Flint knapping tool????

[Skychief]

Where can I purchase one of the brass rod knapping tools which have an edge near the end from being turned down?

I see that Dixie has one, but not of brass.

Track appears to have none listed.

Thanks for any help, Skychief

 

[George]

I have two different types, both work OK once you get a little practice.

This is just a small brass hammer I bought some where. It's used for percussion flaking, you just tap along the edge of the flint.


This is a pressure flaker I made, just basically filed a step in the end of a nail. You set it on the edge of the flint at the correct angle and press. Once you get the knack you can sharpen a flint in a couple of minutes.


They will both do the job in the field. I have also knapped a new edge for a flint many times just tapping it with the back of a knife blade.

Spence

 

[Gene L]

I saw a video on youtube which was of a film from the 1950s or so, where English knappers were making flints for the African trade back pre-AK 47 days. They used a hammer with a blade that looked to be about 3/8 wide and was not thick at all, looked like a mattock blade or an adze. Kinda long for its width, I guess to give some spring to the tool.

They were very quick and precise and could make a flint in a few seconds. They laid out the pattern with a pencil on a flake. You can google the subject and view it yourself. It was impressive.

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

You may want to send one of the moderators a box of donuts, and then politely ask them to correct the title of this post. :rotf:

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

Try The Log Cabin Shop. They always have a ton of stuff not listed on their website:


(330) 948-1082

 

[Tallswife]

Is this what your looking for?
knap hammer TOTW

 

[Calum]

Spence,

How do you do it - pressure knap, that is? I've watched videos on how to knap flints, and I've had no luck. :surrender: I'm not getting anything off, and in the videos, it seems like not a lot of pressure is used. I think I've tried every angle possible, from both sides of the flint. Dull rifle flints are my test subjects...

I'm going to make tool like your stepped nail and try that.

Thanks,
Calum

 

[Grenadier1758]

Soft (unhardened and tempered) steel, such as a nail, won't make a spark when struck on a flint. Its quite safe to use a nail to make the stepped flint knapping tool. I call such a tool a flint (knapping) awl. Works well to put an edge on a flint when lightly tapped.

 

[Skychief]

You may want to send one of the moderators a box of donuts, and then politely ask them to correct the title of this post. :rotf:

And, once again, auto-correct bites me :shake:

 

[Skychief]

Thank you all. Looks like I will be mating a nail and a file soon Spence. Just what the doctor ordered.

Should we consider a tool such as this traditional?

Best regards, Skychief

 

[Rick Boylan]

I bought one off of ebay a year ago. I got a few extra brass rods to go with it. It wasn't too expensive or I wouldn't have bought it. :wink:

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have two different types, both work OK once you get a little practice.

This is just a small brass hammer I bought some where. It's used for percussion flaking, you just tap along the edge of the flint.


This is a pressure flaker I made, just basically filed a step in the end of a nail. You set it on the edge of the flint at the correct angle and press. Once you get the knack you can sharpen a flint in a couple of minutes.


They will both do the job in the field. I have also knapped a new edge for a flint many times just tapping it with the back of a knife blade.

Spence

Almost anything will work. Check scrap yards, flea markets, antique shops for stuff made of brass and fabricate yer own.
Here is one I made from some scrap. Of course, not all are as fancy as this. :haha:

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[George]

Should we consider a tool such as this traditional?

I doubt it. I have only ever found references to one way of sharpening flints, and that's what the old boys called hammering. I've never really figured it out, but in some way the flint is forced against the heel of the frizzen to flake the edge. No tool is used.

An item is very frequently offered for sale or mentioned in other ways in the 18th century, called a 'gun hammer'. It's not the cock, but some sort of accessory tool. Maybe it's one of those combination tools with a knapping hammer?

The Pennsylvania Gazette
September 18, 1755
"Just imported in the ship Myrtilla, Richard Budden
...fuzees, fowling pieces, gun hammers and screws, "

The Pennsylvania Gazette
October 13, 1763
"Just imported from London, in the Carolina, James Friend, Master, and to be sold by THOMAS SAVADGE.... steel pinchers and plyers, nutcracks and gun worms, chargers and hammers, and sundry other sorts of steel toys,"

However you do it, unloaded guns only, if you are going to knap the flint while in the jaws.

The Pennsylvania Gazette
April 5, 1750
Annapolis, in Maryland February 7.
"Some days ago, as a man in Talbot county was hammering the flint of a loaded gun, she went off, and shot an elderly man, who was near him, in one of his thighs, with seven swan shot, in a terrible manner; tho' it was thought he would recover."

Spence

 

[Grenadier1758]

Should we consider a tool such as this traditional?

I doubt it. I have only ever found references to one way of sharpening flints, and that's what the old boys called hammering. I've never really figured it out, but in some way the flint is forced against the heel of the frizzen to flake the edge. No tool is used.

Spence

This is what I would call hammering.

What I do to get by without any flint knapping tools is to lower the cock and then lower the frizzen on the top edge of the flint. With my thumb on the back of the frizzen applying pressure on the flint, I bring the hammer to full cock. Often I flake off some flint and restore a sharp edge that is truly flush with the frizzen.

This works really good to straighten out the edge after using the flint knapping awl to knock off the really dull spots to even out the edge.

 

[R.C.BINGAMAN]

Try Larry Callahan he has a small tool that incorporates a flat piece of metal, it has a notch for pressure flaking along with two turn screws and a vent pick built together. Nifty little gadget and works well. Larry says the original for his product was found in a original bag. I would guess it probably dates to the mid 1800s.Just going on what I was told by the maker, I have two of them for different bags and would not be caught with out them.AN APPALICHIAN HUNTER

 

[Maestro]

You may want to send one of the moderators a box of donuts, and then politely ask them to correct the title of this post. :rotf:

And, once again, auto-correct bites me :shake:

No donuts necessary - I'm on a diet.

 

[azmntman]

They (and chocolate) are a necessary nutrient. For us guys they do NOT go straight to the hips. :grin:

 

[Rick Boylan]

This is what my flint knapping tool looks like. It cost me $18.

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[BrownBear]

You've had lots of good answers already, but I'll add my own from the "one less thing to carry" peanut gallery. I use the butt of my knife for knocking big hunks, back of the blade for little bits here and there, then the face of the frizzen to fine tune.

 

[Claude Mathis]

My two-cents.

If I'm making a flint from scratch, I have a bunch of antler tools.

If just re-sharpening a flint, I cock the hammer all the way and lightly touch up the edge with the back of my knife. It works very well, for me.