Flint mounting- spaul up or spaul down?

[Grandpa Ron]

It is generally agreed that the sparks off the frizzen should fall into the center of the pan.

Often bevel up or bevel down will make a difference.

On my trade gun locks with bevel up, the flint carries the frizzen sparks to the center of the pan and stops with the edge of the flint just short of touching the pan above the touch hole.

With bevel down the sparks fly towards the front of the pan and the flint stops above the forward edge of the pan.

I doubt that most people would notice a difference, especially of you fill the pan with a lot of powder. However, some lock designs will wear out the flint sooner if the flint is mounted the wrong way.

The selection of the “right” gun is such a personal decision, I advise people to shoot the gun they enjoy most because they will shoot it more often.

I started with a Bess but soon switched to a 20 ga. trade gun because I liked the feel of it better. Also it used a lot less lead.

When I started shooting a lot, I dropped to a 28 ga. because 50 and 100 yards shooting takes a stout powder charge and I get 32 balls to the lbs. of lead.

 

[one_lucky_monkey]

Thanks Grandpa Ron,
I'll take a closer look at where the sparks are aimed.

 

[hanshi]

The important thing is having the flint make a good scrape along the frizzen face regardless of how the flint is turned. What I've discovered is that too often with the bevel down, the flint edge smashes head-on into the frizzen face. Sometimes a particular flint will do that in any position. Head on strikes quickly gouge furrows in the frizzen face when then damages the flint even more.

I normally install bevel up and play with position to get a good 60(+ or -) degree scrape down the face. Otherwise I'll try bevel down and see what happens. I also put stuff behind the flint as it wears and have even been known not only to flip them around but to turn them sideways if need be. So don't worry too much about position. Instead simply consider how you want the flint to contact the face and how it needs to be installed to do it well.

 

[Dphar]

Hi Folks,

I am going out this sunday to fire up my new Brown Bess and am interested in your opinion of which is better when mounting a flint in the Bess.

Spaul up or spaul down, and why?

Thanks.

Historically speaking its bevel down.

Dan

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Additional Bess Hints:

The large bess locks tend to like a flint wrapped in a lead holder better, instead of leather.

When using either lead or leather be sure there is a notch cut in the back so the back of the flint rests on the jaw screw.

Consider using a small piece of solder placed under the back end of the flint to adjust the angle of the flint edge downward just a tad if you need a better angle for a better scrape and more sparks in the pan. This is an easier fix than altering the angle of the cock to correct the problem.

Double check your frizzen screw depth inside the lock, as whether it's Pedersoli, Japanese, or Indian, sometimes the frizzen spring screw goes too deep and protrudes on the inside of the lock, and messes with the main spring.

LD

 

[M. De Land]

How does that make more even wear? It makes to impact cuts/grooves instead of one far as I can see.
If it hits higher and scrapes down more length I would think that would make more even frizzen wear.
I'm using bevel down/edge up now as it gives more flint length to wear down, scrapes more of the frizzen surface per stroke and keeps the upper cock jaw off the frizzen face longer. Mike D.

 

[petew]

I was told to mount the flint with the bevel on the bottom, so I did it this way. It makes sense this way gives a longer scrape, and should make more sparks.
Thinking about this , it also is easier to sharpen the flint without removing it with the bevel on bottom.
On the other hand if it was set with the bevel on top would the flint not be self knapping on every stroke, and keep its edge better until it becomes to short and needs to be moved forward? :hmm:

 

[Claude Mathis]

... if it was set with the bevel on top would the flint not be self knapping on every stroke, ...

"self knapping"? - No. :wink:

 

[Deadeye]

Lucky Monkey, It's been my observation that what some folks call bevel up others call bevel down, just like patches, some measure one way and say it's .010 someone else measures another way and says it's .015 or possibly .018. My advice is instead of asking questions with questionable answers is to try it yourself and find out the real answer, you'll be way ahead. Deadeye

 

[M. De Land]

Flint strike edge up or down. Who could confuse that? Mike D.

 

[M. De Land]

A spall is a large piece broken off from a flint node in reduction. Generally spalls, blades , flakes and chips are what is produced in node reduction. Most gun flints are made from blades rather than spalls or flakes.
I think perhaps you may have been referring to the term bevel when using spaul as it has no reference that I'm aware of in relation to flint orientation. Mike D.

 

[Stumpkiller]

How does that make more even wear? It makes to impact cuts/grooves instead of one far as I can see.
If it hits higher and scrapes down more length I would think that would make more even frizzen wear.

Try it. Perhaps it's just my locks/frizzens (all Jim Chambers) but the spalling is not equal top to bottom. Flipping the flint I get 60 shots (30 each side) before I have to start thinking about nibbling the edge.

It also helps prevent the "groove" you mention as the flint hits a different portion of the frizzen. If you get a groove you might want to consider a deeper hardening of the frizzen.

 

[M. De Land]

I have tried it both ways and have come to believe edge up is the way to go for the reasons stated. Mike D.