Lead or Leather to hold the flint

[Wolfpaak]

New guy here. I've had a flinter for a few years now and have used leather to hold the flint and have seen lead used. Which is a better option?
Thanks for your time.
Kenny

 

[FishDFly]

Ford or Chevy, which political party to join?

Let the never ending fight begin, followed by Ballistol, will a .45 kill a deer and what is the best liquid to clean you rifle?

 

[bigstick6017555]

New guy here. I've had a flinter for a few years now and have used leather to hold the flint and have seen lead used. Which is a better option?
Thanks for your time.
Kenny

You will have to experiment with that for your rifle and how it performs. they are all different, myself I prefer leather.

 

[Artificer]

New guy here. I've had a flinter for a few years now and have used leather to hold the flint and have seen lead used. Which is a better option?
Thanks for your time.
Kenny

If you have a Dave Chamber's Flintlock Lock in your rifle, be advised using a lead flint pad will void their warranty.

I've used both and FAR prefer leather flint pads, even in my Military Flintlock Muskets.

Gus

 

[Jakeytoo]

I’ve tried lead without success, I couldn’t get it to hold the flint. Maybe it is due to the lock size.

My lead is better used for bullets, I prefer leather.

 

[sawyer04]

I have used both, but prefer a leather patch off an old shoe tongue. Seemed to me that the lead produced more damage to some flints. nothing scientific, just experience.

 

[FishDFly]

If you have a Dave Chamber's Flintlock Lock in your rifle, be advised using a lead flint pad will void their warranty.

I've used both and FAR prefer leather flint pads, even in my Military Flintlock Muskets.

Gus

Been pointed out 1,000 times from Chambers.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

New guy here. I've had a flinter for a few years now and have used leather to hold the flint and have seen lead used. Which is a better option?
Thanks for your time.
Kenny

Been shooting flinters since the 70s. Lead never worked for me, except for making bullets. Leather for me!
Larry

 

[andy52]

I'll throw my hat in the leather crowd.

 

[CaptainKirk]

Leather seems to work well for me.

 

[Artificer]

Been pointed out 1,000 times from Chambers.

Yes, but the OP is a new guy, that's why I did it again.

Gus

 

[TreeMan]

I’ve used lead several times in several Guns. Lead seems to work fine until you have to move or replace the flint. After that it won’t keep the flint tight. Seemed every few shots it would loosen up. I have a full tanned deer hide I cut pieces from to hold my flints. Seems if I soak the leather in water first then secure the flint with it, the water dries and that flint will never loosen until I want it to. My Pedersoli trade gun and Bess came with lead holding the flint. Worked fine as far as shooting goes but they just won’t stay tight after a while. Leather seems to work much better.

 

[LRB]

Been pointed out 1,000 times from Chambers.

Pssst. Jim. Jim Chambers.

 

[Artificer]

Pssst. Jim. Jim Chambers.

OMG. Yep. I must have been thinking of too many things at once.

Thanks.

Gus

 

[SDSmlf]

I have tried lead, but never found it to work as well leather. Easy enough to try lead yourself. Just flatten out a lead roundball and trim to shape and size you want.

Wonder if this Dave guy is a new partner at Chambers?

 

[Rifleman1776]

leather only

 

[springfield art]

New guy here. I've had a flinter for a few years now and have used leather to hold the flint and have seen lead used. Which is a better option?
Thanks for your time.
Kenny

I saw somewhere, can't recall where, leather is preferred; they gave a perfectly good reason for it, but I just don't remember! I used lead for years with Bess Re-Enacting, but smaller guns, try both and use what floats your boat!

 

[springfield art]

leather only

I agree, but don't recall where I read the rationale.

 

[Stantheman86]

I use lead for my .69 military flintlock repros that use the flints that could double as Axe Heads, because it just seems correct.

There's a seller on Ebay that sells a 4 pack of musket flints that includes a lead strip, very handy

Some people will pound a round ball flat and use that

For small locks I use leather

 

[Grenadier1758]

The leather wrap or flint wrap is one of those choices that have many nuances. Part of the decision making process must begin with the flint lock itself. So, @Wolfpaak, what rifle with whose lock do you have? If you have a lock from Jim Chambers, then the only option is a leather wrap.

If you have a large military lock such as the Brown Bess that @springfield art used then a lead wrap is an acceptable choice, but then so is leather. I use a leather wrap in the lock in my Brown Bess.

Most rifle sized locks will perform better with a leather wrap. The leather grips well and can be tightened more consistently than lead. The leather has a bit of cushion to allow the flint to scrape the face of the steel (frizzen) rather than bash the face of the steel.

The final note is well stated by @Stantheman86. Large military style locks can optionally use lead wraps. Rifles, fowling guns and pistols should use leather wraps.