Flintlock jaw pad - lead

[Mike in FL]

I have heard of but never used a flint jaw pad made of lead. My Pedersoli came with one. Thin piece of lead folded in the jaws. Drilled to fit around the screw. I like it. Haven't used it yet, still waiting on some possibles.
Who has used lead? Any downside? Where would I get more? Track don't have it; I seldom offer from anywhere else so wouldn't know where to look? Do you think lead is more for military flintlock guns?

 

[William Sublette]

You gots a hammer and and a roundball?


People will argue about it.

Try the search function there's some long-winded "debates" on the subject.

 

[TreeMan]

Yep smash a roundball with a hammer. I’ve used both and can’t tell much difference in several rifles with the exception that the flint gets loose more often wrapped in lead.

 

[FlinterNick]

I use aluminum (not tin foil) looks like lead and works better

 

[Sidney Smith]

Not me. I've used leather since day one. No need to switch.

 

[satwel]

Using lead to wrap a flint is OK if the lock is a military musket with a thick, robust flint ****. For thinner, more graceful civilian flint cocks, you should always use leather. Leather cushions the flint **** from the impact of striking the frizzen. I believe some manufacturers consider their warranty void if the **** breaks while using a lead wrap.

 

[Flintandsteel]

A lead jaw pad will void the warranty of a Chambers lock. There must be a reason!?!

 

[Art Caputo]

I have used both and settled on leather for my locks up to the Queen Anne size. Both work, but the lead, at least when initially mounted, has a tendency to loosen up after use and needs to be torqued down “much” more then leather to hold its position. I think the reason for Chambers voiding their warranty is due to this excessive torque, at the very least, marring the screw head, worst damaging the jaws. IMO…

 

[Howard Pippin]

I have heard of but never used a flint jaw pad made of lead. My Pedersoli came with one. Thin piece of lead folded in the jaws. Drilled to fit around the screw. I like it. Haven't used it yet, still waiting on some possibles.
Who has used lead? Any downside? Where would I get more? Track don't have it; I seldom offer from anywhere else so wouldn't know where to look? Do you think lead is more for military flintlock guns?

Being of a curious nature, I wanted to try lead so I just melted some lead in my cast-iron frypan, Took it to my welding bench just sort of scattered it flat. It made a medium-size pancake type real thin. Then I just took a pair of scissors and cut it into strips about the width of the flint. It worked fine, couldn't tell much difference, but it was easier to change flints if I was in a hurry like at a shoot if I started getting misfires. The lead would retain its shape better than leather, but it could be that the leather I was using was quite thin also. Never had any trouble with it working loose in the hammer.
Squint

 

[rafterob]

I tried lead before and it worked. But what happens is the lead will deform under pressure and loosen it's hold on the flint. You end up tightening the jaw more, which causes more deformation, etc... Leather has an end point of compression which eliminates that slow decline of grip.

 

[Timber Wolf]

My Pedersoli Trade Rifle came with a lead pad on the flint. I did not like the striking geometry (angle of the flint) so when I adjusted things with a new flint I went with leather. I have no experience with lead pads so felt more comfortable getting a good seat with leather. I will try a lead pad in the future, I have a lot of sheet lead that could be cut, but then I have a bunch of scrap leather too.

 

[Mike in FL]

Thanks all. I always have time to learn. From what I'm taking away from the thoughtful responses, I think I will change it out for leather.

 

[maillemaker]

My Pedersolis came with a lead flint holder also. I just replaced a worn-out one by hammering one into shape from a round ball. Used a hole punch to make the slot in the middle to dodge the jaw screw.

I've never tried leather but if it helps preserve flint life I'll give it a shot.

 

[Belleville]

Lead seems to work better on some locks. Seems to produce more sparks, also.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I use lead. Aside from the health benefits it works good too.

 

[springfield art]

I have heard of but never used a flint jaw pad made of lead. My Pedersoli came with one. Thin piece of lead folded in the jaws. Drilled to fit around the screw. I like it. Haven't used it yet, still waiting on some possibles.
Who has used lead? Any downside? Where would I get more? Track don't have it; I seldom offer from anywhere else so wouldn't know where to look? Do you think lead is more for military flintlock guns?

I used to beat a musket ball or similar into a sheet of lead for the big jaws of my re-enactment Bess and Charleville. Worked great. But, I read recently that leather is preferred for like rifles and such, as it is "easier" somehow in the hammer and lock works. I'm sure you'll get lots of opinions. Good luck!

 

[springfield art]

I used to beat a musket ball or similar into a sheet of lead for the big jaws of my re-enactment Bess and Charleville. Worked great. But, I read recently that leather is preferred for like rifles and such, as it is "easier" somehow in the hammer and lock works. I'm sure you'll get lots of opinions. Good luck!

More: yes, I do think a thin sheet of lead, (easy to trim with shears) is ok for military muskets. I know mine rarely came loose; leather seemed more "slippery". I could really tighten the jaws with the lead.

 

[45man]

My friend has very expensive lock and the flints would break the end off. I found the flint was turning on him. I removed it and there were no "spikes" on the jaws. I took a graver and small hammer and raised spikes to grip the leather and problem solved. I never liked lead as it got loose.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I have heard of but never used a flint jaw pad made of lead. My Pedersoli came with one. Thin piece of lead folded in the jaws. Drilled to fit around the screw. I like it. Haven't used it yet, still waiting on some possibles.
Who has used lead? Any downside? Where would I get more? Track don't have it; I seldom offer from anywhere else so wouldn't know where to look? Do you think lead is more for military flintlock guns?

You got a lead flint wrap with your Pedersoli, because it may need it.

What Model of Pedersoli are we discussing?

So very often, a lead wrap is used around a flint in a musket lock, because, as large as they are, and as long as that distance is from the edge of a fully cocked flint to the face of that frizzen..., the lock can be slow, and that lead adds inertia.

Now on a rifle lock..., leather is most often the best choice, as the locks tend to be much faster, and don't tolerate impact vibrations the way a huge musket lock does, so leather is the key there. In fact I heard a person say once that they were warned by an American lock company that using lead in one of those locks would void a warranty.

LD

 

[Rifleman1776]

Lead has never worked for me. It loses it's grip very quickly. Leather only now.