Lead or leather to hold a flint

[David LaPell]

I've been using leather pretty much all along to hold flints in the jaws of all my guns, but I've been told by a few that lead actually works better. I've also heard that lead adds too much weight to the hammer and can cause problems. I wanted to see if anyone else has had issues. I have a variety of guns, from muskets like the Brown Bess down to a Pedersoli Kentucky Rifle for sizes of flints.

 

[Cabincritter]

Lead will work on military muskets like your Bess. It will noticeably slow your lock time in all else. I personally was never able to secure my flints as tight as I want them using lead.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Lead was generally the choice for the robust military muskets. Leather is a better choice for the lighter fowling guns and rifles.

Note: I use leather to wrap the flints in my King's Musket. I don't see a significant advantage to a lead wrap.

 

[stubshaft]

I use lead in my 1816 Musket and tried it in my smaller locks. In the big musket lock I get an instant shower of sparks. In the smaller locks (up to 7/8" flint size) it didn't seem to make a real difference.

 

[J.D.]

IMHO, lead wraps compress under the pressure of the top jaw, which makes the contact with the flint rather loose. While leather compresses, it will grip the flint much better.

 

[Art Caputo]

I have used both lead and leather in my Queen Anne and Kibler Colonial style locks. I have found that the leather secures the flint in the jaws much better with the lead requiring MUCH greater torque on the jaw screw to secure the flint, and, a tendency to loosen/shift with over time with use. I will use a single lead shim on the occasional odd-shaped flint. The lead shim is placed on the bottom jaw flat in addition to the leather wrapped flint in order to adjust/optimize the striking position/angle of the flint relative to the frizzen. This works well, and secures the flint without excessive torque on the jaw screw.

 

[Robin101]

Jim Chambers recommends leather for his locks and I agree. It is easier on the lock itself and the leather holds fast longer.
Robin

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I have almost exclusively used leather to hold my flints…I may have experimented with lead once, by pounding out a RB for my Brown Bess Carbine

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Leather. more workable

 

[Omahkapi'si]

I use mulehide. It grips better and easy on flints.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

Going by what the people who make the locks recommend, only use lead in the big musket locks leather in the small locks. I have never had a problem with leather. I think people who have problems with leather are using pieces that are too thick. Get the thinnest piece of leather you can find.

 

[Mle1822]

Lead only. For infantry muskets, cavalry carbines and cavalry pistols. Never had an issue. I hammer a soft leather ball flat and cut out the strip with a knive.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

In my lock, thin leather does not protect the flints from frizzen impact. The mulehide is a little thicker and holds as well as cushions it. Works for me, but lots of variations out there.

 

[olskool]

I think it was Chambers that would void lock warranty if lead was used!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Lead will work on military muskets like your Bess. It will noticeably slow your lock time in all else. I personally was never able to secure my flints as tight as I want them using lead.

Correct

Lead was generally the choice for the robust military muskets. Leather is a better choice for the lighter fowling guns and rifles.

Note: I use leather to wrap the flints in my King's Musket. I don't see a significant advantage to a lead wrap.

Also correct
Although the "throw" the distance from the edge of the flint when the lock is cocked to the surface of the frizzen is huge in a musket, it is normally rather slow compared to a properly made rifle lock. That, coupled with the fact that the musket was to shoot and shoot with just a wipe of the underside of the flint and a wipe of the frizzen face and the pan, that inertia when the lock was severely fouled does make a difference. But that's for combat...

I think it was Chambers that would void lock warranty if lead was used!

Yes, and leather makes a very good choice for a rifle or smaller smoothbore, lock. There are some caveats. The back of the flint should rest bare against the jaw screw. Leather between the back of the flint and the jaw screw tends to absorb a lot of the impact, and thus as the edge of the flint changes from shot to shot, spark generation may be severely lowered with leather between the back of the flint and the jaw screw.


This shows the leather in relation to the flint

Here are two patterns of leathers. The top pattern when folded forms an opening and the leather and the flint then rest against the jaw screw. A circle is used but one can in the field simply fold a rectangle of leather and cut a V into the fold to allow the jaw screw to touch the back of the flint.

In the second pattern two holes are punched, and when this is used the jaw screw passes through the leather, keeping it in place, while tightening down the jaws onto the leather which then grips the flint. More elaborate, but IF you lose the flint, the leather stays in place, requiring you a moment or two to fish out a new flint and place it within the leather inside the jaws, and tighten the screw. The Top pattern are known to lose the leather AND the flint if the flint gets loose and drops out.

LD

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

I've been using leather pretty much all along to hold flints in the jaws of all my guns, but I've been told by a few that lead actually works better. I've also heard that lead adds too much weight to the hammer and can cause problems. I wanted to see if anyone else has had issues. I have a variety of guns, from muskets like the Brown Bess down to a Pedersoli Kentucky Rifle for sizes of flints.

I tried lead on my Brown Bess purchased about 10 years ago. First time I ever tried lead and the last time. All my flintlocks like leather.
Larry

 

[Packrat]

Lead in the heaver Military locks was the norn. Smaller lock, the lead seems to outweigh any advantage IMO

 

[mikesto44]

Follow Loyalist Daves advice .

 

[Sagebrush]

I've also heard that lead adds too much weight to the hammer and can cause problems.

If I recall, Jim Kibler says not to use lead because of the weight.

 

[Ditt44]

Im an improviser... I use elk skin work gloves once the fingers blow out. Just cut out the fingers or palm and you're good to go. Make quite a few from XL pairs.