Flint adjustment

[griffiga]

Wanting to turn my flinter into a scraper rather than a pecker, I came up with an idea which seemed to work. By putting a small strip of leather towards the back of the flint before tightening it down, it gave the face of the flint a sharper angle when striking the frizzen. I was worried it may come loose, but so far it’s stayed solid.

 

[Art Caputo]

Another approach is to hammer a a piece of lead and cut to the same shape, placed under the bottom leather. Very secure, and it stays in place when changing flints.

 

[griffiga]

Another approach is to hammer a a piece of lead and cut to the same shape, placed under the bottom leather. Very secure, and it stays in place when changing flints.

Your way may be easier, I’ll have to give it a try

 

[Don Steele]

Doesn't take much to improve the geometry without having to heat and "bend things".

 

[Musketeer]

Shimming the rear of a flint to create a better striking angle is a tried and true method, with small strips of leather one of the more common materials used. It works fine. By all means, give Art's suggestion a try too and see what you like better.

Off topic, but is that an old Navy Arms Harper's Ferry?

 

[Grenadier1758]

Most of my flints will have that short piece of leather thong under the back edge of the flint.

 

[griffiga]

Shimming the rear of a flint to create a better striking angle is a tried and true method, with small strips of leather one of the more common materials used. It works fine. By all means, give Art's suggestion a try too and see what you like better.

Off topic, but is that an old Navy Arms Harper's Ferry?

Good eye there Musketeer, it is a Navy Arms Harper's Ferry, made in 1975, which, Ironically, is the year I graduated from High School. Seems like I just came up with an idea that you all already knew about... My wife does tell me I'm a bit slow sometimes.

 

[EC121]

I've been shimming flints for years. I glue a leather shim to the the flint leather. If the lead will stick to the hammer that would be a good Idea. Some sort of small wedge would support the flint better. While it hasn't happened to me, I wonder about the jaw pressure breaking the unsupported part of the flint.

 

[griffiga]

I've been shimming flints for years. I glue a leather shim to the the flint leather. If the lead will stick to the hammer that would be a good Idea.

I knew I joined this forum for a reason. I'm going to try both. Interestingly enough, I've went the full circle with the flintlock. The very first muzzle loader I owned, I bought while back in High School. It was a .45 caliber Dixie Kentucky Flintlock rifle kit. I shot the heck out of it until it wouldn't spark good anymore, then purchased a drum and percussion lock that fit it and switched to caplock. I finished shooting the heck out of it until I went off to college. As a poor college student, I ended up trading it to a pawn shop for a modern, bolt action hunting rifle. Even though I've had other flintlocks along the way, (Charleville and Brown Bess) they were more for my historical reinactment impression, but I relied heavily on my percussion rifles and pistols. It wasn't until a year or so ago that I've really gotten back to the flintlock, and it was due mostly from joining this forum (so thanks for that). All in all, that full circle took over 45 years!

 

[SAJones]

I'm at a bit of a loss here: wrapping the flint with something (usually leather) to help keep it firmly in the **** jaws has been standard practice for a couple centuries. Military muskets used lead, usually of a more or less stand pattern that really anchors that big rock; use them on my 1777 Charleville. Also, from your photo, it looks like the flint may fall out of the jaws at the first clack.

 

[griffiga]

I'm at a bit of a loss here: wrapping the flint with something (usually leather) to help keep it firmly in the **** jaws has been standard practice for a couple centuries. Military muskets used lead, usually of a more or less stand pattern that really anchors that big rock; use them on my 1777 Charleville. Also, from your photo, it looks like the flint may fall out of the jaws at the first clack.

I was a bit worried myself, but having fired it 6 or 8 times, it didn’t move. I did notice the flint didn’t seem to dull nearly as quickly. It was still about as sharp as the first shot

 

[hanshi]

As long as you get a good scrape on the frizzen, the flint is likely mounted about right.