Knapping my own flints

[finkie]

Hi, guys,

What a great web site!

I have been shooting muzzleloaders for the last 25 years and the last 18 years I have been shooting flinters. (perc just a passing fad!!!) I have a nice piece of Ohio flint from Ohio's Flint Ridge. I knapped off a piece (I am new to knapping) and got it to fit into the lock, sparks great, but my question is - The flint did not knapp flat, I have a pyramid shape - how do I get it to knapp flat? I have been to some of the knapper sites and since I am new to knapping, most of the information does not make any sense to me. Greatly appreciate any help given.

Everyone have a happy and safe holiday. (Was planning on shooting this month target this weekend but the 21 inches of snow has put a stop to that. Still trying to dig out!!)

Thanks to all.

Ohio flinter

 

I need to qualify my answer as a person who has never knapped anything BUT was given instruction a few years ago in this process by a guy who knapped his own flints. There are many small things involved in the knapping process. However, the two items that stick in my mind are his telling me that a rough flint nodule is like a diamond because it has a "grain". Once you find the grain it is relatively easy to peel of flakes. He did this by chipping at the nodule from various angles until he was satisfied. Also, he used a small sharp deer antler to peck off very small flakes to bring up and straighten the edges of his flints. Hope this helps. Oh, one final thing -- make sure to wear eye protection. One of them flakes gets in your eye and there will be a problem -- especially with obsideon.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

Knapping a flat-topped gunflint consistently is not the easiest thing to do. The main technique the English gunflint makers used was to trim the top and sides of the nodule into something vaguely resembling a small drum, then hitting on the top, strike off long thin "blades" which were then snapped into several individual flints. Even they didn't _always_ get the blades to come off with a trapezoidal cross-section, giving double-ended flints or at least flat tops. IIRC, the French didn't use the "blade" technique, but struck off individual "spalls" that usually had the pointy top and, more often than in the English technique, required a bit of trimming on the back to get the size and shape right.

I've never had material good/big enough to try striking blades off a core, so I just try to trim some of my flakes into gunflints.

Sorry, but I'm a slow typist and I must get back to work. I hope this is of some help.

Joel

 

Many years ago I went to an archeological site during a knap-in and paid $5 for a one hour hands on lesson in knapping.

They were working on arrow heads but the theory is the same.

It was money well spent and I still go to a knap in on occasion to pick up chert from the traders. Chert comes in all colors of the rainbow and almost any of it that flakes well will spark well.

I do not worry about cores or blades, I just work a flake down to a good size for the frizen and lock and call it quits.

Most Archeological sites have a knap-in at least once each year. Call the state park service and find a site to contact.

You will never worry about a supply of gunflints again.