flint skipping on frizzens

[M. De Land]

Another issue that makes for inefficient spark generation and excessive flint wear is the skipping of the flint against the frizzen as opposed to a steady even contact of flint edge and shearing of steel clear off the bottom of the frizzen. Skipping frizzens will generate some sparks but not nearly as much as one that does not bounce off then regain contact with the frizzen face. This is easily checked with dykem blue or even magic marker covering the frizzen face.
A couple of the fixes are balancing of main and frizzen spring and as I had to do, bending the cock a few degrees down angle. If the angle is not correct it caused frizzen face gouging, short flint life and inefficient spark generation.
Ideally ( according to Stutzenberger, who I agree with by the way) given a proper length flint, the frizzen engagement should begin roughly about 1/3rd of the way down the face and make a steady even shear clear off the bottom of the frizzen face leaving the flint edge aimed mid pan at it's arc terminus.

 

[Absoroka]

Fred's article on flint skipping in a recent edition of Muzzleblasts was an excellent tutorial on the problem and solutions.

 

[M. De Land]

Fred's article on flint skipping in a recent edition of Muzzleblasts was an excellent tutorial on the problem and solutions.

I had already figured out some of these things having to work over a match flint gun I purchased then rebuild it somewhat to get reliable ignition. Fred's articles are what made me aware of the flint skipping issues to look for ,their fixes and how it reveals itself on frizzen face wear.
I also suspect that glued leather on flints and roughed up cock jaw faces has a positive effect on flint skipping abatement ! I think of a plane blade that is tight as opposed to loose and how it shears so much more efficiently when sharp and held rigidly.

 

[Norman Brooks]

Sounds like the problems I had with a French Type C Fusil lock I have. It was hitting about .400 up from the bottom of the frizzen. After about 6 to 8 strikes it would shatter the flint. Had to purchase a Jager upgrade cock, which was longer. That gave me room to bend it down to get the right angle and hitting further up on the frizzen (turning the flint over did not help, made it worse). Reworked the main spring, frizzen spring, and cam point on the frizzen. It sparks well and the flint lasts a lot longer.

 

[M. De Land]

Sounds like the problems I had with a French Type C Fusil lock I have. It was hitting about .400 up from the bottom of the frizzen. After about 6 to 8 strikes it would shatter the flint. Had to purchase a Jager upgrade cock, which was longer. That gave me room to bend it down to get the right angle and hitting further up on the frizzen (turning the flint over did not help, made it worse). Reworked the main spring, frizzen spring, and cam point on the frizzen. It sparks well and the flint lasts a lot longer.

Yeah, that's a skipper !

 

[Nobade]

When I first got my TC flintlock, I didn't know much about lock geometry. As delivered it didn't work very well and destroyed flints very quickly. I heard about the upgraded parts TC had made, and got a cock and frizzen. That helped considerably but it was still pretty bad. Since then I have learned about what you are describing, and bent the cock down a bit as well as fitting the flints better. What a difference, now it shaves off metal that sizzles around in the pan and ignition is fast enough that I can't tell if there is any lag. Just fitting things together correctly makes a huge difference,

 

[PathfinderNC]

Did you get the lock unassembled from TGS or was it one that was already finished?

 

[M. De Land]

Sounds like the problems I had with a French Type C Fusil lock I have. It was hitting about .400 up from the bottom of the frizzen. After about 6 to 8 strikes it would shatter the flint. Had to purchase a Jager upgrade cock, which was longer. That gave me room to bend it down to get the right angle and hitting further up on the frizzen (turning the flint over did not help, made it worse). Reworked the main spring, frizzen spring, and cam point on the frizzen. It sparks well and the flint lasts a lot longer.

Although the contact with the frizzen starts a bit low on this lock it doesn't bounce and makes a very good spark shower. Also note where the edge of the flint stops at it's arc terminus in the middle of the pan.
The flint shears frizzen steel clear off the bottom edge with no impact gouging . This extends the life of both frizzen face and gun flints.
For a cheap 20 dollar .45cal pistol with a good bore ,I bought from a friend, it is one of the best sparking locks I have ever had..
This is one of the Novaculite flints I knapp from point flake debatage. They are quite brittle but knapp easily and spark really well.