Pedersoli frizzen

[bigmike]

Are Pedersoli frizzens hard enough? Is it something that has to be replaced regular?

 

[BrownBear]

I have a couple that are going on 20 years old, between me and the previous owner. Going strong.

 

[ebiggs1]

The three Perersoli flintlocks I have are great. There is nothing "wrong" with them.
Why do you ask?

 

[bigmike]

The frizzen is scratched a little from the flint. I thought if it was hard enough the frizzen should't scratch. New to this flintlock business.

 

[mhb]

The scratching is normal. The way a flintlock sparks (or a flint-and-steel fire starter) is by scraping tiny shavings of metal off the steel or frizzen. The shavings are heated to incandescence in the process, and, falling upon the priming or tinder, ignite them. The flint also flakes away in the process, so needs to be replaced or re-knapped when it is no longer capable of striking sparks from the steel.
Because the steel must be hardened and tempered to a specific range for proper function (which is why an improperly hardened piece will not produce sparks, or do so only weakly), and because the hardening may only be fairly thin on the surface of the steel, the steel or frizzen can also 'wear out', and fail to spark until re-surfaced or re-hardened to provide proper material for the purpose.
mhb - Mike

 

[bigmike]

Thanks for the info.

 

[ebiggs1]

This is what it should look like. This is normal but it is a TC. This gun has shot more than 2000 shots. Sometimes a picture helps when you are new!

You can also see where the flint should strike the frizzen. Your flint should strike at a 60 degree, give or take a degree, angle.

 

[bigmike]

Thanks for the effort of taking and posting a picture. You are right, it does help with a picture.