Flint Knapping Frequency

[Flash Pan Dan]

I have been shooting flintlocks for a while and have a routine I follow when loading, to wit;

Fire
Pick touchhole
Blow down the barrel
Wipe frizzen
Wipe pan
Wipe flint and check flint edge.
Load for the next round.

And in general this has worked well. But sometimes after several rounds fired I will get a no-flash. Apparently my frizzen and my index finger differ on the definition of sharp. Now to the question; do you knap on a regular basis, say after 10 shots, or how do you deal with forestalling having a no-flash shot?

 

[Patocazador]

If necessary, I reposition the flint so that it's striking evenly. If it is too ragged, I knap by dry-firing against the bottom edge of the frizzen.

I don't use a routine number of shots because that varies too much.

 

[biliff]

Beware the little rounded nub. That one little dull section of the flint that sticks out just enough to keep the sharp part of the flint from hitting the frizzen. If found, wale on the sucker with ye olde knapping hammer.

 

[mah7039]

Does anyone else have issues with his process? Our club rules do not allow blowing down the barrel and I'm not sure what the benefit is. Is it suppose to clear the touch hole?..
Personally, if I pick the touch hole, it's after I load and right before I prime. I usually don't pick unless I have a "flash, no fire" and that isn't often. I don't knap until I have "no flash" which is maybe every 20-30 shots.
If you have a routine that works for you then stay with it.

 

[BrownBear]

I "knap" every 6 to 10 shots, but not extensively and not with a separate tool. I just lower the flint till it touches the frizzen, then press it against the frizzen to touch up the edge. Doing this tiny bit of "sharpening" every few shots keeps the edge really true to the frizzen. It also gives me amazing reliability and flint life, compared to other ways of knapping. Just not a big deal at all to do it, basically as routine as any other step in a reload.

 

[M. De Land]

Learn to pressure flake the flint edge instead of beating on it or back drawing against the Frizzen. It will last much longer, be sharper and you will have much more control over the edge profile! It doesn't help wear out your frizzen face either like back drawing does!
I use a piece of 3/16s inch copper ground wire sharpened to a point. This is held in an antler handle secured by a set screw from the side.
A copper nail is another good pressure flaking tool as well although it requires another type of handle to hold it.
Leave the flint in the cock jaw, rest the strike edge on a piece of leather supported by your fingers underneath and pop off a row of flakes across the striking edge to suit and it will spark like crazy.
A flint edge so made will spark better and last longer than any other I have seen or tried.
The flint life will be longer as well!

 

[M. De Land]

I believe the back draw works because it roughs up the frizzen surface knap from the strike force direction under normal cycling.That is why it needs repeating so often on many locks to be reliable.
It sure doesn't do much flint knapping.
It also stresses the frizzen hinge and puts needless wear on the face.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I flip the flint after 20-25 shots shoot another 20 and then may start worrying about nibbling the edge. Some may fail a little sooner.

As a test I fired 30 consecutive shots doing nothing but loading and priming. No picking, wiping, napping, futzing around in any way. No missfires.

 

[M. De Land]

Yeah that is the sign of a well tuned and spring balanced lock but some need all the help they can get and the flint edge has to be kept at it's best to be reliable.
One has to think on what is happening when a spark is generated and how best to maintain that condition.
Metal is being sheared on a molecular level by the harder flint which is also being consumed in the friction generation of energy manifested as heat.
The flint edge that seems to best produce this condition is one of multiple irregular shaped sharp edges on different tangent angles to the frizzen face that cuts into the frizzen steel by a micro shearing action.
Small controled flake removal produces this condition on the flint edge. That is why when the flint edge gets even and rounded off from wear it stops sparking. It can no longer shear off steel.
A small flaking action across the strike edge as well as the bevel back produces this edge that maintains the shearing action of frizzen steel by the harder flint,the most efficiently.

 

[Rifleman1776]

There is no fixed answer as to how often. Flinters all have their own ritual. We are a strange bunch. :blah: Just knap when necessary to get a spark. Or knap every shot if it gives you the tickles. :youcrazy:
Seriously, keep at it, you will develop your own routine and figure out your gun/lock preferences soon.

 

[ccmountainman]

I don't understand why there would be a rule against blowing down the barrel
Doing so helps ensure no residual sparks are still burning.
Ensures the flash hole is clear.
And some believe your breath may help soften the fouling.
As to how often to knap. Pretty much subjective. Each his own as needed.

 

[RonRC]

Does anyone here knap using the pointed or squared off end of an elk or deer antler?
Someone at a muzzleloader gathering showed that to me.

Also, as I get older, I find myself napping much more frequently. :hmm:
Ron

 

[curator]

Blowing down the barrel after the shot violates the #1 rule of always pointing the muzzle in a safe direction. Yes it does keep the fouling soft, particularly in dry climates. I had made a "blow-tube" so I could follow the rule and still get the advantage of softer fouling on woods walks where wiping the bore was impractical or not allowed. A flexible piece of plastic pipe fitted to the muzzle keeps the "business-end" of the gun away from my face and body while I breathe two or three breaths down the bore.

 

[wpjson]

I have a can of copper nails I picked up some place and I have never had a use for them until now. Thanks :hatsoff:

 

[Billnpatti]

I do two things, first, I knap as needed by dropping the flint against the heel of the frizzen. This is a trick that was taught to me by a good friend, the late Paul Valindigham. I think his post on this technique may still be in the forum files if you want to look it up. Secondly, I carry two or three spare flints in my flint wallet and change my flint if, for some reason, re-knapping doesn't do the trick.

 

[ccmountainman]

I can kinda see that as an answer.
But it is my gun, I just shot it. I know it is now empty.
I understand our sue happy society. but sometimes...
Guess a chunk of plastic tube would work just as well.
Although some meets, have a thing that plastic is not period correct so won't allow that either.
Me I dhoot out my back door. Guess I will continue to do as taught. Blow down the muzzle.

 

[54ball]

Who cares what you do at your own place. There are some things I have done as far as period correct loadings that I will not mention or recommend, I keep that info in my circle. Blowing down the barrel as a matter of procedure is not one of them. Keep in mind there are kids reading every word.
All info on this topic has been placed on a closed sticky....so why bring it up...and what does it have to do with knapping flints? http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/211292/

 

[M. De Land]

I also made and have antler pressure flakers but a sharp copper nail or filed point on a copper wire will do a better job and do it more easily.
One can pop off a row of tiny flakes and even up the edge in a minute or less with these tools and not fracture the flint as often happens with a knapping hammer.

 

[jamieorr]

So do you draw the point along the edge, as if you were tracing the shape of the flint in the leather? While keeping pressure on the flint, of course.

I've read of making a knapping tool by filing a notch in a nail, but I think that was to catch the flint edge so you can apply pressure.

Jamie

 

[hanshi]

The only time I knapp is when I get a FITP. If it's still shooting then there's no reason to do anything.