Obsidian

Anyone ever use obsidian in their flintlock?

 

[Legionair]

No.....

I would think it would be a little to fragile.

Maybe I'm wrong......

Legion

 

:hmm: I don't think it would even make sparks. Try it with your firemaking steel and see if you get any. Bet not. Bob

 

[RobF]

I would have to agree with lonesomebob. Obsidian is Volcanic Glass so I doubt you'd get any spark at all.
Rob

 

Yep you guys were right.I took a file to it.No sparks.Would suck to be out of flint and in the middle of obsidian country :haha:

 

[Birdman]

Crowhop maybe the obsidion won't give ya sparks but it will do well as a micro knife. Knap off a samll flake n try useing it on a piece of meat or the like,ie, skinning, filetting etc, it is exceptionaly sharp stuff. Only thing bad is it is so darn fragile. Just some thoughts YMHS Birdman

 

[musketman]

Crowhop maybe the obsidion won't give ya sparks but it will do well as a micro knife.

Before lasers, obsidian scalpels were the blade of choice in eye surgery, one flake is 500 times sharper than surgical steel...

 

[Rebel]

I have some black and some red Obsidian here and it sparks pretty well. But it is too fragile to use in a flintlock. Breaks too easy.

 

[thehorn]

Anyone ever use obsidian in their flintlock?

Obsidian's too soft (hardness of 5 on Moh's scale) to reliably shave any steel off of the frizzen. Flint is harder at about 7 and that's why it works much better. However, I do like obsidian for knapping points and tools as it's softness and structure gives a nice conchoidal fracture when flaking.

 

[tg]

A correctly made spaul of obsidian will give off some sparks ( I have used it) before breaking but it is not a practical choice.