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Mad Irish Jack

40 Cal.
Joined
Nov 25, 2004
Messages
709
Reaction score
137
Location
Western PA (McDonald, PA)
PA has a flintlock only primitive season that begins the DAY after Christmas. One of the very few state that are FLINTLOCK ONLY. The early ML Antlerless Only season is for ANY muzzle loader. But many residents hunt both use their flintlock. The Saturday, Sunday and day before Christmas are the best time to hit the range, even to just spend the day watching; even if you are ready. These are the days that better than 80 % of those hunting the season go to shoot their flintlock, since they hadn't fired it in a year. Many of them experience drops of hammer, flash in the pan etc. Many think it's the flint being bad. To be honest about it, I try to teach and explain knapping and dressing the flints. Even then, these folks would rather put a new flint in than fix their problem. They toss the old ones on the ground or in the trash. I usually ask for them and get the OK. I take them and dress them and use them in my guns. I still have the bag of 10 flints I bought at Ft Frederick, MD in April of 1994. That was 22 years ago at $.50 a flint from a vendor. They may get passed on to my son when I pass away. I still have 33 counted the other day. Just go, watch and ask if they don't want them, check 'em out and chip 'em new! Cost effective; FREE!
 
Nice system. I love it. I got lucky that a friend of mine naps arrow heads and flints from good sparking chert, and he has a ton of it near his barn. He said I could have whatever I picked up off the ground, so I’ve picked up a bunch of pieces that would fit the jaws of my flinters and they work like a charm. Not nearly as long lasting as my English flints or Rich Pierce flints, but they’re free!
 
You will find if you learn to knap them yourself you can make flints every bit as good as the ones offered at TOTW.
I find my heat treated Chert flints are actually tougher than the dark English stuff and spark just as well in my guns.
 
I have been making my own flints for several years now.....Mostly out of necessity. Free and they do work. I also find using the frizzen to re-sharpen the edge works well too.
 
Been wanting to learn how to knap gun flints can you guys point me to some info to get started?
 
I'm self taught.....Literally hours of sitting around a campfire banging rocks together....It's wasteful but, eventually you get the hang of it....commercial flints are "all nice and pretty".....mine are functional. :haha:

All a flint really needs, is to fit the lock and have a sharp edge....
 
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