How do you flatten flints?

[Rifleman1776]

In several posts I have seen guys saying they flatten their flints. What is available in flints these days is pretty sorry compared to past years. We all hate those humped things that we cannot get a good grip on in the hammer.
So, you guys who flatten yer flints....how do you do it?
The frustrated among us need to know.

 

[rabjr]

A diamond dremel attachment, Mizzy wheel both work.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I use a tile saw with a diamond wheel and a wooden clamping fixture. Some one else on the forum has posted a photo of his set up which is simular. My camera is down so I cann't get a photo of my set up.

 

[roundball]

I picked up a few of these diamond cutter wheels for a Dremel tool from Widget Supply several years ago...they go through a flint hump like its soft butter.
I also reshape / resharpen the edge of a flint after its worn down short and blunt...coax another couple dozen shots out of them

 

[Rifleman1776]

We had a flint knappers rendezvous in the area last week. I asked this question of some of the guys there. They said a carborundum wheel would do the trick. So, I fished a really dull flint out of my box and went to the grinder. BTW, the flint was a German cut one, dunno exact type of stone. After a minute or two on the wheel I could barely see a shiny spot. Wheel did nuttin'. Next I'll try an English chipped but am not optimistic.

 

[roundball]

No, regular grinding wheels do nothing.

Has to be a wheel something like the one I posted...for example it has diamond dust imbedded in the material.
It's so fast that I simply hold the flint in one hand, the Dremel tool in the other, and in 30-45 seconds with a few back & forths, voila, a flat-top!

There is also a similar item called a "Mizzy Wheel" available from Jewelry Supply (something like that)...Google should take you right to them.
Mizzy wheels take a little longer, like 3-4 minutes, but still gets it done pretty quickly.

(I set up a fan to blow past me so I don't breath in the flint dust)

 

[Stumpkiller]

I still use the Mizzy wheels. (I ordered six and am still on the first one). Work well enough in my Dremel when I wedge the flints in a dovetail I cut into a piece of wood.
http://www.jewelrysupply.com/products/PO434.html

Jewelry Supply is out of stock but other places sell them.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Those diamond wheels are pretty inexpensive. I'm going to order a couple. Saving and reusing flints will sure be a lot less expensive than a couple of those.
I sure find it dissapointing when I buy flints to find most are worse quality thant what we used to throw on the ground as wuthluss. And the prices are outa sight.

 

[roundball]

Amen.....and it's always good to share a current source / have multiple sources for them when you locate some...

 

[Rifleman1776]

Amen.....and it's always good to share a current source / have multiple sources for them when you locate some...

Agree. The diamond drums aren't easy to find on the Widget Supply site.
Here is the link: http://www.widgetsupply.com/mm5/me...earch_Begin_Only=&sort=&range_low=&range_high=

 

[Macon Due]

1776
It lloked to me like those were sanding drums and have 1/4" shafts....will those work in a Dremel tool? The ones I found on that site were these... http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/PROD/dremel-burr-cutter/D-BX02
Macon

 

[roundball]

NOTE #1:
Be sure you're aware that just a slip on sanding collar...not a solid wheel;

NOTE #2:
And I see that one has a 1/4" shank...if anyone is planning to use these in a Dremel tool, the typical Dremel might not accept that large of a shank...may need one of the associated collets at the bottom of the page...if the collets will even fit a Dremel tool.
Best bet would be to first check the Dremel website and see if a Dremel tool will handle a larger collet.

On the other hand if you've got a small drill motor / cordless screwdriver type thing they should handle the 1/4 shank with ease.

 

[roundball]

1776
It lloked to me like those were sanding drums and have 1/4" shafts....will those work in a Dremel tool? The ones I found on that site were these... http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/PROD/dremel-burr-cutter/D-BX02
Macon

FWIW, from personal experience I'd advise against using anything that small of a diameter...

 

[George]

(I set up a fan to blow past me so I don't breath in the flint dust)

Do whatever it takes to keep from breathing the dust, 'taint good for you at all.

Spence

 

[Rifleman1776]

1776
It lloked to me like those were sanding drums and have 1/4" shafts....will those work in a Dremel tool? The ones I found on that site were these... http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/PROD/dremel-burr-cutter/D-BX02
Macon

FWIW, from personal experience I'd advise against using anything that small of a diameter...

Agree. That's why I went with the drum style. I won't be using in a Dremel. Will use with a chuck on my woodturning lathe. And, I do have a fan.

 

[Stony]

The blue stone grinding wheels that Dremel sells will work as well on flints. I think Dremel calls them their silicone grinding wheels.

 

[roundball]

I think Dremel calls them their silicone grinding wheels.

Thought they were just carbide grinding stones, no diamond chips or diamond dust imbedded in them, etc.

How many Tom Fuller black english flints have you flat topped with that wheel...how long does it take per flint, etc?

 

[Rifleman1776]

I bought a couple of the diamond grinding sleeve thingys from Widget supply. What came is not Dremel brand. I don't care. I chucked one up in my drill press and gave it a test drive. It will flatten the humpbacked black flints from Tom Fuller. It takes a couple minutes but does work. I also tried to sharpen one of my German cut flints. Hardly touched it at all. I know Gunter Stifter uses a couple types of stone for his flints but I believe they are all basically a flint type. But, wadda I know? :idunno: The one I tried (pictured) is very hard. I gave up after several minutes because I don't want to wear out the brand new diamond drum. I bought two of the drims and will use to take the hummpies out of black flints but will not try sharpening the German cut ones. Unfortunate because I really like them.

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[juancho]

I use my bench grinder with no problems at all, and it is very fast at grinding the flints, even natural agatae flints. The trick is that I use a 6 in carbide wheel, it is green and it is imperative to have it well dress.
Some of my flints went from the largest to the smalest locks as they wear down.It is not uncommon for me to get 100+ shots out of a single flint.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I use my bench grinder with no problems at all, and it is very fast at grinding the flints, even natural agatae flints. The trick is that I use a 6 in carbide wheel, it is green and it is imperative to have it well dress.
Some of my flints went from the largest to the smalest locks as they wear down.It is not uncommon for me to get 100+ shots out of a single flint.

Green wheel? Very interesting. Mind sharing more about that wheel? Like: brand, material, source? Thanks.