position of the flint

[The Hungry Hunter]

Ihave been looking at Sam Fadala's Black Powder Handbook and Reloading manual. On page 52 he says to install the flint in the jaws of the hammer with the bevel side up. Has any one tried it this way and is there a advantage??

 

[biliff]

It depends on your lock. Some work well one way, some the other.

 

[The Hungry Hunter]

If it aint broke don't fix it. Thanks, I will use it the way I always have, bevel side down.

 

[hanshi]

The important thing and the ONLY important thing is that the flint be installed so that it strikes the frizzen at a 60(+ or -) degrees so that it scraaapes.... down the frizzen face. The best way (I've found) is to install it bevel up. If it can't assume that scraping angle with bevel up then bevel down is the next logical choice. Whatever you do, do not let the flint hit the frizzen face head on. This will gouge ragged grooves in the frizzen and ruin the flint.

 

[petew]

I have always put the bevel on the bottom side, because thats the way I was shown, but it doesn't seem to make sense. It wears down and needs a bit of service, If the bevel is on the top then as it chips and wears away from use it should be self knaping a new edge every time it strikes the frizzen.

 

[Larry Pletcher]

In my years of timing flintlock ignition I have run across locks that behave both ways. I usually time them bevel up and down. Some are decidely better bevel up, some bevel down, and some show no preference. Where the sparks land with respect to the bevel position, may be part of the answer. In a lock that shows a preference, the majority of the sparks may be landing in front of the pan with one bevel position, but landing in the pan with the bevel reversed.

Regards,
Pletch

 

[Grandpa Ron]

I like the flint to stop in the middle of the pan rather than at the front of the pan. This usually means bevel up.

That said one of my rifles has no issues with bevel down.

I think you get a longer scrap with bevel down but as pointed out you may be just skipping along the surface if the angle is wrong.

If the sparks are landing in the pan that is what counts.

I have never noticed any difference in longevity between bevel up and bevel down, some lock are
particular.

 

[M. De Land]

I would think the scrap pattern on the frizzen face would tell if the flint is skipping.
I have come to think, in my limited exposure to flint lock nuance, that the frizzen spring and how it is shaped in relation to the frizzen cam and stop is paramount to reliability and efficiency in the overall performance.
I had to make one and found the shape of the top lever of the spring in relation to the cam and stop on the frizzen dictated how the frizzen acted in relation to the cock swing. Does it kick open prematurely tending to make the sparks hit forward or did it kick open at the end of the cock stroke tending to focus the spark shower into the pan.
I am also beginning to wonder about the shape of the frizzen face itself. Should it be more concentric to the hammer swing arch than most seem to be. It must be some what out of concentric for it to completely open I would think but I wonder if it were more arched than most appear to be if it would not enhance spark and lesson flint edge stress. Just kicking around ideas. MD

 

[Larry Pletcher]

If you think slow motion would help check out these locks. There are all sizes, front and back views, and some up side down. Watch for different size priming too.

Slow Motion

Regards,
Pletch

 

[M. De Land]

Thanks Pletch, I watched them all and it looks like I need to get some pictures of my own lock and see what's happening.
Looked to me like the ones that hit the frizzen half way down the face and the cock put the flint nearly into the pan were the most efficient.
Notice the ones with the most consistent cock travel usually made the best shower of sparks. Some of them almost stopped the cock swing in the arch.
Also notice the frizzen rebound action and the best stayed fully clear while others rebounded back to bump the flint. That was what I was thinking about in my post about the strength and shape of the frizzen spring top lever.
Very interesting to watch.
Also it looked like the frizzens with the most arch did a better job of spark production and directing it into the pan. MD