Taking a break today from my newest hobby here in Western North Carolina, cutting up toppled trees, and thought I would try an inexpensive 80 grit diamond file from Amazon at giving haircuts to some humpback flints.
In addition to a file, I used a small Pano Vice with plastic jaws to hold the flint. Any vice with soft jaws will work.
Here is a photograph of a double humper flint that I figured I’d start with.
Clamped it up in the vice with the humps above the plastic jaws, only gripping the thick end, no sense stressing the thin striking edge of the flint, plenty of that will come later.
Grabbed the diamond file and knocked down the humps in short order until the flint looked fairly square. For those that like to measure things, I removed about .080” from the pictured flint.
Only took a few minutes and I had three ‘flat’ flints ready to go, with plenty more humped ones to go if I get ambitious.
I’m not sure how long before the flints start beating up the file, but for $13 I’m not going to complain.
It’s worth noting that the process quickly generates some very fine and hazardous dust if one were to breathe it in. Probably best to do outside.
In addition to a file, I used a small Pano Vice with plastic jaws to hold the flint. Any vice with soft jaws will work.
Here is a photograph of a double humper flint that I figured I’d start with.
Clamped it up in the vice with the humps above the plastic jaws, only gripping the thick end, no sense stressing the thin striking edge of the flint, plenty of that will come later.
Grabbed the diamond file and knocked down the humps in short order until the flint looked fairly square. For those that like to measure things, I removed about .080” from the pictured flint.
Only took a few minutes and I had three ‘flat’ flints ready to go, with plenty more humped ones to go if I get ambitious.
It’s worth noting that the process quickly generates some very fine and hazardous dust if one were to breathe it in. Probably best to do outside.
Last edited:
