Bad Flints?

[cayugad]

As many might know, I have limited flintlock experience. Today I was shooting my .50 caliber hawkins and it refused to fire. I then turned the flint bevel over and got another couple shots out of it before it failed again.. So I got a brand new flint out of the box and installed that.

The first five shots were good, then it also refused to fire. I turned that flint over then and got a few more shots, but many more misfires.

I was wiping the pan, flint and frizzen with alcohol swabs.. I was picking the vent hole, so I am wondering.. is there such a thing as just a bad flint?

It was sunny, hot, and 94 degrees. I did note that the pan powder was tarring up and that was why I was so careful to wipe the pan clean...

 

[roundball]

As many might know, I have limited flintlock experience. Today I was shooting my .50 caliber hawkins and it refused to fire. I then turned the flint bevel over and got another couple shots out of it before it failed again.. So I got a brand new flint out of the box and installed that.

The first five shots were good, then it also refused to fire. I turned that flint over then and got a few more shots, but many more misfires.

I was wiping the pan, flint and frizzen with alcohol swabs.. I was picking the vent hole, so I am wondering.. is there such a thing as just a bad flint?

It was sunny, hot, and 94 degrees. I did note that the pan powder was tarring up and that was why I was so careful to wipe the pan clean...

Cayugad, what kind and size flints were you using?

 

[musketman]

so I am wondering.. is there such a thing as just a bad flint?

Yes, some flints are formed with a weak grain structure that prevents flaking and the edge crumbles and dulls, flint is suppose to break somewhat sharp, renewing it's edge as it goes...

Was this true flint of cut agate (grayish-white in color)?

I have got very few shots from agate in my Renegade, it just didn't like them, I slapped an English flint in it and it sparked like a grinding wheel...

 

[cayugad]

Roundball and Musketman - This was one of 100 Thomas Fuller Black English flints I bought from October Country... The Lyman Trade Rifle never misfired at all with the flint I put in it.. the T/C Hawkins just did not want to cooperate at all. I think I will change flints again and try it tomorrow and see what happens.

By the way, Swiss 3f is excellent powder. I was shooting 75 grains of it and a patched roundball. When the rifle did fire, it was quick...

 

[Wart]

Just a thought - it may be your frizzim (sp.)thats bad, not the flints :applause:

 

[cayugad]

That thought crossed my mind also.. but the rifle has not had that many shots fired off it and my understanding is a frizzen remains hardened for many many shots...

Of course you never know..

 

[musketman]

That thought crossed my mind also.. but the rifle has not had that many shots fired off it and my understanding is a frizzen remains hardened for many many shots...

Of course you never know..

A good harden frizzen should out-live the shooter...

 

[Darkhorse]

As many might know, I have limited flintlock experience. Today I was shooting my .50 caliber hawkins and it refused to fire. I then turned the flint bevel over and got another couple shots out of it before it failed again.. So I got a brand new flint out of the box and installed that.

The first five shots were good, then it also refused to fire. I turned that flint over then and got a few more shots, but many more misfires.

I was wiping the pan, flint and frizzen with alcohol swabs.. I was picking the vent hole, so I am wondering.. is there such a thing as just a bad flint?

It was sunny, hot, and 94 degrees. I did note that the pan powder was tarring up and that was why I was so careful to wipe the pan clean...

When you say the rifle refused to fire do you mean the priming in the pan did not go off or it did and the gun didn't fire?
Those are two distinctly different things with two different causes.
If the prime went off then then the flint and frizzen did their job. But if the rifle then didn't go off then it means something else is wrong.
For what its worth, I shot 30 shots Sat. Morning in the Georgia heat and humidity. I did knap the flint before starting but I didn't knap it again, or wipe the pan or flint, or clean the rifle, and it fired all 30 shots without a misfire.

 

[cayugad]

It would not spark and it would not set the pan off. Since I have tried to knapp before and only made a mess, I just change the flint and then work on the old one trying to learn...

 

[roundball]

It would not spark and it would not set the pan off. Since I have tried to knapp before and only made a mess, I just change the flint and then work on the old one trying to learn...

Well that's a puzzler...as you know I use those same 3/4" Black English Flints in all my TC Hawkens...and you already had your lock upgraded to the new style like mine...I get 40-60 shots with those BEF's in my Hawkens.

You're frizzen is less than a year old and I assume it's the new style jet black color frizzen...if so, I can't imagine you wearing it out in your lifetime...I have hundreds on a few of mine, over 1000 on a couple, and they're still practically new looking.

Assuming the flints are the correct size, and nothing has come loose in the lock affecting the operation of the hammer falling, the only things I can even guess at is a dirty frizzen or an odd marginal flint.
::

(if you still have trouble, just send that ole TC Hawken down here to me and I'll get it out of your way!)
::

 

[riarcher]

I've had some bad flints (English style) that acted as you mentioned,, but they were very rare. Actually, you can get a good idea of how they'll perform when you look at them (with a little experience).
This is one of them "if I could see it, it would help" type things.
My first (without seeing) idea is that the angle the flint hits the frizzen needs to be scrutinized. Next would be the spring tension of the frizzen spring. Too much is not always better. Make sure the pivot and spring are well lubed.
"Flint hitting 2/3 the way up the frizzen" is a good rule of thumb,,,, however, NOT always correct. Your looking for a "slicing" action, not a "chopping" action.
Set the flint's gap to slice, hold frizzen in place, release hammer to rest on frizzen and snug up the screw. Bring back to 1/2 cock, kick flint to slight angle and tighten. When flint has worked it's way across the flint's edge, flip it over and do the same.
I susspect that if your flint is dulling within 3-5 shots that your chopping (crashing) the flint to frizzen and that's just hammering the edge off the flint.
Only other thing I can think of is, there is a groove (notch) cut into the frizzen,,, but I believe you said this is new and this condition takes quite a bit of abusive time.
Perhaps a picture of your set-up could help.
Otherwise,, I'm out of ideas with out seeing it.
Good luck.
Gary

 

[SCATTERSHOT]

Could be your lock geometry is off, and you have a bad lock instead of bad flints. The tipoff is that you obtain good results with one rifle and not the other.

 

[robinghewitt]

This was one of 100 Thomas Fuller Black English flints I bought from October Country...

I don't think there's anything wrong with Tom Fuller flints, quite the best flints I have ever tried. Suggest you buy another 100 just in case anything happens to him. Flint knappers have a limited life expectation due to the silicon dust. Ignoring infant deaths their average life span was 44 compared to an average of 66 :shocking:

 

[Slowpoke]

.....wrong with Tom Fuller flints, quite the best flints I have ever tried.

Squire, I suggest you find yourself a new shipping agent. Joe Manton never like the French anyway......

SP

 

[robinghewitt]

DOH :cry:

 

[flintlockmdj]

The frizen should remain hard for hundreds or thousands of shots if it were hardened corectly to start with. No offence to TC but this is a comercially produced gun and mistakes do happen. Amoung other things I would contact TC and see what they have to say.