Fixing Humpy Flints

[The Crisco Kid]

The last couple of flint buys left me with quite a few that have too sharp a hump on the top, or bottom, so that they won't stay put. Is there a stone that will grind off this hump? I tried a regular abrasive stone that flattened one out some but it's marginal. At $2.50 a piece I hate to pitch them.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have used JB weld to smooth or "stretch" a short flint.You could use a diamond plate to flaten a flint but it would take a lot of time.

 

[Nazgul58]

I use a diamond plate, DMT brand. With a little water they smooth out the hump easily.

Don

 

[andy52]

I use a diamond burr in my drill press it takes the hump off in just a few seconds.

 

[EC121]

I have used a Mizzy wheel in my Dremel or a green stone on my bench grinder. Mizzy is a brand name.

 

[Grimord]

I use a diamond wheel on my Dremel tool to take off the humps. Wear a face mask when doing this because flint dust is very abrasive and can harm your lungs.

 

[Brokennock]

One of many, many, threads on this subject,
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/fear-no-humpy-flint.123510/

 

[M. De Land]

The last couple of flint buys left me with quite a few that have too sharp a hump on the top, or bottom, so that they won't stay put. Is there a stone that will grind off this hump? I tried a regular abrasive stone that flattened one out some but it's marginal. At $2.50 a piece I hate to pitch them.

A green emery wheel used for grinding carbide will cut the hump off. Just make sure you wear a mask as the dust is very bad on your lungs. A diamond file will work as well but takes much longer.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I bought some diamond drums (1" diameter) and chuck in my drill press to grind down the hunppies. But, be advised, flint is tough stuff and wears out even the diamond grit rather rapidly. Even though it works, I gave up because it is not a cost effective procedure, the drums are expensive. I now throw away the humppies and just use flat flints.

 

[M. De Land]

I bought some diamond drums (1" diameter) and chuck in my drill press to grind down the hunppies. But, be advised, flint is tough stuff and wears out even the diamond grit rather rapidly. Even though it works, I gave up because it is not a cost effective procedure, the drums are expensive. I now throw away the humppies and just use flat flints.

I use the green 8 inch emery wheel and it removes the humps qwickly but must be done in short bursts or the flint will over heat and crack.

 

[mmb617]

I'm probably as cheap as anybody but even I don't try to grind the hump off my flints. At less than $2 each and with the average flint giving me 75 shots or so I just can't see it as cost effective. How bad does the hump have to be to render a flint unusable? Depends on the lock I guess. Humpy flints don't tend to last as long but they are still at least usable to me.

 

[M. De Land]

I'm probably as cheap as anybody but even I don't try to grind the hump off my flints. At less than $2 each and with the average flint giving me 75 shots or so I just can't see it as cost effective. How bad does the hump have to be to render a flint unusable? Depends on the lock I guess. Humpy flints don't tend to last as long but they are still at least usable to me.

You don't need to grind them perfectly flat , just take the sharp ridge off the back a bit so they will have more purchase on the leather or lead shoe holding them in place in the **** jaws. The ridge actually does have some benefit in that it strengthens the spine of the flint and keeps them from breaking in half.
I make my flints from flakes that have no ridge and if I get them to thin they will occasionally break in two, mid flint.
The ridge is a result of the platform in a core of flint the blades are struck from. The blades are then sectioned cross ways of the ridge to from the gun flints that are sold.

 

[hanshi]

I, too, always grit my teeth and use the "humpies" sometimes using JB Weld or something else on the top to kinda "even out" the hump. Thick leather in the **** jaws does help some and I'm always on the lookout for any loosening.

 

[Cattywompuss]

I, too, always grit my teeth and use the "humpies" sometimes using JB Weld or something else on the top to kinda "even out" the hump. Thick leather in the **** jaws does help some and I'm always on the lookout for any loosening.

Same here, most of my locks can take them for better or worse, hump up or hump down. When I found a mess of nice flat real knapped flints at Deer Creek in Marietta early in the year, I bought all of them though. Mail order is less forgiving.

 

[Don Steele]

I, too, always grit my teeth and use the "humpies" sometimes using JB Weld or something else on the top to kinda "even out" the hump. Thick leather in the **** jaws does help some and I'm always on the lookout for any loosening.

Thanks for the post. I've wondered about the potential of using a "dab" of JB Weld to even out the top of a hump and provide more flat surface to engage the leather and provide a secure hold. It's been a VERY long time since I paid "less than $2.00.\" for flints (worth owning). One of the benefits of being retired is I have time.