Extending flint life

[Tom A Hawk]

Regarding the tilt, if the touch hole is correctly located at the "sunset" position, the closed frizzen prevents any entry of priming powder into the flash channel and ignition is nearly instantaneous.

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

sealgaire: X2 you nailed it !

 

[BJm]

Never had a flash in the pan problem. As far as tilting the pan, if you tilt toward the touch hole you get powder in the hole and slow ignition. I tilt away from the touch hole and the flash goes through the hole igniting the charge. Friends who have had flash in the pan problems usually solved it by changing their loading/swabbing routine. If you swab the barrel after a shot before reloading you push fouling into the breach. The flash then has to get past the fouling to get to the new powder charge, result is flash in the pan sometimes. Try shoot, reload and then swab the barrel. Another problem is flash hole position and size. Thanks.

One of the biggest "flash in the pan " problems & slow ignition is too much powder in the pan. With the vent prick left in while loading & only removed when putting " MINIUM "priming powder in the pan, then tilting side by side, the tunnel privided by the vent prick gives instant quick ignition. I cannt remember the last time in 40 years of a missfire due to a flash in the pan. I don't swab after shots with rifle or shotgun

 

[M. De Land]

I have used most of the methods described but have found the very easiest tool to pressure flake with is the pointed copper nail or wire tool with a sharp point nested into a handle of some sort. I use caribou antler. Copper is soft enough for the flint edge to dent into which then conforms to the flint surface it is engaging and grips it which can be flaked off. This method will remove tiny edge flakes instead of chunks which greatly enhances ones control of the fracture thus increasing flint life while allowing a much cleaner and stronger edge striking the frizzen. Antler will work but wears much faster and is not as fast and efficient as a copper nail or wire tool.

 

[toot]

isn't a piece of copper wire used in flaking flint arrow heads?

 

[Tom A Hawk]

isn't a piece of copper wire used in flaking flint arrow heads?

Absolutely! Many commercially available pressure flakers are copper.

 

[toot]

those Shure are some beautiful points!!! did you flake them?? what is the type of flint that was used, it is a sweet gray color??

 

[Tom A Hawk]

those Shure are some beautiful points!!! did you flake them?? what is the type of flint that was used, it is a sweet gray color??

Thanks. Onondaga Chert. Miserable stuff to work on. Smells like crude oil.

 

[bldtrailer]

M. De Land what kind of flint is the white rock you show and what might be the source ?

 

[M. De Land]

M. De Land what kind of flint is the white rock you show and what might be the source ?

Keokuk heat treated, I think from Oklahoma.

 

[toot]

thank for getting back to me on my question of the origin on the grey flint.

 

[GregLaRoche]

By the way, the little tool you mention, I use it to, but only at the point that the diamond file is no longer effective. That happens if you make the cutting angle of the flint to large to scrape effectively some hot iron from the frizzen... A flint's edge is like a chisel ... the finer the edge angle is the sharper the flint is ... It's a bit hard to explain, but I hope my explanation makes it clear... You should try it - such a file is dirt cheap, and I'm sure I already earned my money back by the extend to which my flints last longer!

What tile are you using? Is it diamond? Any special name for it?

 

[M. De Land]

What tile are you using? Is it diamond? Any special name for it?

Nah, a thin straight ground edge has no strength and will fracture dull very quickly. The pressure flaking sets up ridges between chips that strengthen the saw tooth edge and as the high points wear back you are continually into fresh sharp areas in the flake scarp until you reach the bottom. The ridges that are worn back create a new row of platforms from which to make a fresh row of flakes with new supporting scarp ridges. This continual movement of edge occurs both laterally and vertically as the ridges move over and higher with each edge tune up. This allows more even frizzen face wear and makes both it and the flints last longer.
With a new row of flakes made from the worn back ridges from the previous row the contact has move laterally and vertically. The new scarps were the ridges on the previous row.
With each new row of flakes the edge keep moving upward and at some point will need to be flipped over so the edge will be on the bottom. In my opinion this is the advantage of making flints from flakes rather than cores which leave a ridge back that are not as easily flipped and held securely.

 

[Flinty Scot]

Sunkmanitu Tanka, I'd like to try your technique. Where did you find that diamond file? Thank you.