Amber gun flints

[roundball]

Yes, its hard to beat the truth...a fact is a fact...it is what it is
:thumbsup:

 

[renovato]

I bought a dozen amber flints from Hortguns and was VERY disappointed with them. The new ones are soft, crumbly and IMHO, waaaayyy over priced.

Those sound a lot like mine. The ones I tried tended to dull, chip and crack.

 

[Len Graves]

You are correct. what I was refering to was amber the petrified sap. I have seen the amber colored flint which some call French flint. Now you have me intrigued about perhaps something different. I am familiar with a flint knapping group and quite often they "heat treat" their flint to make it perform better in making stone implements. this heat treating quite often gives the stone striking and suprising colors. Keep us informed. I'm still not too old to learn. Len

 

[paulvallandigham]

I have a book that describes heat treating flints, and I know the guys who knapp the S. Illinois flint often do this before going to work on them, but I have never done it, or seen it done. I did know a flint knapper, and have a set of his stone knives, with 3 or 4 different colored flints. None of those flints are the same color as any of the English flints I have. One of the oval knives is pink, or red, in color. I think I still have an arrowhead that is almost flesh colored, with streaks of red through it. That is an original artifact, and I will have to look for it, now that I remember having it.

 

[bingo1952]

You are correct in that statement. Amber colored flint has absolutely no relation to Fossilized Amber. When burned it will still give off a turpentine sort of smell.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Unlike Va.Manuf.06, I have had really good luck with the antique amber,or yellow flints, but do have the same reservations about using them because they are no longer available.......

:redface: Actually, the amber flints from Bannermans (Dixie) were just fine as I said but the cost was too high when compared to the English flints. IIRC, and in 1974 money, $1.00 for the original amber flints vs. 35 cents (or thereabouts) for the English flints. At that time I was making around $1.65/hour and the English flints were just more affordable even though they were not as nice as those available today.

 

[NHmsj]

-----order flints from RICH PIERCE--makes his own and they are better than English flints-----

So far, for me, Rich Pierce's flints do seem the equal, if not the better, compared to English Flints. IMHO a very good value.

msj

 

[roundball]

Although I probably have a 10 year supply of Fuller's BEFs, I just ordered a dozen Missouri flnts to get some first hand experience with them...should be able to try one a couple weeks from now

 

[tg]

"this heat treating quite often gives the stone striking and suprising colors."

This is common for making items such as points and blades but most consider it not the best practice when making gunflints or spalls.

 

[Len Graves]

Yes I understand that it softens the flint somewhat
to make it more workable, however more likely to shatter against the steel. had some heat treated shards that were a bright orange with coco brown stripes going through them. I made the mistake of trying to knapp points myself and now have some smaller shards. I might try to talk some of my knapper friends into making something for me.

 

[flintlockmdj]

Do you have contact info for Rich Pierce?

 

[MSW]

bought a dozen from Horst gun a while back. i use them ocasionally in my .36, which has a Deluxe Large Siler in it. in all candor, i don't see what all the ruckus is about- no, they don't last longer than the Tom Fuller flints, but that wasn't my intention- i just wanted some thing that looked really cool, which i thing they do.

so, if all you want is sparks in the pan, and appearance is trumped by functionality and price, get the Fuller flints, but if you're willing to pay extra for a flint that doesn't last quite as long but is more aesthetically appealing, get the French Amber.

just one guy's opinion, and no doubt worth what you paid for it.

 

[roundball]

I agree on the looks...they are attractive.
On a related note, I saw a very small scrap of 1/8" red dyed leather at a shoe shop a couple years ago...guy gave it to me...was only able to make 3-4 flint leathers from it but they sure were eye catching sitting up there in the jaws holding a black english flint

 

[Rod Lassey]

About 10-15 years ago, Navy Arms had a lot of old original French amber-colored flints for sale. The story they had was that the flints were found in Europe, and were of Napoleonic War vintage. They were selling them for knock-down prices, cheaper than English flints at the time. I bought about 100 of them.

I wish I'd bought a 1000. They are--bar none--the best flints I've ever used. Plenty durable, but the best part was the way they were shaped--top and bottom were parallel, not a humpback in the lot. The heel was carefully rounded, and they fit the cock of my rifle perfectly. The workmanship that went into them was something else.

I still have a fair number, but I've eased off using them up, as I know that there won't be anymore when these are gone.

I'll second the recommendation for Rich Pierce's flints---ugly things, but they work great, very tough.

Rod

 

[brubincam]

-----I got some RICH PIERCE flints and dry fired in the house to see how it sparked and the sparks actually sizzled and landed on the floor and glowed for a couple seconds----- :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Leonredbeard]

rubincam,
I have had similar experiences. great fun.
volatpluvia

 

[NHmsj]

-----I got some RICH PIERCE flints and dry fired in the house to see how it sparked and the sparks actually sizzled and landed on the floor and glowed for a couple seconds----- :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I had the very same experience! Sizzling, long lasting sparks! I was quite impressed. Not a pretty flint, perhaps. But what the hey, what I want is my prime to ignite - quickely and reliably. When I pull the trigger, I want to hear and feel BOOM!

msj

 

[Rod Lassey]

Rich's email is:
[email protected]


Rod