In a way you might call this confession time even though I haven't done anything wrong. But, as a former journalist, I feel it is time to give "full disclosure" as they say.
Some may have noted that I am a fan of sawn flints. Others here refer to them as "sawn agate". Now, I do not know what kind of rock agate is, not my area of expertise. I don't know if it is a flint or what. I'm sure some of the sawn flints I have used in the past were agate but I don't know which ones were, or were not.
Here is the story: Sometime between 1970 and 1976 I purchased some sawn flints from a vendor at Friendship. I later learned they were made by Gunter Stifter of Germany. I used them and was very pleased and impressed. They sparked like fire monsters and lasted much-much longer than the knapped blacks from England.
Now, I have been a writer since 1953 (yes, folks, I am old :wink: ). I have written product reviews many times, many of them professionally. Those reviews have been on a variety of subjects. (modern guns and accessories, muzzle loading guns and supplies, woodworking tools and supplies and much more) I write it as I experience it. Good is reported good, bad is reported bad.
I wrote a review of my experience with the Gunter Stifter sawn flints and it was published in Muzzle Blasts. Gunter later (note: "later") saw the review and sent me a very generous supply of his sawn flints in appreciation. For the record, there was no pre-agreement with Gunter regarding the review, his gift came after fact and, thus, I had no problem with ethically accepting the gift. To this date I am still using his flints from that generous gift. Of the several dozen he sent, I have only about six left unused.
In all that time my experience with them has been such that, IMHO, their vastly superior performance puts them in a class that leaves the Fuller knapped blacks miles behind, there is simply no comparison.
I have no idea where the "sawn agates" others here refer to come from. But, I'll admit, a close friend has tried some of the "sawn agates" from TC and he reports they simply shatter on first strike and he, of course, has no use for them and I can't blame him.
They are, obviously, of a different stone and quality than the ones I have used and talk about.
I didn't mean to make this post so long. But, I'm on a roll. Sorry. :redface:
Anyhow, Gunter's sawn flints are sold in a variety of stones and he does have different pricing for some of them. There are differences. He even has one that is polished, jewel like, for presentation purposes. I don't have any of those, they are expensive.
If you want to contact Gunter, he does sell to the U.S. But, I warn you, his website is near incomprehensible. Next time I order, I'm just going to send money and tell him what size I want and to please send whatever that will buy. Contact: http://stifters-gunflints.de/
Some may have noted that I am a fan of sawn flints. Others here refer to them as "sawn agate". Now, I do not know what kind of rock agate is, not my area of expertise. I don't know if it is a flint or what. I'm sure some of the sawn flints I have used in the past were agate but I don't know which ones were, or were not.
Here is the story: Sometime between 1970 and 1976 I purchased some sawn flints from a vendor at Friendship. I later learned they were made by Gunter Stifter of Germany. I used them and was very pleased and impressed. They sparked like fire monsters and lasted much-much longer than the knapped blacks from England.
Now, I have been a writer since 1953 (yes, folks, I am old :wink: ). I have written product reviews many times, many of them professionally. Those reviews have been on a variety of subjects. (modern guns and accessories, muzzle loading guns and supplies, woodworking tools and supplies and much more) I write it as I experience it. Good is reported good, bad is reported bad.
I wrote a review of my experience with the Gunter Stifter sawn flints and it was published in Muzzle Blasts. Gunter later (note: "later") saw the review and sent me a very generous supply of his sawn flints in appreciation. For the record, there was no pre-agreement with Gunter regarding the review, his gift came after fact and, thus, I had no problem with ethically accepting the gift. To this date I am still using his flints from that generous gift. Of the several dozen he sent, I have only about six left unused.
In all that time my experience with them has been such that, IMHO, their vastly superior performance puts them in a class that leaves the Fuller knapped blacks miles behind, there is simply no comparison.
I have no idea where the "sawn agates" others here refer to come from. But, I'll admit, a close friend has tried some of the "sawn agates" from TC and he reports they simply shatter on first strike and he, of course, has no use for them and I can't blame him.
They are, obviously, of a different stone and quality than the ones I have used and talk about.
I didn't mean to make this post so long. But, I'm on a roll. Sorry. :redface:
Anyhow, Gunter's sawn flints are sold in a variety of stones and he does have different pricing for some of them. There are differences. He even has one that is polished, jewel like, for presentation purposes. I don't have any of those, they are expensive.
If you want to contact Gunter, he does sell to the U.S. But, I warn you, his website is near incomprehensible. Next time I order, I'm just going to send money and tell him what size I want and to please send whatever that will buy. Contact: http://stifters-gunflints.de/
Last edited by a moderator:
