Flint striking too high?

[rja72]

I was reading Paul V's article on how to shoot flintlocks. In there he stated a flint should strike the frizzen 1/3 to 1/2 the way up the face from the bottom. Looking at my small siler I would say it is striking high. It goes off just fine. I don't believe it eats flints but I have only used three in it and I have not really counted the shots.

What are your thoughts by looking at these pictures? How should I remedy it?

 

[Zonie]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[gunsmithscott]

It is hitting just the way i like them to. My small silers do the same and shoot very well.

 

[bpd303]

I agree if it's working why mess with it. The only thing I would do is, if the picture of the lock is on half cock, I would move the flint closer to the frizzen.

 

[Birddog6]

As the flint wears, it will hit lower on the frizzen. If it is working & sparking well, leave it alone. :grin:

Keith Lisle

 

[nwtradegun]

there is nothing wrong. there is no required location a flint stricks a frizzen. I have had em hit from top to middle and go off just fine

 

[azmntman]

If you must "fix" it simply raise the frizzen :rotf:

 

[Stringbean]

It looks like a winner to me

 

[ChrisPer]

Sounds like the writer got it arse about, it should read 1/2 to 1/3 from the top of the frizzen, not bottom.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

The impact location is good, but you will note a sort of rectangle of pock marks above the marks made by the flint scraping downward? That may indicate that sometimes the flint is striking rather square on the frizzen, possibly rebounding for a tiny fraction of a second, and then coming back into contact with the frizzen face and moving downward.

IF that bothers you..., first try leather to hold the flint if you are using lead. (Lead really only works well in the large, musket locks - imho). Then if it's still doing it, OR if you have a piece of leather in the lock already, take a piece of lead, about 1/8" x 1/8" and about as wide as the width of the lower part of the jaw, and place it under the flint at the very back near the cock-screw. Then tighten down the screw... this will force the back of the flint to remain slightly higher than before, which will cause flint edge to tilt slightly downward, which might give you more of a long scrape on the frizzen instead of the "whack & scrape" you may be getting now.

LD

 

[matt denison]

" It goes off just fine.."

So what is there to fix?

 

[Rifleman1776]

Lookin' fine from here.

 

[54ball]

1/3 to 1/2 the way up the face from the bottom

Typo It should read...

1/3 to 1/2 the way down the face from the top

Yours looks perfect.

 

[rja72]

Thanks for all the responses. I will leave it alone.