Flint knapping hammer ?

[M. De Land]

Thank you for the information, I appreciate it. I ground the humps off the top of my flints so they would sit in the jaws better, and I think I should be able to flip them over after a while and continue using them after the edge climbs up the bevel pretty far. Would you mind sharing a picture of one of your flints? I have some chert and agate that I picked up when we took my kid rock counting for his birthday, and I've been wanting to try it out but I haven't ever napped anything, so as long as I can get it into some sort of shape that will fit in the jaw and have a sharp edge, I think it will work okay

Also, I made a pressure flaking tool this morning. I didn't have any copper, so I broke off the head of a small brass screw, and screwed it into a scrap of hickory. Dowel. It seems to be able to dig into the edge of the Flint enough to wear. I can get a flight off pretty easily. It was Great being able to use some flints I had already used before but tossed into my bag cuz I didn't know how to resharpen them yet. Thank you for the recommendations!

I make these from time to time just for the fun of it when I get quite a bit of point flake left overs as I have more than I will ever personally need already.
I also like to make them of different chert and flint types to compare spark production and longevity. I have found that many of the various cherts work every bit as well as purchased English flint .
I've been told certain cherts are more abrasive to frizzen then good production flints but I haven't to this point at least observed this to be true.

 

[HighUintas]

I make these from time to time just for the fun of it when I get quite a bit of point flake left overs as I have more than I will ever personally need already.
I also like to make them of different chert and flint types to compare spark production and longevity. I have found that many of the various cherts work every bit as well as purchased English flint .
I've been told certain cherts are more abrasive to frizzen then good production flints but I haven't to this point at least observed this to be true.

Thanks for the pictures and information! I'll have to start working soon on some of the smaller pieces of chert to see if I can shape them into a useable flint by pressure flaking. After refreshing a few with the tool I made, it doesn't seem it would be overly hard to get a useable flint

 

[M. De Land]

Thanks for the pictures and information! I'll have to start working soon on some of the smaller pieces of chert to see if I can shape them into a useable flint by pressure flaking. After refreshing a few with the tool I made, it doesn't seem it would be overly hard to get a useable flint

One of the knapping techniques picked up from point knapping videos is indirect percussion that is very useful for gun flint shaping.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

A simple little tool that's always in my pocket ...

This tool that Erwan shows on Post #7 on Page 1 is soooooooooo simple that I need no other method!

And as a bonus, I threaded the 'tool' end for a female 10-32 thread and the other end same, then LokTite'd in a 10-32 stud ... so my tool also functions as a handy 'ramrod extension tool'!

 

[French Colonial]

Jeez Louise....

Your knocking chips off a piece of rock and you want to make this how complicated?

Lets get Jim Kibler to work up a CNC machine to produce perfect flints and maybe we can put this to rest.

 

[M. De Land]

Jeez Louise....

Your knocking chips off a piece of rock and you want to make this how complicated?

Lets get Jim Kibler to work up a CNC machine to produce perfect flints and maybe we can put this to rest.

The point is not knowing the difference between knocking and pushing flake formation to shape and edge sharpen. Knocking affords far less control and wastes much more flint material because of it's tendency to cause fracture especially on the corners of the sharp edge.
A supported edge sharpened with a pressure flake tool does not cause impact fracture, creates scarp reinforcement between flakes in an even row and preserves edge corners from breaking off.
The result is a wider strike edge, better (more consistent ) spark production , greatly increased flint life and extended frizzen face wear.
Each new row of flakes popped off with the pressure tool elevates and offsets the previous strike pattern of the edge on the frizzen. The high points "scarps" between the flakes wear back and become the platforms for the pressure flake tool to pop off a new row of flakes which are higher and offset from the previous row.
This process keeps moving higher until the flint edge tops out and is flipped over and the process begins again from the bottom.

 

[French Colonial]

The point is not knowing the difference between knocking and pushing flake formation to shape and edge sharpen. Knocking affords far less control and wastes much more flint material because of it's tendency to cause fracture especially on the corners of the sharp edge.
A supported edge sharpened with a pressure flake tool does not cause impact fracture, creates scarp reinforcement between flakes in an even row and preserves edge corners from breaking off.
The result is a wider strike edge, better (more consistent ) spark production , greatly increased flint life and extended frizzen face wear.
Each new row of flakes popped off with the pressure tool elevates and offsets the previous strike pattern of the edge on the frizzen. The high points "scarps" between the flakes wear back and become the platforms for the pressure flake tool to pop off a new row of flakes which are higher and offset from the previous row.
This process keeps moving higher until the flint edge tops out and is flipped over and the process begins again from the bottom.

I don't care!!!!

I shoot until the flint gets dull and then I knock the dull parts off and keep shooting and when it gets so short the cock will not hold it anymore I put in a new flint.
I have enough flints to last me the rest of my life without worrying if I am knapping them correctly.

Try to make this rocket science if you want I am just going to keep shooting.

AND I never take them out of the cock, just knock the dull parts off and go back to shooting.

 

[M. De Land]

I don't care!!!!

I shoot until the flint gets dull and then I knock the dull parts off and keep shooting and when it gets so short the cock will not hold it anymore I put in a new flint.
I have enough flints to last me the rest of my life without worrying if I am knapping them correctly.

Try to make this rocket science if you want I am just going to keep shooting.

AND I never take them out of the cock, just knock the dull parts off and go back to shooting.

Good enough, this then is for folks who do care about better performance in their equipment and as for rocket science, this is stone age technology !

 

[Sooty Scot]

I've had some luck with a notch cut in an an antler tine, flaking a fresh edge w/out taking the flint out. However, I carry spares and usually wait until I'm home and can hold it firmly in a hand vice to spall a new edge.

 

[M. De Land]

I've had some luck with a notch cut in an an antler tine, flaking a fresh edge w/out taking the flint out. However, I carry spares and usually wait until I'm home and can hold it firmly in a hand vice to spall a new edge.

All you need is some arrow point knapping instruction and some practice and you'll never be without good flints again !
The indirect percussion method revolutionized my ability to make better points and gun flints. The tools are easily made from stuff one can buy at the local Ace Hardware store with the exception of moose and caribou antler that I like to use for handles . Hard wood works every bit as well function wise.

 

[M. De Land]

I don't care!!!!

I shoot until the flint gets dull and then I knock the dull parts off and keep shooting and when it gets so short the cock will not hold it anymore I put in a new flint.
I have enough flints to last me the rest of my life without worrying if I am knapping them correctly.

Try to make this rocket science if you want I am just going to keep shooting.

AND I never take them out of the cock, just knock the dull parts off and go back to shooting.

That'll work but I believe my scores improve if I take the time to freshen the edge between relays in a match. This simply is because the spark production is more uniform and thus ignition.

 

[IanH]

All you need is some arrow point knapping instruction and some practice and you'll never be without good flints again !
The indirect percussion method revolutionized my ability to make better points and gun flints. The tools are easily made from stuff one can buy at the local Ace Hardware store with the exception of moose and caribou antler that I like to use for handles . Hard wood works every bit as well function wise.

Thank you for all of your excellent input on this thread.

 

[French Colonial]

That'll work but I believe my scores improve if I take the time to freshen the edge between relays in a match. This simply is because the spark production is more uniform and thus ignition.

And I do not believe it, whether the priming is set off by two sparks or 100 it burns at the same rate and faster than any movement you may introduce to move your POI

However, if you imagine it helps then you have more confidence and that may improve your scores.

I have the utmost confidence in a couple of my rifles to hit where I aim regardless of how the flint was sharpened and that is what makes me a better shooter.

 

[M. De Land]

And I do not believe it, whether the priming is set off by two sparks or 100 it burns at the same rate and faster than any movement you may introduce to move your POI

However, if you imagine it helps then you have more confidence and that may improve your scores.

I have the utmost confidence in a couple of my rifles to hit where I aim regardless of how the flint was sharpened and that is what makes me a better shooter.

Then why does ignition become erratic , slow down and then stop as the flint gets duller and sparks less, if spark production has nothing to do with ignition consistency ? Your theory would hold more water if a few white hot sparks could be focused to hit the same exact spot on the pan each time instead of the randomness of a spark shower from and ever changing flint /frizzen strike area. But even that would change as the flint wears back .
The other thing is white hot sparks cause ignition faster than does dull reds ones and they come from sharp flint edges.
No, the larger the spark shower and hotter the sparks, the more consistent the pan charge will ignite and consistency always leads to better accuracy.

 

[Col. Batguano]

The difficulty I've found in pressure flaking is hanging on to the flint with my off (left) hand while pressing the tool with my other (right) hand. Now I use those ratcheting rubber jawed wood clamps to hold it. It's not perfect (kinda slow), but sure beats beating up my fingers trying to hang on to it. If I'm percussion flaking I use a piece of leather in a pair of vice grips.

 

[French Colonial]

Then why does ignition become erratic , slow down and then stop as the flint gets duller and sparks less, if spark production has nothing to do with ignition consistency ? Your theory would hold more water if a few white hot sparks could be focused to hit the same exact spot on the pan each time instead of the randomness of a spark shower from and ever changing flint /frizzen strike area. But even that would change as the flint wears back .
The other thing is white hot sparks cause ignition faster than does dull reds ones and they come from sharp flint edges.
No, the larger the spark shower and hotter the sparks, the more consistent the pan charge will ignite and consistency always leads to better accuracy.

You need to buy better locks

I don't have the problems you do.

 

[nit wit]

I use the back of my knife, works fine!
Nit Wit

 

[M. De Land]

You need to buy better locks

I don't have the problems you do.

Who ever said I was having problems ? What I'm saying about flint edge sharpening makes better ignition and longer flint life.
Were talking about good spark production from a sharp flint edge that produces them and how to make and maintain it for consistent ignition.
The best lock with a crappy flint edge will not make good sparks consistently.
A well tuned mediocre lock with a sharp flint that can produce good white hot sparks will ignite powder every bit as consistently as an expensive one. I actually have and use both.
As for me personally I only use the best commercial locks available for new builds but that is a subject for another thread.

 

[M. De Land]

I use the back of my knife, works fine!
Nit Wit

That'll work but you could have better !

 

[French Colonial]

I am thinking of writing a book called "Making Little Rocks Out of Big Rocks" with chapters.

One will be "Do not over think it, it is just a Rock"