Flint Size

[windriver]

I have shot percussion rifles for over thirty years, but I am very new to the flintlock world. I'm looking to learn a lot from folks out there like you.

My experience so far has led me to prefer English knapped flints, and I have a question: what is the proper way to determine what flint size is best for a rifle? Should I use 3/4" or 1" inch? How do you tell?

Thanks for the help.

 

[roundball]

I have shot percussion rifles for over thirty years, but I am very new to the flintlock world. I'm looking to learn a lot from folks out there like you.

My experience so far has led me to prefer English knapped flints, and I have a question: what is the proper way to determine what flint size is best for a rifle? Should I use 3/4" or 1" inch? How do you tell?

Thanks for the help.

Normally, you just measure the wdith of the frizzen and order that size...ie: TC Hawken flintlocks have 3/4" wide frizzens, I use 3/4" black english flints.

 

[silverfox]

It's like roundball says, mainly just measure the frizzen to find out how wide you need to order. Being new to flints myself I also found I needed to measure the distance between the cock screw at halfcock and the closed frizzen to get the right length flint. Mine turned out to be the odd 3/4 by 3/4 also known as English 3/4 short. Seems I must have an older siler lock but have no marking on lock so don't really know. You may have to try a couple different sizes to get the right size for your lock but the measurements will get you in the ballpark so to speak. Good luck I still don't have any flints the right size so I am knapping the standard 3/4's to fit.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[windriver]

Thanks, this was a big help. My problem isn't so much the width of the flint as the length. I'm not quite clear on how much clearance there should be between the flint and the frizzen when the rifle is on half cock. Any rules of thumb here? ::

 

[roundball]

Thanks, this was a big help. My problem isn't so much the width of the flint as the length. I'm not quite clear on how much clearance there should be between the flint and the frizzen when the rifle is on half cock. Any rules of thumb here? ::

With my TC locks and 3/4" BEF's, I position them so they're all but touching the frizzen (.020"-.030" away) and they'll impact the frizzen with a slightly downward slicing angle

 

[brushbuster]

if you have a siler delux or golden age lock ,they have a lot longer throw,therefore the half cock position is almost in the same position as full cock on other locks.
it can be s little tricky but with the frizzen closed and a firm grip on the hammer slowly lower the hammer onto the frizzen position the flint so it hits the frizzen flush and at a downward angle bring the hammer back to half cock and tighten the screw .lower the hammer and check position adjust as needed to get best spark. :results: :m2c:

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Windriver,
What Roundball says is good. I might add, that is, what is good for that lock. Locks vary in geometry, thus the size of flint will vary. I am not even close to using some kind rule of thumb, except if it throws sparks without any problems, in the pan, it's good. I usually start off with a flint and just visually test it out. When the hammer is on half cock of course the flint shouldn't hit the frizzen. I like to see the flint make an angular blow versus a more perpendicular one. The end spark result we want though, is fast, direct, and in the pan. In my experience, trying short, long, fat, skinny, bevel up, bevel down, for each flinter, will give you a better knack for the T.L.C. a flinter needs to be successful.
Flintlocks Forever
Lar :thumbsup: :imo:

 

[roundball]

What Roundball says is good. I might add, that is, what is good for that lock.

Which is why I said: "With my TC Locks...."

 

[Stumpkiller]

How do I put the flint into the cock?
Tightening the jaws of the cock directly onto the flint will rarely work, as the grip is poor. To improve the grip, something needs to be wrapped around the flint before it is inserted. Either leather or thin sheet lead can be used. Most shooters find leather works best, as lead tends to compress, loosening the flint. Wrap the leather around the bottom, back and top of the flint, insert it into the cock and tighten down moderately. Move the cock and frizzen so the cutting edge of the flint is touching the frizzen, and is flush all across the frizzen face. Hold everything firmly right there and tighten the flint down well. If the flint needs to be adjusted back closer to the cock, cut a small hole out of the leather so the flint is directly touching the post of the cock jaw. If that's not enough, break off part of the back edge of the flint. If the flint needs to move forward for a proper fit, insert leather, wood or lead to push it a bit forward.

Here are some links to give you some good reading.


http://people.howstuffworks.com/flintlock2.htm

http://people.howstuffworks.com/framed.h...intlockfaq.html


http://people.howstuffworks.com/framed.h...les/mbo44-2.htm

http://people.howstuffworks.com/framed.h...faqs/tuning.htm

http://people.howstuffworks.com/framed.h...hart/jkuntz.htm

http://people.howstuffworks.com/framed.h...re.jsp?tp=fire2

http://people.howstuffworks.com/framed.h...les/mbo41-3.htm

http://people.howstuffworks.com/framed.h...rg/cnc~lock.htm

http://people.howstuffworks.com/framed.h.../newpage338.htm

http://people.howstuffworks.com/framed.h...ibha/flint1.htm

http://people.howstuffworks.com/framed.h.../wetflints.html

http://people.howstuffworks.com/framed.h...cml/basics.html

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

:agree:
Roundball,
I know you said with T.C. locks. I was agreeing with you, but just wanted to discuss it more, only in a general overall way.
Flintlocks Forever
Lar :redthumb:

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Thanks, this was a big help. My problem isn't so much the width of the flint as the length. I'm not quite clear on how much clearance there should be between the flint and the frizzen when the rifle is on half cock. Any rules of thumb here? ::

With my TC locks and 3/4" BEF's, I position them so they're all but touching the frizzen (.020"-.030" away) and they'll impact the frizzen with a slightly downward slicing angle

After reading roundballs answer, I adjusted mine to just leave enough space between the frizzen and flint to slip my leather hammerstall over the frizzen without contacting the flint. If the flint hits the hammerstall at half-cock, it can keep the frizzen from closing entirely and could lose the prime. Since I do Rev War reenactments, a hammerstall is a required piece of safety equipment.

I also changed the particular flint I had in my rifle from bevel up position to bevel down to get a better angle on the frizzen like roundball suggested above. Man this sucker throws the sparks now! I've not really had any trouble with misfires due to low spark, but my lock is easily throwing twice the volume of sparks that it had been.

Thanks RB :master:

 

[Old Charlie]

I had my GPR out yesterday. The flint got dull and I was having slow and misfires.I changed the flint and it was small. It was suppose to be three quarters but was not. On first try it was hiting so low on the frizzen that it just dug in the medal and didn't open the frizzen. I turned it over with the bevel down and found the sweet spot on this gun! It was fireing VERY fast. Now if I can only get it to line up like that next time.
Old Charlie

 

[Twisted_1in66]

I had my GPR out yesterday. The flint got dull and I was having slow and misfires.I changed the flint and it was small. It was suppose to be three quarters but was not. On first try it was hiting so low on the frizzen that it just dug in the medal and didn't open the frizzen. I turned it over with the bevel down and found the sweet spot on this gun! It was fireing VERY fast. Now if I can only get it to line up like that next time.
Old Charlie

The reason I turned my flint over to bevel down, was because it then took the position close to the frizzen with a slight angle down. With the bevel the other way, using this particular flint, the down angle was pretty steep. The better angle with the flint almost touching the frizzen meant that on the strike, my flint contacted the frizzen much longer than before.

I wonder if this isn't a big part of the reason that flints last longer on some guns than others? Too steep of an angle would tend to break flints or crush the edge. May not be the gun's fault, but rather the positioning of the flint by the shooter. I certainly didn't know any better before this thread....What a great forum!!