Flints life.

[Rudyard]

The old timers used the term, "hammer" for the frizzen, which really confuses people as we all think of the hammer as the 'cock' that holds the flint! Newbies would really get discombobulated!

WelI I call it a 'steel' it was called a 'Hammer' but seldom today .The' cock' holds the flint the' steel 'or 'hammer' gets annoyed at being bashed all the time .Cant blame it.
Rudyard's whimsy

 

[M. De Land]

Im trying to use the search function more to not rehash something’s already spoken. But I didn’t see my answer. So here goes. Loaded question I realize. What’s the average life of a flint if everything being equal. I know that can be answered many many ways. I’m a first time flinter. I’m sure quality, cut and setup is all a factor. I just was curious about a realistic ballpark.

# 2 flint quality. What’s excellent and what junk vs adequate. You folks that make your own I admire your skills and hope to possibly learn it also.

# 3 flints are natural stones. Has there ever been man made style made that was shaped and work like a premium stone would ?

# 4 Does a fritz wear out ?

# 5 Can you use the same F grade black powder for your pan as you use for your barrel charge. I thought I have seen videos of people using the same horn. I have Goex FF & FFF on hand. For a 50 cal and my future Kibler Woodsrunner 45 cal.


I’ll end this with I hope to contact this Carolina muzzle loader shooting group in the near future. They are near Mnt Airy NC. Near enough to the Virginia line. Thanks for all the help y’all have given a newbie to black powder.

Thank you for y’all’s patience with this greenhorn. WarDawg

1, One of the most useful things to learn for any flint shooter is how to pressure flake the edge instead of whacking with a percussor or nipping it. This technique will make the flint last the longest and give the strongest, most spark producing edge of all. A well tuned lock and good quality flint can last to 70-80 shots if the edge is maintained properly.
2, If you are buying flint than English black or French Amber are very good.
3. I know of nothing that works as good as quality natural flint or chert.
4. Yes, Frizzens will eventually wear out but it takes years and thousands of shots.
5. If you screen your regular powder you will likely have all the fine pan powder you will ever need without buying it specifically. Goex has more fines than does Schutzen or Swiss.
Traditionally the same powder was used in the pan as in the barrel how ever for match shooting I prefer Swiss Null-B as it is basically black powder flour it is so fine and thus very fast burning for quick ignition.

 

[bldtrailer]

yup pressure flaking will make you flints last longer by taking smaller flakes( and saving your tumbler s half cock notch, your safety on a side lock) every time you hammer a flint in half cock you risk the square edge on the tumbler and when rounded you may thumb back the cock and find it will not hold or may go off with a bang the flint is harder 7 than your steel 6 on the hardness scale

you can make a pressure flaker from antler or wood drill a hole hot melt glue some copper or brass the soft metal or antler. the flaker pushes flakes off the pad just makes it easier

 

[bldtrailer]

this may help I show how to pressure flake and size flints ( I use USA chert from texas)all flint is chert

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

My first flintlock was a Lyman Great Plains left handed flintlock in .50 caliber. It ate flints every four or five shots (sometimes first shot). It convinced me to have my first custom made gun (a TVM Early Va which i still have and shoot). I now have a dozen lefty flinters in various calibers and configurations, all with good locks. I average 20 shots per flint, but often get thirty. Since I shoot mostly matches, I swap out a flint after the first one or two klatches, although I keep most of them to give to a friend who get more life out of them.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[flatcreek]

A lot depends on how much you shoot your rifle.

 

[flatcreek]

Kidding aside, I usually get 20 or 30 shots before I need to nap. Usually not that many on the second round.

 

[M. De Land]

My first flintlock was a Lyman Great Plains left handed flintlock in .50 caliber. It ate flints every four or five shots (sometimes first shot). It convinced me to have my first custom made gun (a TVM Early Va which i still have and shoot). I now have a dozen lefty flinters in various calibers and configurations, all with good locks. I average 20 shots per flint, but often get thirty. Since I shoot mostly matches, I swap out a flint after the first one or two klatches, although I keep most of them to give to a friend who get more lift out of them.

ADK Bigfoot

I like to tune up the flint with a pressure flake tool after every relay. Just takes a minute in the cock jaws supported by a popcycle stick on your pointer finger. This takes the pressure off the half cock notch while pressure flaking in the cock jaws. Here are my favorite tools for edge tuning once I get the flints knapped out. One is a steel nail notch tool and the other .200 copper filed wire ground to a point. Both work well for edge touch up.