Flint Knapping

[Kabo1313]

Since my gun will not be coming for several months, I have figured that I could get some good reading in before hand.

So, a couple of tips would help.

Anybody have personal recommendations on a good flint knapping kit and a good book to read on the subject? Personal advice will go a long way also.

Thanks everybody.

(I know everybody has their own favorite types of flints and would not want to start that debate. :wink: )

 

[Arrowstorm]

Are you looking into shaping your own flints, or do you just want pointers on how to knap a beveled flint once it has lost it's sharp edge?

I find that knapping the flint while it's in the jaws is what works for me and most other shooters I know. I think it's called thumb knapping. Although, I actually use the last knuckle on my index finger. You simply rest your thumb (or index finger) underneath the edge of the flint and lightly tap the very edge with a knapping hammer, knocking off little flakes. Gotta make sure you clean up those little flakes if you're in your house or else your foot will be sure to find them next time you're walking around with no shoes on.

 

[Kabo1313]

Thanks arrowstorm. I am looking to, at least, know how to do both but mostly to know how to resharpen it after, or during, a long match.

I have read, on this forum, that some like straight sharp edge whereas some, like the instructors in our club, like to create a very sharp jagged edge to create "better sparks". (Not my opinion as I do not know enough about it.)

Also, I have looked for a kit that includes a knapping hammer, etc. on many sites do not include or actually are referring to making arrowheads, etc..

 

[kaintuck]

wear glasses!!!!!!!!!!!!! :surrender:

 

[Aran]

Another way you can sharpen your flints, which doesn't require a knapping hammer and works quite well, is to push the bottom of the frizzen down on the edge of the flint to give it a nice straight edge. Only works when the flint is positioned far enough forward or is long enough to meet the bottom of the frizzen. Generally only the really used flints don't reach, so this method should work most of the time.

Hope this helps. :grin:
Aran

 

[Kabo1313]

Thanks to the both of you. Wearing glasses makes a very good point. (No pun intended.)
Most of the videos of people either trying to make a basic chipped piece of flint for arrowheads, or whatever, none are wearing anything to protect their eyes. Good point.

I got it.

 

[hanshi]

Something that I do to lengthen the times between knapping is to keep the flint wiped and scrape it with an old knife blade at the first hint of balking. When I have to knapp I do it with the flint in the jaws; never did like the "frizzen" method though some others swear by it.

 

[butler1850]

If anyone has info on how to convert a raw flint stone to blanks, then finished gun flints, I'd love to learn more about the process.

This is one of those topics that it may not make sense to actually "do it yourself" regularly, but is certainly something I'd like to learn more about.

 

[Kabo1313]

I went several pages back, maybe 4 or 5 and someone had posted a video containing a guy that had a huge piece of flint and a smaller smooth rock that was obviously harder than flint.

That video shows how to get chips out of the flint stone.

I'll try to find it and repost it here.

 

[Kabo1313]

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...+flint&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-900

This is a basic video that I had found. I never knew that stones of flint were so big but the video shows a basic style.
http://www.ehow.com/video_5112991_knap-flint-muzzleloader.html

And here is one for knapping a flint already on the gun.

 

[ike]

A long time ago an old timer showed me the flat end of a screw driver that had a small right angle filed into the edge of the flat. When a flint seems go go dull and doesnt look like it can be knaped in the in the lock any more take it out and put in in a vice when you get home. Put the edge of the screw driver on the flint so that the small angle edge is against the flint. A small tap with a hammer will take off a flake. continue along the edge till you have a whole new edge. Move the fling a little farther forward in the jaws and you can get many more shots out of it. There are many flints that I get 75 or more shots from one flint. Don't tell those guys with the percussion locks that flints are cheeper than caps.

 

[M. De Land]

I made three just the other evening out of some novaculite chips I found in the bottom of my knapping bowl.
I grind them to final shape on my 8 inch green wheel for grinding carbide bits. You want to wear a dust mask and safety glasses as well. Does a really nice job and very fast.
I generally hand knap them to approximate shape with a copper bopper or antler billet and then finish them up on the grinding wheel. It makes nice bevels and flat spot on top and bottom for easy hammer gripping.

The top three are the ones I made from novaculite chips and the bottom three are English flints from TOTW that I had to clean up grind. They are a bit smaller than the track flints but work well in both my pistols and are approximately 3/4 inch long by 1/2- 9/16's wide. It was about all I could get out of the chip size I had to work with but still very useful. Mike D

 

[M. De Land]

I've been experiment with all of the above methods of re-sharpening them and still haven't totally settled on the best means to that end.
The grinding and pressure flake sharpening are showing the most promise currently.
Pressure flaking with a copper point or antler tine affords the most control and is my leaning currently.
Percussion flaking usually breaks off way to much material for full flint life.
Grinding them initially provides the best shape and most strength but a roughed up edges through pressure flaking or knapping the best sparking.
I think if you will take a little time to learn how to pressure flake you will be more satisfied with the result for better spark and more flint life.
If I can ever get a hold of some good chert up here I will do a video of it and post it on here. Alaska is a hard place to find good knappable rock in my experience so far. Mike D.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Have used several techniques through the years and have seen others. some like the special tool, some the back of their knife's blade and others the frizzen bottom. Have tried them all and usually go with the back of knife blade when the flint's in the hammer jaws since it's just a click-click-click job and you're back in business. You'll see several little hammers and chipping tools around but I schlep enough stuff around as it is. :thumbsup:

 

[S.Kenton]

I've been using the back of a knife blade. It's easy and seems to work great thus far.

 

[Lonegun1894]

I watched a bunch of videos and realized something. Those "knockers" that are in many "kits", are nothing but copper pipe endcaps, with a little lead in them, and attached to a stick for a handle. So I went to my local hardware store, and bought a couple sizes, poured a little lead in them, and attached them to appropriately sized sticks about 5-6" long for handles. Now this, in addition to an antler tine, is what I use at home for making my gun flints. In the field, for sharpening my flint, I just use my knife or a tiny copper/brass hammer that a friend of mine made me. Currently, I am about 50/50 as to weather I make a gunflint or a pile of chips, but the gunflints work very well. The last hog I took was taken with Lyman GPR, using a home cast RB, home knapped flint, um, not store bought powder (which we can't discuss here so I won't answer any questions on), and a piece of cloth I bought at Joanne's Fabrics for a patch, and lubed with Moose Juice. Tasted pretty good too.

Anyway, this is one of those times when you want eye protection, and a BIG box of bandaids, cause you will cut yourself. A piece of leather or some other kind of padding/protection for your leg is nice too if you insist on doing this the old way like I do. And don't get discouraged when you fail. At first, you will make a lot more chips than anything else, then, as you get a feel for it, you will make chips that resemble gun flints, and then you will make gunflints. It's just chips, flint, and time, but you will get better and better at it if you keep practicing. I'm not near the point of being "good" yet, but I make enough flints to keep myself shooting.

 

[Woodyrock]

I knap points, and knives from obsidian, and jasper. Being on the Westcoast, flint is a bought material. That said,to knap gun flints you need good flint nodules about five to twenty five pounds in size to drive off your blades. Driving off blades is pretty much the first step after breaking a nodule in half to get a flat surface to work from. Driving off blades is also the hardest part of knapping gun flints....some of the Brandon knappers never did learn this back in the day before percussion caps. Once you have the blades, the gun flints are actually pretty easy. If you do a net search, you can find an movie taken the the twenties of some of the last Brandon knappers at work. You will have to watch it several times to catch what they are doing.

Now, if you happen to be in or near the Pacific Northwest, visit a flint knappin. The Puget sound Knappers group will teach you how to knap. No charge, and we supply material, gloves, and safety glasses. Query Puget Sound Knappers, have a look at our web site, and find when, and where the next knappin will be. (February)
Woody

 

[M. De Land]

Yeah, me to, been making points of obsidian, novaculite and plate glass for just about a year now and have much to learn but DC Waldorfs book from TOTW and utube videos have been a great help.
I've made five different size copper cap lead filled boppers, several moose billets, antler and copper pressure flakers, Uzi stick and leather thigh pads. I really do enjoy the art of it.
I'm going to purchase some of the Keo-kuk Missouri heat treated chert and see how it does for points and gun flints. Mike D.

 

[Kabo1313]

So, not only does flint work for sparking...those others do also? How often are those others used? Haven't really ever heard of those others...ever.

 

[rich pierce]

Glass does not give sparks. From my limited understanding obsidian is volcanic glass. Any number of knapp able minerals will make sparky flints. Jaspers, charts, agates, etc.