Flint v Chert

[robinghewitt]

Hi

Two lots of rocks arrived in the mail today to try in my wall gun. There was the undersize Tom Fuller and Rich Pierce's amazing chert, many thanks. All I need now are Slowpoke's, full size, french and I am set for life :thumbsup:

The chert is surprisingly good, much better than I was expecting. Not quite as much heat as the Fuller, but lots of fat red flame in the pan, ignition certainly guaranteed and the edge survived very well.

The Tom Fuller had a very thin cutting edge and I thought it would shatter, but it didn't.

Can't wait to see what kind of inferno Slowpoke's make using the full with of the steel :rotf:

vey best regards

Squire Robin

Here's The Movie I took these stills from :thumbsup:

 

I would be surprized if there were any big differences since all of these are basically the same thing mineralogically. There are variations in using the same 'flint' depending on other variables than composition or point of origin. English, French or American 'flints' (cherts) are all basically microcrystalline SiO2.

 

[rich pierce]

I see you using 2 fingers to pull the trigger- is that your style or on a big gun like this, is the pull a little heavy?

I think some of us non-minerologists call fine grained chert, "flint" and the coarser grained stuff, "chert", with the only difference being the "glassy-ness" or "roughness" of the surface.

 

[robinghewitt]

is the pull a little heavy?

The sear spring is a bit on the chunky side :rotf:

Thanks again for the chert, I really appreciate your sending it :thumbsup:

 

I see you using 2 fingers to pull the trigger- is that your style or on a big gun like this, is the pull a little heavy?
.

It likely uses the main spring from a rifle lock for a scear spring and a rear leaf spring from a Toyota truck for a main spring :grin: On a cold winter night 3 or 4 guys could huddle around the gun and just snap the lock every few minutes and keep warm from the sparks. Course, the guy on the lockside might have a sunburned face by mornin'. :shocked2: :thumbsup: That's pretty wild

Cody

 

I see you using 2 fingers to pull the trigger- is that your style or on a big gun like this, is the pull a little heavy?

I think some of us non-minerologists call fine grained chert, "flint" and the coarser grained stuff, "chert", with the only difference being the "glassy-ness" or "roughness" of the surface.

That is not a bad way to think of it--in reality 'chert' is the general mineralogy term and 'flint' is typically the "glassier" looking type, but you will see 'flint' applied to duller varieties used in projectile points and blades, too. Gunflints do not have to be glassy to work, but the coarser 'grained' ones will erode the frizzen face faster. Novaculite, for example is used to sharpen steel. The 'graininess' can be due to impurities or cystal size or pore sizes between microcrystals. The 'glassier' varieties can grade into amorphous opal which is not as hard as chert/flint. I know, too much info!

 

[Billy Bones]

Does that rifle come with a mule to haul it? :shocked2: That looks huge!

Bones

 

[boar]

Man must be some trigger pull,Two fingers, I thought mine was tough. Dilly

 

[patch knife]

Holy cow Squire , I'll bet you need more than just your thumb to cock that bad boy ! :shocked2:

 

[WRussell]

Robin, I think it's time to post the link to your movie of the wall gun taking a clay again :shocked2:

 

[Wes/Tex]

Cool movie, I must say! Just sat here and an it a few times...if only I'd made some popcorn!! Going to have to find or make a two-finger popper like that! Can't fall down around this part of Texas without cutting yourself on flint. Not sue if it's gun flint quality but there's a couple guys around here making points out of it. I may be in BIG trouble!! :shocked2:

 

[robinghewitt]

Robin, I think it's time to post the link to your movie of the wall gun taking a clay again :shocked2:

Here 'tis :thumbsup:

Movie 1.8Mb

 

[musketman]

Robin, I think it's time to post the link to your movie of the wall gun taking a clay again :shocked2:

I would like to see the same gun shooting a bore size roundball into an old mini-Cooper... :winking: :grin:

 

[madbrad]

Holy Cow that is massive. bet you could shoot more than a couple of shots out of that.

 

[Leonredbeard]

Squire Robin,
I noticed every time I have seen the movie of you shooting the 4 gauge, how you had to dip your knees a little to get the gonne into position. It must be pretty heavy. I love the movie, thanks for showing it again.
God bless.
volatpluvia