Hi Folks, Where on the Frizzen should the flint strike? Also I only seem to get about 5 shots out of my English flints before they are buggered.
Pedersoli Kentucky 45cal
Pedersoli Kentucky 45cal
-
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
Ignition
- Thread starter Kiwi Hawkeye
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
Could be your flint is striking too high and too much at right angles. It's got to strike at more of an angle otherwise the flint edge gets buggered. Doesn't matter so much WHERE on the frizzen it strikes as at what ANGLE it strikes. You can mount the flint "upside down" if that gets it to strike at more of an angle. Or, as I did with one of mine, you can insert a small extra piece of leather as a "buffer" above or below the flint to make it mount and strike at a different angle, or to make it strike higher or lower.
Daryl Crawford
50 Cal.
I like the flint to strike above the half way point of the frizzen face, with the flint at a slightly downward angle.
Flint set up matters to good ignition and to long lasting flints.
I posted this before on other threads, but I'll copy it here.
A sharp flint that is the width of your frizzen face is what you want.
I was first instructed to make sure the tip of the flint rests centered over the pan when the cock is at rest.
Second, pull back the hammer to half cock and lower the frizzen so it covers the pan. The flint should not touch the frizzen, but should be pretty close to it (between an eighth and quarter of an inch) and should point at the frizzen face at or above the half way mark up the frizzen face (I prefer it at least 60% up the frizzen face). If it points too low, you can flip the flint. It shouldn't point directly at the face, but have a slight downward angle or it will wear your flint quickly.
Third, you should be able to release the hammer from half cock and lower it slightly while holding it. With your other hand raise the frizzen up slightly and you should get a mostly straight line between the flint and frizzen base.
That should get you a long strike/scrape to make sparks and ensure the frizzen isn't blocking them from dropping into the pan while simultaneously avoiding smashing flints.
The caviot is that individual lock may have varied geometry so this set up won't be quite identical between locks of different style/geometry. That said, it is a guideline that has held pretty well for me.
Flint set up matters to good ignition and to long lasting flints.
I posted this before on other threads, but I'll copy it here.
A sharp flint that is the width of your frizzen face is what you want.
I was first instructed to make sure the tip of the flint rests centered over the pan when the cock is at rest.
Second, pull back the hammer to half cock and lower the frizzen so it covers the pan. The flint should not touch the frizzen, but should be pretty close to it (between an eighth and quarter of an inch) and should point at the frizzen face at or above the half way mark up the frizzen face (I prefer it at least 60% up the frizzen face). If it points too low, you can flip the flint. It shouldn't point directly at the face, but have a slight downward angle or it will wear your flint quickly.
Third, you should be able to release the hammer from half cock and lower it slightly while holding it. With your other hand raise the frizzen up slightly and you should get a mostly straight line between the flint and frizzen base.
That should get you a long strike/scrape to make sparks and ensure the frizzen isn't blocking them from dropping into the pan while simultaneously avoiding smashing flints.
The caviot is that individual lock may have varied geometry so this set up won't be quite identical between locks of different style/geometry. That said, it is a guideline that has held pretty well for me.
Poor lock geometry. With a good lock you should get AT LEAST 100 shots. The consensus among out local shooters is 120 shots is pretty average, and I have had one gun that went for 187 shots before I sold it, and I know the lady got quite a few more shots from it.
Wow lots of great info. Thanx
Tasbay
40 Cal
As I understand it the flint should strike about 2/3rds of the way up the frizzen. I found my Pedersoli Kentucky frizzen spring to be too strong. When it broke, I made one out of an old skill saw blade and flints last a lot longer.
Similar threads
