Flint knapping tool????

[Rifleman1776]

There is a 'knap-in' in our area every year. Flint knappers from all over the country gather and demonstrate their craft. All kinds of tools are seen. But the most common I have noticed are: a round rock; antler and thick copper wire (e.g. 8 ga.) set in a wood or antler handle.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Had to laugh at your link Spence. At the very end it was showing 5 guys recreating the flintlock marksman firing their various sized flintlocks. First two went of without a hitch; third one didn't go off at all; 4th one went off and sprayed the 5th guy with hot powder flash and after flinching away from the 4th guys flash, the 5th guy's went off just fine.

Man a chunk of flint like he pulled out and took a sledge hammer to would be worth a pretty penny today. Thanks for sharing!

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[Patocazador]

Thank you Spence 10.
Using your described notch cut on a piece of thick copper wire allowed me to successfully knap a flint in my gun today.

I had inserted the copper wire into the end of a piece of antler and made it into a point. I never could get it to work. I altered it to the step shape and,voila, it worked like a charm. :bow:

 

[Zonie]

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.

Paul Vallandigham (RIP) mentioned in several of his posts a method that fits this description of knapping the flint.

If I may quote from one of his posts,

"Gentlemen: If you have to knapp, the lock is not set up correctly. But here is an easy and sure way to knapp, without the fuss you all seem to be going through. Raise the frizzen up so that the edge of the flint will strike the bottom 1/8 of the vertical plate. Hold the frizzen with a finger, or some artificial stop, cock the gun, and pull the trigger. The steep angle created by the flint falling so far to hit that bottom edge will sheer off a thin edge even across, with minimum damage to the flint. "
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...p?tid/189132/post/218388/fromsearch/1/#218388

In another post of his he says,

"There is NO need to be afraid to knapp a flint. Here's how to do it with the flints still in the jaws of your cock:

The short version of knapping a flint in your lock, for field use, is to first unload, and unprime the gun. Then cradle it in your left arm, so that your left thumb's outside edge next to your thumb nail can lift up a closed frizzen manually. You lower the cock(hammer) with your right thumb as you pull the trigger to release it from either full or half cock. adjust the angle of the frizzen upward so that the edge of the flint touches the HEEL of the frizzen. Look at a frizzen as if its a human foot and leg, and you will understand how to find the "heel". Now, hold that frizzen in that location, keeping your thumb back enough so that the sharp flint will not remove some of the thumb. Cock the hammer back to full cock, and pull your trigger.

The flint will strike the heel at a severe angle, removing the dulled edge along the entire width of your frizzen. The chip will come off the bottom side of your flint's edge, not the top. You will have a new sharp edge, that strikes evenly across the frizzen for each strike."
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...p?tid/241795/post/803141/fromsearch/1/#803141

I have tried this method and it does work but it is rather disconcerting to have ones thumb or finger that close to a rapidly falling flint.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

I've used this method ever since Paul first posted it and it works like a charm. I very rarely need to knap my flint though because I keep the angle that the flint hits the frizzen at 55° to 60°. That angle scrapes off lots of sparks and the flint stays sharp as it very slowly wears.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan