Found a Method for using Agates as Flint

Newbert · Dec 3, 2024

When I first got my flintlock, I realized I didnt have any flint. Eventually I bought some, but the price was a bit steep with shipping. There isnt any good source of flint or chert in my part of the world, but what there a lot of is agates.

Agate is pretty much everywhere, especially if you search when the sun is low. I have dozens of them and I thought maybe I could knap something. Problem is agate just doesn't knap like flint. All I could ever get is strange irregular flakes and chunks. A dremel grinder with tungsten carbide can grind it down a bit, but the dust is extremely dangerous without a water drip and I didnt wanna mess with that...

So I had this idea, technically only the edge of the "flint" matters, and the rest of the body is just to have something to fit into the jaws of the lock. What if you took some hot glue, encased the flake inside and then carefully cut/melted away the glue until the edge was out.

A sort of low temp plastic flake holder to insert into the jaws.

I made a couple of them, and they work just fine! I think this is a fun and cheap way to get some flints for the gun as the agates don't chip easily.

Here's some videos of them in action (Dont worry the one with the flash in the pan wasn't loaded and was in a ventilated room!)

stubshaft · Dec 3, 2024

Great idea!

Banjoman · Dec 3, 2024

wiscoaster · Dec 3, 2024

I've purchased and tried machined agate flints from some online source and found they don't spark very well. Real flints aren't really all that expensive. It's the shipping that gets you. So best ordered along with other supplies from favorite black powder muzzleloading vendor.

bldtrailer · Dec 3, 2024

the white tc and lyman sell are German agate , they are made with a rock saw . Agate is a chert as is jasper another chert that can be made into fine gun flints , they are just very difficult to knap into gun flints(some heat treat jasper to make more knappable) all sio2 or quartz micro replacement of organics (petrified wood)

Indy Durtdigger · Dec 3, 2024

Free trumps cheap in my book. My only question is are the pieces you find big enough to just cut full size ones on a tile saw and then resharpen as needed?

Banjoman · Dec 3, 2024

Agate is hard to knap. Like you said, only one edge really matters so the ones I make usually have one good front edge and the rest is ugly as sin.
But they spark and they are free. I may try your method some time since I have a bunch of too small but very sharp pieces that need to be used.

Rifleman1776 · Dec 3, 2024

I have used sawn German flints from Gunter Stifter for decades. They last (for me in a good lock) much-much longer than English knapped blacks. I have a hunk of red agate given to me by well known flint knapper, Darry Waldrop. He gave it to me about 50 years ago to use for fire starting. It was about the size of my hand at the time. What is left of it is about the size of a silver dollar. Good sparker.

Spikebuck · Dec 3, 2024

Just yesterday I was getting my annual shooting range pass and the guy at the bait shop struck up a conversation on traditional muzzleloading when I mentioned that's all I shoot. He said he has used agate and echoed what was said above regarding one good edge. He looks for agates about 2 or 3 times the size of a flint and taps it with a hammer until it splits. He said you can't hit it hard or it just pulverizes.

Just passing on what he said...I haven't tried it nor have I seen it done.

PathfinderNC · Dec 3, 2024

Flashing the pan in the bathroom? Another reason not to go in there after dad

Newbert · Dec 3, 2024

Spikebuck said:
Just yesterday I was getting my annual shooting range pass and the guy at the bait shop struck up a conversation on traditional muzzleloading when I mentioned that's all I shoot. He said he has used agate and echoed what was said above regarding one good edge. He looks for agates about 2 or 3 times the size of a flint and taps it with a hammer until it splits. He said you can't hit it hard or it just pulverizes.

Just passing on what he said...I haven't tried it nor have I seen it done.

Interesting, I use small agates and crack them in a vice, so I get really small flakes. I would try a big one but all I ever find like that size is quartz aggregate which DOES spark but crumbles easily.

EDIT: I actually went to the shop quickly and tried tapping at an agate, It took a bit more of a "bang" but I did get some decent flakes this way, I will maybe try it on some quartz and see if I get something a bit stronger than im used to

Newbert · Dec 3, 2024

Indy Durtdigger said:
Free trumps cheap in my book. My only question is are the pieces you find big enough to just cut full size ones on a tile saw and then resharpen as needed?

The agates I always find aren't much bigger than a large cherry at the best. I dont own a tile saw and I fear the dust but I imagine it could be possible at least to cut a larger one at least to the right shape if I had such a lapidary.

I am charmed by this method as it makes what would normally be total garbage into a viable flint.

I would like to see how long they last but I imagine its a waste to keep scratching at the frizzen for no good reason other than curiosity

Newbert · Dec 3, 2024

Banjoman said:
Agate is hard to knap. Like you said, only one edge really matters so the ones I make usually have one good front edge and the rest is ugly as sin.
But they spark and they are free. I may try your method some time since I have a bunch of too small but very sharp pieces that need to be used.

I will try to make a little guide on what I did, though I imagine you could figure it out too

bpd303 · Dec 3, 2024

I have one of these diamond wet grinders from when we did stained glass. It uses a sponge to keep the diamond wheel wet. Works on agate, chert, jasper etc. Also good for removing those annoying humps that come with English black flints lately.

Newbert · Dec 3, 2024

Hello all, I recorded and edited a short video explaining my process on making these little flake holders. If you'd like to try one yourself I hope it will be of use to you.

I was not able to compress the video small enough to fit on the forum so this is an external link

Creating Functional Flint from Small Agate Flakes

Banjoman · Dec 4, 2024

Awesome! Thanks!

wiscoaster · Dec 4, 2024

Newbert said:
....

I was not able to compress the video small enough to fit on the forum so this is an external link
..

In trying to post a short video of my own I discovered resolution has to be reduced to 720 ppi or less before an upload will be accepted, and there may be a time limit as well, but I didn't run into that.

Spikebuck · Dec 4, 2024

Thanks for posting the process! Very interesting.

Jim K · Dec 4, 2024

Pretty slick. Thats thinking outside of the box. Thank you!

Nazgul58 · Dec 5, 2024

I bought a cheap Harbor Freight tile saw and cut my own agate. It works well , but I need more experience in selecting good agate pieces. Some break after only a few shots, some last surprisingly well.

The saw cuts and shapes the agate easily. You will get wet and it does make a mess.

Don

Found a Method for using Agates as Flint

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