Flints life.

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WarDawg

WarDawg

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Im trying to use the search function more to not rehash something’s already spoken. But I didn’t see my answer. So here goes. Loaded question I realize. What’s the average life of a flint if everything being equal. I know that can be answered many many ways. I’m a first time flinter. I’m sure quality, cut and setup is all a factor. I just was curious about a realistic ballpark.

# 2 flint quality. What’s excellent and what junk vs adequate. You folks that make your own I admire your skills and hope to possibly learn it also.

# 3 flints are natural stones. Has there ever been man made style made that was shaped and work like a premium stone would ?

# 4 Does a fritz wear out ?

# 5 Can you use the same F grade black powder for your pan as you use for your barrel charge. I thought I have seen videos of people using the same horn. I have Goex FF & FFF on hand. For a 50 cal and my future Kibler Woodsrunner 45 cal.


I’ll end this with I hope to contact this Carolina muzzle loader shooting group in the near future. They are near Mnt Airy NC. Near enough to the Virginia line. Thanks for all the help y’all have given a newbie to black powder.

Thank you for y’all’s patience with this greenhorn. WarDawg
 
I’ve been making my own for years. The one in my Chambers right now doesn’t look like much but it’s fired over fifty shots with no misfires and I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t get fifty more.
 
If in a competition where fast ignition and no klatches are preferred, I change flints after about 25 shots. I have then re-used some of those flints, after knapping, for another 20 shots in practice. If I am going out hunting, a new flint is preferred, unless I know I have only a few shots on that flint. Sometimes I can get up to 50 shots on a flint, but rarely. I have a friend I give used flints to, and he doubles their life expectancy.

ADK Bigfoot
 
WarDawg said:
Im trying to use the search function more to not rehash something’s already spoken. But I didn’t see my answer. So here goes. Loaded question I realize. What’s the average life of a flint if everything being equal. I know that can be answered many many ways. I’m a first time flinter. I’m sure quality, cut and setup is all a factor. I just was curious about a realistic ballpark.

# 2 flint quality. What’s excellent and what junk vs adequate. You folks that make your own I admire your skills and hope to possibly learn it also.

# 3 flints are natural stones. Has there ever been man made style made that was shaped and work like a premium stone would ?

# 4 Does a fritz wear out ?

# 5 Can you use the same F grade black powder for your pan as you use for your barrel charge. I thought I have seen videos of people using the same horn. I have Goex FF & FFF on hand. For a 50 cal and my future Kibler Woodsrunner 45 cal.


I’ll end this with I hope to contact this Carolina muzzle loader shooting group in the near future. They are near Mnt Airy NC. Near enough to the Virginia line. Thanks for all the help y’all have given a newbie to black powder.

Thank you for y’all’s patience with this greenhorn. WarDawg
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1. Avg. life of a flint? Who knows? All I can say is that it's usual for me to get 50-60 spark producing strikes from a flint. The asterisk here is that I employ the trick of turning the flint upside down when it begins to show signs of wear.
2. Flint Quality. Look for the flat topped flints. Beyond that, a flint's a flint.
3. Man made flints. Probably. And they were probably spectacular failures both in function, and in the marketplace.
4 Does a fritz wear out? Never heard of one of these. But I had an aunt we called Aunt Fritz.
5. Priming powder. Yes, you can prime right out of your main horn.
 
WarDawg said:
Im trying to use the search function more to not rehash something’s already spoken. But I didn’t see my answer. So here goes. Loaded question I realize. What’s the average life of a flint if everything being equal. I know that can be answered many many ways. I’m a first time flinter. I’m sure quality, cut and setup is all a factor. I just was curious about a realistic ballpark.
Click to expand...
I get around 25 shots before I give the edge a touchup and might get another 20. Since it's a rock it can also sometimes chip or break after a few shots, but rarely if you have it properly installed.

WarDawg said:
# 2 flint quality. What’s excellent and what junk vs adequate. You folks that make your own I admire your skills and hope to possibly learn it also.
Click to expand...
I like a thin flat flint. No thick "humpers." Thin and flat lets you do a nice touchup on the edge to keep using it. You can also get black english or amber flints. Personally, I like english as I feel it isn't as brittle, but maybe I just haven't shot enough amber. Chert is another material, but I've not used it. Brian Beckum of Beckum Outdoors (look up his Youtube channel) seemed to like chert.

WarDawg said:
# 3 flints are natural stones. Has there ever been man made style made that was shaped and work like a premium stone would ?
Click to expand...
There are "artificial" cut flints. I haven't used them, but the discussions about them are "interesting."

WarDawg said:
# 4 Does a fritz wear out ?
Click to expand...
I assume you mean "frizzen." Probably not in the average shooter's lifetime if it was made of the appropriate steel and tempered/hardened properly.

WarDawg said:
# 5 Can you use the same F grade black powder for your pan as you use for your barrel charge. I thought I have seen videos of people using the same horn. I have Goex FF & FFF on hand. For a 50 cal and my future Kibler Woodsrunner 45 cal.
Click to expand...
Yes. I do not, but many here do. I personally like 4f for prime, but 3f gives good results. A friend of mine swears by Null-b. 2f works, but I notice the difference between 2f and 4f. If you want to use just one granulation, I'd recommend 3f.
 
Lots of replies already. I'll toss in a couple thoughts. Life of a flint varies with several factors. e.g. type of flint, proper fit and angle in the lock, quality of the lock especially the frizzen. There is no short or universal answer. I have used German sawn flints (various types of stone) for decades in a quality lock. They last and last for me. Yes, a frizzen can wear out, especially some on low quality imports that have only a surface hardened finish. Some good locks are hard all the way through and will outlive you and a couple more generations.
 
every rock is different some will last 100 shots and others will break on the 3rd . a well tuned lock will go a long way in extending flint life as will the way you knap the edge filing and pressure flaking will make it last longer

 
When you learn to find and make them yourself and store up a hundred or so, it really doesn’t matter how long they last. I probably have more than I’ll ever use but I’m always making more just because it’s fun and relaxing.
 
If a mainspring is too strong, that can shorten flint life. The frizzen face quality and condition is important, too. You're using a millions-years-old rock to shoot! Kinda cool!
 
"All things being equal" is difficult to achieve. In my experience there are many guns out there with locks that have one or another problem. They may work most of the time but one or another problem stresses the flint more than need be. We compensate by dressing or changing the flint when optimizing the lock would likely be more effective.
 
I’m trying to learn too. MY average flint life before it quits sparking is 2-5 shots. Five is usually stretching it before my Lyman Trade Rifle breaks chunks out of the flint.

I want to learn to reface the flint so it will cut the frizzen.
 
WarDawg said:
Im trying to use the search function more to not rehash something’s already spoken. But I didn’t see my answer. So here goes. Loaded question I realize. What’s the average life of a flint if everything being equal. I know that can be answered many many ways. I’m a first time flinter. I’m sure quality, cut and setup is all a factor. I just was curious about a realistic ballpark. 25 to 40 strikes. And NO, nothing is ever equal.

# 2 flint quality. What’s excellent and what junk vs adequate. You folks that make your own I admire your skills and hope to possibly learn it also. I'd love to learn to make good flints too. The better flints will always be the nicer looking ones.

# 3 flints are natural stones. Has there ever been man made style made that was shaped and work like a premium stone would ? Not that I'm aware of.

# 4 Does a fritz wear out ? NO. Cheapies can and sometimes do if only case hardened.

# 5 Can you use the same F grade black powder for your pan as you use for your barrel charge. I thought I have seen videos of people using the same horn. I have Goex FF & FFF on hand. For a 50 cal and my future Kibler Woodsrunner 45 cal. Yes.


I’ll end this with I hope to contact this Carolina muzzle loader shooting group in the near future. They are near Mnt Airy NC. Near enough to the Virginia line. Thanks for all the help y’all have given a newbie to black powder. You're welcome.

Thank you for y’all’s patience with this greenhorn. WarDawg Anytime!
Click to expand...
 
Chuck Tiller said:
I’m trying to learn too. MY average flint life before it quits sparking is 2-5 shots. Five is usually stretching it before my Lyman Trade Rifle breaks chunks out of the flint.

I want to learn to reface the flint so it will cut the frizzen.
Click to expand...
That is an extremely short life for a flint. You might want to check the angle that the flint is striking the frizzen and insure that is NOT at a 90 degree angle. The flint should scrape the face of the frizzen and NOT slam into it.
 
Chuck Tiller said:
I’m trying to learn too. MY average flint life before it quits sparking is 2-5 shots. Five is usually stretching it before my Lyman Trade Rifle breaks chunks out of the flint.

I want to learn to reface the flint so it will cut the frizzen.
Click to expand...
Maybe try a search for "Lyman flintlock problems". I have a GPR and it isn't the last word on flint life, but I can get 35-50 shots out of a good flint. I have read that some had the frizzen bouncing back during the firing sequence and hitting the flint dulling the edge. I recall some had joy with a spring change. My Lyman GPR is helped with very cautious positioning of the flint. My Kibler with a chambers lock is much more tolerant and my Kibler with his lock is absolutely brilliant......maybe 100 shots good.
 
I have had flints shatter on the first shot and I have had flints that lasted through a 3 day shoot with no telling how many shots were fired. Some locks are harder on flints than others. I have one lock that I have no idea who made it but I think I could put a creek pebble in it and it would spark.
 
I've had several flintlock rifles and pistols since I started shooting black powder in the early 1970's. I've always gotten 20-30 shots from a new flint before I need to retouch the front edge. Retouching gives me another 20-30 shots. I've tried English, French and American chert and they all spark pretty well. I've never had to replace a frizzen. I bought a can on Kasinet years ago to reharden frizzens and I've never used it. Bill
 
I try and buy flints in two shapes. Long taper for hunting. Hot sparks but don't last long. And then beefier for range use. I have had some that were too long and required me to remove some material from the back of the flint. I never did have any luck with the manufactured stuff. But they are always the same shape and size.
 

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