Left in the sunlight those black English flints will fade out into these real pretty Frenchies! :thumbsup:
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Your choice of flints
- Thread starter White Oak
- Start date
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"Bottom line: a general condemnation of sawn flints is unjustified."
My GPR was shipped with sawn flints, they work very well.
Bought some flints from Cabin Creek, they are sharp enough to shave with, so sharp the shatter after 5 shots.
My GPR was shipped with sawn flints, they work very well.
Bought some flints from Cabin Creek, they are sharp enough to shave with, so sharp the shatter after 5 shots.
Richard Eames said:
Do you know what kind of stone, or other material, they were made from?
Black English Flints - Have bought them in bulk from Track, Stonewall and Neolitics, and all have been hand-knapped and performwell.
Neolithics is a relatively newer source and I've been pleased. Cost $1 to $1.75 each in bulk (100), depending on size.
http://www.neolithics.com/gun-flints-smaller/
White USA Chert - Have bought them in bulk from both Rich Pierce (who is no longer selling them) and Neolithic. Neolithics recently had a price increase, as I used to get the sizes I needed for arms up to fowlers using a trade lock size flint, for ~$1 each in bulk.
Only difference I see between the black & white ones is that an English flint might half spark before it gives out (arm may fire ... or not) whereas the white ones just stop cold.
On the porosity side, the 'grain' of the rock is more fine and smooth on the English flints and I find one needs to take better care to keep the chert flints clean on the cutting edge. But they work well!
Neolithics is a relatively newer source and I've been pleased. Cost $1 to $1.75 each in bulk (100), depending on size.
http://www.neolithics.com/gun-flints-smaller/
White USA Chert - Have bought them in bulk from both Rich Pierce (who is no longer selling them) and Neolithic. Neolithics recently had a price increase, as I used to get the sizes I needed for arms up to fowlers using a trade lock size flint, for ~$1 each in bulk.
Only difference I see between the black & white ones is that an English flint might half spark before it gives out (arm may fire ... or not) whereas the white ones just stop cold.
On the porosity side, the 'grain' of the rock is more fine and smooth on the English flints and I find one needs to take better care to keep the chert flints clean on the cutting edge. But they work well!
Last edited by a moderator:
Don Steele
45 Cal.
I tried a dozen each of Neolithic flints.
Their Black English, and Texas Chert.
I won't order from them again if there are still other options available.
On the plus side..They flatten the tops of their flints so you don't get any "Humps". They are (or at least were when I ordered..) less expensive than other options. That's not really much of a concern when you figure how little difference cost of a flint makes in the overall cost to enjoy our sport, but it's worth mentioning to be fair. Sometimes I just enjoy "trying new things".
On the down side...Their sizing criteria wasn't suitable to my needs. I got several that were undersized in terms of length, and several that while ground off to be flattops...were VERY thick.
I'm not trying to pick on them, just writing up my personal experience. Your's may differ.
FWIW: I don't order flints from TOTW either. Did that once, don't plan to do that again.
After I tried my first order from them, reading here and elsewhere on the 'net,I came to understand that some folks who order flints from TOTW make a special request for "No Humps", and really like the ones they receive.
I don't know if that's a universal option, or only available to some customers. That's ignorance on my part. I was not aware that such a special request was even possible. As a result, in the bag I received I appear to have gotten the "Humpy" ones left over when they selected flat flints for others.
Again, I'm not trying to knock TOTW. I continue to do business with them as my needs arise, including a gun trade, just not flints.
Lest someone think "there's just no satisfying this guy"...I was fortunate to get a couple dozen of Rich Pierce's White Burlington Chert flints before he stopped offering them. They worked well in both my T/C and Chambers locks. These days, I stick with French Amber and am quite happy with the results.
BTW: I've been told by European friends that the sawed Agate flints they use over there are "very different" from the ones they see commercially offered here in the U.S. They report being very satisfied with the European Agate products, although they also report they are significantly more expensive. I've been quoted something like US$8.00 each ( OUCH..!!). I've wondered if that difference they refer to might explain why some folks really like Agate, and others don't.
Their Black English, and Texas Chert.
I won't order from them again if there are still other options available.
On the plus side..They flatten the tops of their flints so you don't get any "Humps". They are (or at least were when I ordered..) less expensive than other options. That's not really much of a concern when you figure how little difference cost of a flint makes in the overall cost to enjoy our sport, but it's worth mentioning to be fair. Sometimes I just enjoy "trying new things".
On the down side...Their sizing criteria wasn't suitable to my needs. I got several that were undersized in terms of length, and several that while ground off to be flattops...were VERY thick.
I'm not trying to pick on them, just writing up my personal experience. Your's may differ.
FWIW: I don't order flints from TOTW either. Did that once, don't plan to do that again.
After I tried my first order from them, reading here and elsewhere on the 'net,I came to understand that some folks who order flints from TOTW make a special request for "No Humps", and really like the ones they receive.
I don't know if that's a universal option, or only available to some customers. That's ignorance on my part. I was not aware that such a special request was even possible. As a result, in the bag I received I appear to have gotten the "Humpy" ones left over when they selected flat flints for others.
Again, I'm not trying to knock TOTW. I continue to do business with them as my needs arise, including a gun trade, just not flints.
Lest someone think "there's just no satisfying this guy"...I was fortunate to get a couple dozen of Rich Pierce's White Burlington Chert flints before he stopped offering them. They worked well in both my T/C and Chambers locks. These days, I stick with French Amber and am quite happy with the results.
BTW: I've been told by European friends that the sawed Agate flints they use over there are "very different" from the ones they see commercially offered here in the U.S. They report being very satisfied with the European Agate products, although they also report they are significantly more expensive. I've been quoted something like US$8.00 each ( OUCH..!!). I've wondered if that difference they refer to might explain why some folks really like Agate, and others don't.
Agate is a fine sparking stone. I have a hunk in my fire starting kit. Other stones, like jasper work great also. Unfortunately, as stated, the European, as with Gunter Stifters flints, are priced out of sight.
Some posts have may have caused some confusion with the mention of chert vs. flint. Chert is flint, flint is chert. The only difference is how they/it is found in the earth. Chert is embedded as rocks or even mountains in a, more or less, single hunk. Flint is found in nodules in chalk beds. e.g. the English blacks from around the white (chalk) cliffs of Dover, England. Of course, the quality can vary with locations around the world. Where I live good chert is near impossible to find. But about 75 miles south of me there is some very good stuff.
Some posts have may have caused some confusion with the mention of chert vs. flint. Chert is flint, flint is chert. The only difference is how they/it is found in the earth. Chert is embedded as rocks or even mountains in a, more or less, single hunk. Flint is found in nodules in chalk beds. e.g. the English blacks from around the white (chalk) cliffs of Dover, England. Of course, the quality can vary with locations around the world. Where I live good chert is near impossible to find. But about 75 miles south of me there is some very good stuff.
Tom Compton
54 Cal.
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Loyalist Dave said:
:metoo: Y yo tambien.
TC
smicha6551
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Are the flints from IMA worth a try?
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I make, like and use keokuk chert. I have some Novaculite spauls I'm going to make some gun flints with and give a try. I also have some Texas brown but so far like the Keokuk heat treated best.
Really though the thing to do is to learn how to copper point, pressure flake the edge, which will change how you think about all flints and cherts.
It looks to me like the cherts are tougher than are the translucent flints and they both have the same hardness factor (7) on the Diamond scale.
Really though the thing to do is to learn how to copper point, pressure flake the edge, which will change how you think about all flints and cherts.
It looks to me like the cherts are tougher than are the translucent flints and they both have the same hardness factor (7) on the Diamond scale.
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