leather frizzen cover

[Tony Logan]

I had some small scraps of elk leather. They were just right for making a few frizzen covers. What is the purpose? Is it a safety to use while hunting and the pan is primed? Are they a modern invention or do they fit in the historical correct category?

 

[George]

An idea discussed as far back as Rev. War, at least, for the military:

Cuthbertson, Bennett, Esq. A System for the Complete Interior Management and Oeconomy of a Battalion of Infantry, The Second Edition. London: J. Millan, 1779. p115.

"On Service, leather Hammer-stalls are undoubtedly an advantage to a Battalion, when loaded, and resting on their Arms, as accidents may be prevented, by having them then fixed upon the hammers of the Firelocks; but at other times then can certainly be of little use."

Spence

 

[Zonie]

They are a form of safety.

When one is installed, if the cock drops the flint cannot hit the frizzens face so it won't make sparks.
Even if the flint cuts thru the leather, the sparks are pretty much kept inside the leather sleeve so they won't reach the priming in the pan.

As with all safety's they are not foolproof but they are useful.

As for their historical accuracy I must say I haven't seen anything written about their use in the age of the flintlock but perhaps someone has?

One of the big problems with using writings made during the days of old is there seems to be many things that were so commonly used, they made no mention of it.
There also aren't a lot of books that were dedicated to the art of shooting. Yes, there are some but often these were written in foreign countries. These explain how things were done in their country but are not necessarily good references to how things were done in America.

 

[Tony Logan]

thanks a lot guys for the quick answers. I see how they could serve as a common and easy to make safety that might not have been written up that much.

 

[roundball]

I see how they could serve as a common and easy to make safety

I have them on every Flintlock I own, and they do indeed work

 

[rabjr]

I see how they could serve as a common and easy to make safety

I have them on every Flintlock I own, and they do indeed work

+1 :thumbsup:

 

[Greenjoytj]

I wonder if a leather frizzen cover will leave an oily film on the sparking surface of the frizzen. Particularly if the leather has been treated with a water proofer or softening chemical like silicone or mink oil. An oily frizzen may cause failure to spark issues.

 

[roundball]

An additional comment...when I first started using Hammer Stalls I briefly wondered if they should be treated but decided if I was ever in any conditions where treating a simple leather Hammer Stall was required, that would be the least of my worries as the entire muzzleloader would be at far greater risk and I knew I'd never let that happen, so I never treated the Hammer Stalls...but it wasn't because of any worry that some trace leather treatment might affect the frizzen.

The main reason I decided against any treatment was that using them as a safety I want my leather Hammer Stalls to have a snug fit to minimize chances that they'll fall off, get snagged off, etc, without me knowing it.
And once leather is treated it usually has a tendency to soften and stretch, which would result in a looser fit, working against my goal of a snug fitting safety. Even using them dry they will gradually start to loosen some by repeatedly putting them on and off and treatment would probably accelerate that problem.

At any rate, I've used the same snug dry Hammer Stalls for 10+ years now without them being treated with anything, and have never had any problems of any sort...

 

[RBrooks]

Ditto on Roundball and frizzen covers. I leave the
leather cover on my frizzen till fully cocked now.
My thumb slipped once going to full cock and the rifle was just under my arm pit... and I received a full pan charge in my face. Use a cover when
loaded. If you are deer hunting, it only take half a second to flip it off. If at the range...then there is no hurry. Safety always

 

[Trench]

This is one of those things that I have but rarely use. On occasion I use it while hunting as a way to stay full cocked safely hunting for deer. Perhaps I should say "more safely".

 

[roundball]

I don't use them at the range as the way I shoot, the frizzen is always open and the last thing I do before taking a shot is prime the pan, close the frizzen, and raise the rifle.
If there's ever some reason why I have to abort the shot, I flip open the frizzen and brush out the pan.

For hunting, I treat the Hammer Stall as a safety just the same as if it was a Remington 700/.30-06...last thing I do is flip off the safety to take the shot

 

[tg]

I cannot think of any reason to trat the leather, it seems it could only foul the frizzen, and offer no advantage, for anyone with a flint that sits very close to the frizzen one can often form a stall out of sheet brass shim stock and it will fit in the tight spaces if leather is to thick.The Silers were sometimes like this on some guns I have had in the past, you can fold the brass to shape, leaving some extra on the sides and make it longer than needed and fold/crimp the excess to hold the shape, it helps to take the frizzen off to use as a "mould", a paper template works well while fitting for the right size.

 

[LeeinVA]

+2

 

[hunts4deer]

Frizzen covers (called hammer stalls back in the day) ARE historically correct for at least as early as the French and Indian War period.

Flash guards, surprizingly, are not historic.

I use one on every hunting gun. When I see a deer coming I can immediately pull the cock back before he is close enough to hear. Just before the shot, its easy to slip off the cover silently.

 

[bangfxr]

As a military living historian (or reenactor which ever way you call it) when we drill or take to the field we have covers on our frizzens as a safety device as with the flash pan deflectors. As by loading procedures you prime 1st and when you close pan you automaticle put the cover on. In 86 at an event while stationed in West Germany there was a group of Highlanders with new muskets and there had been an accidental discharge and flying rod (and thats a bad thing and a spooky sound as well)was to find out later the lot they got from a spanish company had faulty half cocks. When the rammer set the ball home the hammer fell and if they were loaded they would discharge luckly the guy only got flash burns as it was a powder charge to clear the barrel of any oil and not a ball the rod was found down range about 30-40 yards. The cover is another form of safety. I did read an account through the army quartermaster history. A soldier was charged $1.00 for a lost cover during the campaighn to move the cherokee from Georgia / Tennessee to the Indian Territory. At that time that was expensive. The one I made is leather and canvas with a string tying it to the trigger guard.