Pressure Flaking Flint Edge

[Old Timer 48]

M.D., great video & explanation. Thank You!

 

[M. De Land]

Gouging is pretty normal from what I can see but I think the serrated edge will help mitigate it as more surface area is hitting the frizzen face at impact and the cutting edge is not level but zig zag in shape setting up a broken line of metal shear rather then a straight,level one.
Also being able to raise or lower the edge allows one to use the full thickness of the flint to create varied frizzen impact points where as flipping a regular flint only give you two impact points.

 

[ZUG]

Good info and very well presented - easy to understand -- well done and will help anyone wanting to know the difference between the two methods and how to go about doing it -- great job M.D.

 

[nhmoose]

Thank You!!!!!! MD :hatsoff:

 

[Maven]

Well done, M.D.! :bow:

 

[M. De Land]

No, never had any trouble knocking my bald head on door frames, that's for sure.
5'-6" and the all so important 3/8s inch tall! :rotf:
My Brother was 6-0 and had a full head of hair, go figure! I have had the best health so far in the whole family.
I thank my good Lord every day for just the way he decided to form this lump of clay!

 

[M. De Land]

No, that's fine to share any info that will help folks up the trail!
Perhaps the exposure will get TOTW into selling pressure flakers for more products they can make money on.
They could sell pressure flaker/hammer sets to cover every method.
I still trim up their flints after grinding the humps off to use up the ones I bought.
I do prefer the thin ones made of the heat treated chert, I make though.Mike

 

[fleener]

MD

Of coarse in my efforts not to be a horder, a few months ago I got rid of the solid copper wire that was left over from when I ran juice to my shop. Only had it in the attic of the shop for 12 years.

Ended up taking some 3/16" brass rod and putting some osage orange handles on them. Made 3 of them while I was at it.

I had a piece of flint that was not sparking well, in a few seconds it was ready to go. Put it in the jaws and it sparks like a son of gun.

So, you mentioned grinding off the hump on the flint. I have some flints I have purchased that IMO seem to have too big of a hump. Almost to the point of it makes it hard to keep them in the jaws. So, how do you grind them off? Just using a bench grinder?

Thanks for the help.

Fleener

 

[hanshi]

Thank you for sharing that method with us. That is one of the best how-to videos I've ever watched. You did a masterful job, MD. I believe I can probably do that technique now that you've shown the correct method. I'll be looking for a good piece of brass or mild steel; already have plenty of deer antler. :hatsoff:

I'll also be working on a "flint stretcher" to address the problem of flints getting too short with use. :rotf:

 

[M. De Land]

Yeah, you need a green wheel for grinding carbide.
I hold on to them with special rubber coated Kevelar glass handling gloves I use for my day job of Glazing.
Short grind touches to the wheel top until they get to hot to hold onto,will flatten the hump out in a couple of hits and then put the angle on the edge lead in.
I use mine at medium speed and the wheel has an 8 inch diameter.
You can get them at Granger!
Once they are to this point you can get right after the edge with your pressure flaker.

 

[M. De Land]

Boy oh Boy, could I ever use a flint stretcher!
Mine just keep going the other way!

 

[M. De Land]

A deer antler tine sharpened a bit is a very good pressure flaker,just needs to be sharpened more often than copper wire.
That is all American Indians ever used for pressure flaking.

 

[Rick Boylan]

This is the tool I have for pressure flaking a flint. I bought it from a seller on eBay. Came with extra brass rods to use.

 

[wulf]

I too use a green wheel to sharpen my carbide cutters
and flints,however, I have no difficulty holding
them. I made a tin cup with a small tube exended
down to just above the green wheel that drips water
on the turning wheel. That keeps the dust way down
and the part cool. I do this bare handed. Works for me. Your welcome.
Wulf

 

[LongrifleDoc]

Excellent demonstration. Thank you.

 

[Ames]

Added to my bag o' tricks. Thanks for the video.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I saw your video and made me a flaker. I was surprised how well it worked.

 

[nit wit]

Well done! :bow:
Nit Wit