Flintlock ignition question

[Curley 50 cal]

I have a Syler (sp?) Lock but recently has not been getting a strong spark. Flint set up is good with an English flint held tight and properly aligned and spaced. Is it okay to dress the frizzen by gently sanding with sand paper or emery cloth. If so what grit would you flinters recommend. Thanks!!

 

[tenngun]

I’ve never sanded one. Flint is vary hard.
Quick and dirty is to use a small brass hammer or the back of a knife and gently tap the edge, this will pop flakes off and leave you a new sharp edge..... but it eats flints.
A better way is to have a brass or antler or again even the edge of a knife and gently apply pressure to the edge. This breaks off micro chips leaving a straighter sharp edge and will buy you a longer life to your flint.

 

[Crow-Feather]

Some flints are not as good as others. Find a flint that gives good spark and save it to determine if it is flint or frizzen.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Check that the flint and frizzen is clean and dry. Any oil on these isn’t helping any thing. No need to sand the frizzen.
It’s Siler.

 

[Curley 50 cal]

My question deal specifically with dressing the frizzen striking surface by sanding not the flint itself. Thanks you for the help.

 

[oldwood]

Never heard of sanding a frizzen surface. Been building and using flinters for 45+ yrs. , and generally , if it is suspect you have a bad or "soft" frizzen , perhaps the part might be replaced or re hardened................... oldwood

 

[TreeMan]

What the others are trying to tell you is that it is probably more a flint issue than it is a frizzen issue. Knap your curren flint or install a new one before you mess with the frizzen. Sometimes I get a bum flint that doesn’t make good sparks.

 

[rafterob]

No, you do not want to "dress" the frizzen surface. A Siler lock should not have any issues with frizzen hardness so my guess is you need to address the flint. Either by knapping the flint or replacing it.

 

[Greasecookie]

When my frizzens get rough enough to (no doubt in my imagination) start accelerating flint wear, I sand the frizzen to smooth it up. Usually use something around 220 grit, or whatever scrap of sandpaper that's laying on the bench.

 

[Curley 50 cal]

Thanks for the advice it has some pits or dings in it. Here is a pic of the frizzen. What do you guys think.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Doesn't look all that bad to me. A Siler frizzen should be hardened through.

How many strikes have you made with your flint? My first thought would be to try a new sharp flint.

 

[Greasecookie]

Yes, I would rub that with the nearest scrap of sandpaper. Mostly cuz it would make me feel better. Once the frozen get longitudinal marks across them it seems to help smooth them off a little. This may be as valid as my mother's theory that a clean car runs better.

 

[Greasecookie]

Lateral and frizzen that is

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

I have a Syler (sp?) Lock but recently has not been getting a strong spark. Flint set up is good with an English flint held tight and properly aligned and spaced. Is it okay to dress the frizzen by gently sanding with sand paper or emery cloth. If so what grit would you flinters recommend. Thanks!!

Gentle sanding will get you nowhere on a hard frizzen. Dress it down with a grinder, but only if it has chatter or washboard gouges.
Flintlocklar

 

[Carbon 6]

I've done it. once on a frizzen that looked like yours, I used a belt sander. It made no difference.
The second time was with emery cloth to remove the protective coating on a new frizzen. That did work.

 

[Greasecookie]

I would polish the casting mark out of the bottom of the pan, to ameliorate my OCD. Don't take a grinder to anything, other than a dull axe.

 

[Curley 50 cal]

Doesn't look all that bad to me. A Siler frizzen should be hardened through.

How many strikes have you made with your flint? My first thought would be to try a new sharp flint.

My flint has been changed already. Thanks for the advice

 

[bud in pa]

I recently used a sanding drum on my Dremel, very,very lightly to touch up my frizzen on my Chambers large round faced lock. I did not use a grinding stone.

 

[Curley 50 cal]

Thanks for the help!

 

[AZbpBurner]

Occam's Razor ...