Kibler SMR lock and flints

[IanH]

It appears that science is of no interest to you. Very well, it saved me a bunch of typing .

 

[jay3]

Normally the first number listed is the width of the flint. Best thing to do is call and confirm how they’re listing their measurements.

Thank you TDM, appreciate your response!

 

[RMH]

General consensus here is, 120 shots is average from a flint.

Waksupi, another newbee to flintlocks here. What is your regimen for getting that kind of life out of a flint? How often do you clean the flint?.....every shot? How often do you knap them?
Perhaps I am missing the idea....instead of upkeep is it in basic set up?

I have been getting 20 or so shots without doing anything. Not cleaning or wiping the flint...nothing. ( I am wiping the flint now after every 2 or 3 shots.) Then I get a misfire. Then I wipe and get perhaps 5 more shots. Knapping the flint on the rifle will start the process all over but I am pretty much done after 40+ shots on a flint unless I shim it forward.

While you are surprised because you average 120 shots, I am astounded that you get that many. I wish I could shoot with someone who knows what the hell they are doing. One can only make so many mistakes on their own, it helps to know someone who has made them first and can steer you around some pitfalls.

 

[waksupi]

Waksupi, another newbee to flintlocks here. What is your regimen for getting that kind of life out of a flint? How often do you clean the flint?.....every shot? How often do you knap them?
Perhaps I am missing the idea....instead of upkeep is it in basic set up?

I have been getting 20 or so shots without doing anything. Not cleaning or wiping the flint...nothing. ( I am wiping the flint now after every 2 or 3 shots.) Then I get a misfire. Then I wipe and get perhaps 5 more shots. Knapping the flint on the rifle will start the process all over but I am pretty much done after 40+ shots on a flint unless I shim it forward.

While you are surprised because you average 120 shots, I am astounded that you get that many. I wish I could shoot with someone who knows what the hell they are doing. One can only make so many mistakes on their own, it helps to know someone who has made them first and can steer you around some pitfalls.

I think most of us wipe the flint and frizzen every shot with a thumb and finger. Not as messy as it sounds, as many of us use moose milk, that helps keep the hands clean.
I would say knapping every 30-50 shots is average. Knapping to only remove a few thousandths of the leading edge, rather than bashing away at them with a hammer definitely extends flint life. I believe the last video I tried to show my method of knapping a minuscule amount of flint, and retaining a straight sharp edge. I have had flints last over 200 shots, and stopped counting.
Starting with a quality lock most likely has a lot to do with it. If the geometry is bad, it will destroy rocks in short order.

 

[RMH]

I think most of us wipe the flint and frizzen every shot with a thumb and finger. Not as messy as it sounds, as many of us use moose milk, that helps keep the hands clean.
I would say knapping every 30-50 shots is average. Knapping to only remove a few thousandths of the leading edge, rather than bashing away at them with a hammer definitely extends flint life. I believe the last video I tried to show my method of knapping a minuscule amount of flint, and retaining a straight sharp edge. I have had flints last over 200 shots, and stopped counting.
Starting with a quality lock most likely has a lot to do with it. If the geometry is bad, it will destroy rocks in short order.

Thank you Sir.

 

[Frontstuffer3491]

Interesting. I so much enjoy flintlocks which surprises me greatly. I use English flints at somewhete around 2 bucks per flint. I normally get with knapping in the jaws around 20 to 60 shots per flint. I only am a babe with flinters but I am motivated to understand more and more about them. My dependence on those lil caps has diminished to around zero. I really like the pomp and circumstance with flinters. Am getting closer to selling off my modern gunz and investing in more flintlock guns

Thanks all for this post. Enjoying it greatly.