either a little sheath, or a cork or something on the end. However, there is no question that it is historically correct.

Is there any historical precedent for those little brass-headed hammers that the various sutlers carry?

Notchy Bob

 

[FishDFly]

tenngun:
Thank ya.' buddy:
This looks good, BUT. It seems a might bit dangerous, whackin' on a loaded rifle flint with a forged steel hammer,YES?
Thank you.
God bless:
Two Feathers

Good observation.

 

[Two Feathers]

Howdy folks:
I was wondering about the HA of those brass knapping hammers myself? Thanks for asking Notchy Bob. Maybe one of the members knows for sure? I certainly don't.
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[Two Feathers]

Good observation.

FishDFly:
Thanks. Sometimes my head ain't where it belongs??? But this one seemed like a "no brainer"?
Blessings:
Two Feathers

 

[Grenadier1758]

Something to think about or speculate about. What we call the frizzen was at one time called the hammer. One method to knap the edge of a flint is to lower the cock then lower the hammer (frizzen) so the edge of the hammer is touching the leading edge of the flint. With your thumb on the hammer, lift the cock. The pressure of the hammer on the flint will chip off a few flakes of flint and sharpen the edge. Of course the priming had been dumped prior to the "hammering" of the flint, so the priming had to be renewed.

Kind of risky in a way. While the soldiers were hammering their flints, their muskets were inoperable. I would assume that would have been the time for an ambush or considerable hilarity at the foolishness of the soldiers to be disabling their muskets.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Something to think about or speculate about. What we call the frizzen was at one time called the hammer. One method to knap the edge of a flint is to lower the cock then lower the hammer (frizzen) so the edge of the hammer is touching the leading edge of the flint. With your thumb on the hammer, lift the cock. The pressure of the hammer on the flint will chip off a few flakes of flint and sharpen the edge. Of course the priming had been dumped prior to the "hammering" of the flint, so the priming had to be renewed.

Kind of risky in a way. While the soldiers were hammering their flints, their muskets were inoperable. I would assume that would have been the time for an ambush or considerable hilarity at the foolishness of the soldiers to be disabling their muskets.

Thank you, @Grenadier1758 ! I did know that what we call the "frizzen" was formerly called a "hammer," among other things, and the usage survives in the term, "hammerstall," referring to the leather "frizzen covers" that are required at most events now. I had also heard of knapping the flint using the hammer or frizzen in that way, but I have not mastered the technique. I suspect that knapping or "hammering" the edge of the flint, to keep it sharp, was such a matter-of-fact chore that it was rarely described, and people probably worked out a variety of ways to accomplish it. The really interesting thing about the quote from J.T. Irving is that he took the trouble to mention it.

Thank you for your comments.

Notchy Bob

 

[Stumpkiller]

Notchy Bob beat me to it.

One technique I have read for "hammering the flint" refers to the frizzen as the hammer. That was the early name for it in English.

To freshen a flint you lower the cock until just the edge of the flint is under the lip of the frizzen and then press down hard on the frizzen. It spalls off the leading edge of the flint.

Now, be advised that this is likely hard on the frizzen pivot bolt and you also don't want to do this with a loaded barrel. But it does work. Works well, in fact.

 

[George]

The Pennsylvania Gazette
April 5, 1750
Annapolis, in Maryland
Feb. 14. Some days ago, as a man in Talbot county was hammering the flint of a loaded gun, she went off, and shot an elderly man, who was near him, in one of his thighs, with seven swan shot, in a terrible manner; tho' it was thought he would recover.

 

[Notchy Bob]

The Pennsylvania Gazette
April 5, 1750
Annapolis, in Maryland
Feb. 14. Some days ago, as a man in Talbot county was hammering the flint of a loaded gun, she went off, and shot an elderly man, who was near him, in one of his thighs, with seven swan shot, in a terrible manner; tho' it was thought he would recover.

Great quote, @George ! It appears brother @Two Feathers ' concerns about sparks are well founded!

There is a lot to read in that brief quote, but in any event, we now have two documents referring to "hammering" the flint. Neither offers an explanation, so the term must have been widely understood at the time. It is my opinion that the words and terminologies used in the past are "artifacts" of the time, just as the shirts and guns and knives were. It is important that we understand and preserve them.

Thanks for the quote!

Notchy Bob

 

[Two Feathers]

Great quote, @George ! It appears brother @Two Feathers ' concerns about sparks are well founded!

There is a lot to read in that brief quote, but in any event, we now have two documents referring to "hammering" the flint. Neither offers an explanation, so the term must have been widely understood at the time. It is my opinion that the words and terminologies used in the past are "artifacts" of the time, just as the shirts and guns and knives were. It is important that we understand and preserve them.

Thanks for the quote!

Notchy Bob

Notchy Bob:
Thank you very much for your acknowledgement that I do indeed possess some "common sense." My wife would vehemently disagree. I'm just sorry that the PA. guy had to learn that lesson the hard way!
What was that classic Clooney line from "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?" Oh yeah, "Dummer than a Box of Hammers." I still wonder what the proper pc material is for a knapping hammer? I'm pretty sure now, it ain't steel?
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[hanshi]

I made my own out of copper long ago; it's also a screwdriver.

 

[Two Feathers]

hanshi:
Thank ya. buddy, but I can't open the file to get a better look see? It keeps taking me to Postimage?
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[hanshi]

Two Feathers, let's see if you can open this one.

 

[Two Feathers]

Two Feathers, let's see if you can open this one.

hanshi:
Thank ya.' kindly. Now yer talkin' This I CAN see, thanks. Nice, looks very serviceable, Solid Copper you say, screwdriver too? I've never used one so my knowledge is limited. Thank ya' fer fetchin' me up.
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[smo]

Antler may very well have been used too pressure flake the flint edge..

But probably not for hammering….