Quality of flints from Dixie Gun Works

[Paul Nelson]

Don’t understand anyone who would purchase their flints sight unseen. At any Rhondy there will be traders that have flints you can look through. I’ll normally look through 75/100 to pick the ones that I purchase.
Doc,

I don’t have any one locally to buy flints from, so I have to rely on the internet. Found some English and French flints (so they claim). They did posted pictures that represented pretty well of what I received.

 

[Flintlock]

Don’t understand anyone who would purchase their flints sight unseen. At any Rhondy there will be traders that have flints you can look through. I’ll normally look through 75/100 to pick the ones that I purchase.
Doc,

In many areas traders and rondy's are far and few between, ordering them is the only way to get them so we have to often take a risk.

 

[Doc]

In many areas traders and rondy's are far and few between, ordering them is the only way to get them so we have to often take a risk.

Unfortunate, but if you have to then then that’s what you do
Doc,

 

[troy2000]

Don’t understand anyone who would purchase their flints sight unseen. At any Rhondy there will be traders that have flints you can look through. I’ll normally look through 75/100 to pick the ones that I purchase.
Doc,

I don't live or work near any Rhondies; I depend on the kindness of strangers. Would appreciate any recommendations regarding reliable online flint vendors...

 

[Britsmoothy]

Now I aint read every post but what I would like to know is how is a flint rated for quality?
Let me expand please.
All the flints I bought are , well, not very good really. From different sources, sizes and colour they don't spark as well as my pieces of smashed irregular shaped pieces off a node I found! Nor last as long!

Is using the term quality not just sales pitch? I mean does the vendor inspect every one? Test every fifth one maybe? Do they have a non-quality range of flint?
Get where I'm coming from

 

[oncewas]

This was my first time buying flint. I bought them from Dixie because TotW was out. Now I only paid $1.86 each but I'm not impressed. Here is what I got. Is about what I should expect?

 

[Doc]

This was my first time buying flint. I bought them from Dixie because TotW was out. Now I only paid $1.86 each but I'm not impressed. Here is what I got. Is about what I should expect?

Seeing what you got on-line, I’m happy I pick out my own from a trader.
They are possibly useable but certainly not good.
Doc,

 

[jdw276]

This was my first time buying flint. I bought them from Dixie because TotW was out. Now I only paid $1.86 each but I'm not impressed. Here is what I got. Is about what I should expect?

All usable to me. That is the key i believe. Usable. Do not like hand knapped? Go with the cut ones if it makes you feel better and how they look is important.

 

[Flintlock]

They look fairly good to me, the alternitive is to knap your own. I think Chambers and some other rifle builders also sell flints but do to corruption everything is out of stock. Keep searching, but these should get you by for awhile.

 

[French Colonial]

I could make all of those work except maybe the one on the lower left, it might be tough to get it situated with the high spot in the middle. The rest look okay to me.

 

[Steel Guitar]

I've order a lot of stuff from Dixie and only sometimes did they get it wrong, BUT, they will make it right and the tech man Mr. Jamie knows his stuff !!

 

[oncewas]

Okay thanks everyone. I ordered six flints with my SMR from Kibler but figured I'd need more. These were the best price I could find since Track of the Wolf was out. But maybe next time I'll spend a little more. Where else do people buy flints from?

 

[Eric Bye]

My favorite flints are the French blondes. They are available from Heritage Products (314-741-7592; www.heritage-products.com). Prices are $24-27 a dozen (plus $9 postage or more). These are not the least expensive flints on the market, but the quality is excellent.

 

[Griz44Mag]

This was my first time buying flint. I bought them from Dixie because TotW was out. Now I only paid $1.86 each but I'm not impressed. Here is what I got. Is about what I should expect?

Are these the American flints?

 

[oncewas]

Are these the American flints?

Well the Dixie's website said they were English Flints, so I assume they were.

 

[Doc]

All usable to me. That is the key i believe. Usable. Do not like hand knapped? Go with the cut ones if it makes you feel better and how they look is important.

With those high uneven ridges ? I see movement on those flints in your jaws. The high uneven ridges is something most of us would not accept.
As for cut ones tried them but they didn’t last long enough.
Doc,

 

[jdw276]

With those high uneven ridges ? I see movement on those flints in your jaws. The high uneven ridges is something most of us would not accept.
As for cut ones tried them but they didn’t last long enough.
Doc,

Never had a problem using them with high ridges. Sure it is easier without em but those ladies who sit in the back room in tennessee have got real tired hands these days from knapping and covid. Does it really matter how long the cut flints last when they look so much prettier than the hummpy ones? We got no lead mines in this country, we got no black powder plants in this country and we are worried about imported humpy flints. Get a diamond file an file em off. Got a lot more time now since we will not be shooting as much. I think there are bigger issues in this world than humpy flints that can easily be fixed if so desired.

Maybe i should add that the humps do not bother me or slip in my guns because my locks are all on the left side of the gun. You all that put the locks on that other unmentionable side might try them on the other side. They seem to work pretty well on the otherside for me.

 

[Doc]

Never had a problem using them with high ridges. Sure it is easier without em but those ladies who sit in the back room in tennessee have got real tired hands these days from knapping and covid. Does it really matter how long the cut flints last when they look so much prettier than the hummpy ones? We got no lead mines in this country, we got no black powder plants in this country and we are worried about imported humpy flints. Get a diamond file an file em off. Got a lot more time now since we will not be shooting as much. I think there are bigger issues in this world than humpy flints that can easily be fixed if so desired.

Maybe i should add that the humps do not bother me or slip in my guns because my locks are all on the left side of the gun. You all that put the locks on that other unmentionable side might try them on the other side. They seem to work pretty well on the otherside for me.

It’s good to talk with a fellow lefty that truly knows where the lock belongs. Tomorrow a few us club members are going out to shoot a round of sporting clays (50 shots) . With a good flint I can chip a bit and finish with it. Haven’t been able to do that with the cut ones even with filing. With an uneven hump I have had trouble with movement using both leather or lead on my flinter and tradegun. So I prefer not to use them. If you can get them to work my hat’s off to you.
Doc,