really weird (sorta) flints

[David W.]

There is just too much in your post to reply to in brevity. But, please not the title of topic, it includes words like "weird" and "sorta". It was posted as a matter of general interest, no endorsement. As far as agate is concerned. It may be a form of flint, I don't know. I have a hunk given to me by a famous knapper that I use for firestarting. We have already gone over the sawn gunflints. They are period correct for times long behind us.

All i have to say is that new ideas popped up all the time, whether worthy or failed attempt. If not for that, we would forever stand still.

......depleted Uranium frizzen soles?:rotf: :shake: :youcrazy:

 

All i have to say is that new ideas popped up all the time, whether worthy or failed attempt. If not for that, we would forever stand still.

......depleted Uranium frizzen soles?:rotf: :shake: :youcrazy:

Yes, and reenacting and shooting Flintlocks IS about standing still. Standing still in history, not trying to improve or modernize every aspect of it. Some people drop a V-8 in a Model-T and say they are into "Antique Cars". What they are into is "Hot Rods" - not antiques. (there's a point here somewhere) :haha:

 

[Tumblernotch]

I was just wondering. They make tool bits and cutters for lathes and milling machines out of ceramics nowadays and it does a grand job of cutting steel.

I know nothing about machining. But Google tells me a steel file is 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. Ceramic and flint are 7.0. Most steels that would be worked in a shop would be softer than a file so yer old flints would work as cutters.

I suppose that if they could be held in a tool holder they may work for a while, but would most likely fly to pieces. Too many imperfections in it. Ceramic bits are made differently (I don't know all the details) and are much more consistent and dense from what I've seen. I'll need to look up some specs. They're tougher than carbide from all accounts. I've never bought any because I have cans full of carbide tools and they're tough enough to cut about anything I turn. :grin:

 

[Zonie]

I am not familiar with ceramic drill bits but unless they have come up with some newer types of ceramic cutting tools they all share the same weakness. They work very poorly with interrupted cuts.
As long as they are making a full continuous cut they work fine but if for instance they are cutting a series of bosses with air spaces between them they will shatter.

This brings up the question, does hitting a frizzen at a high rate of speed tend to break a ceramic "flint"?

The edge on the ones I've tried do seem to rapidly break down but that was some years ago.

 

[Tumblernotch]

The only ceramic tool bits I'm familiar with (meaning I've read about them in tool catalogues) are lathe tools which do work in continuous cuts. I would think that they may shatter or otherwise break down pretty fast if used in a striking motion. I do know that they are favored for cutting very hard steels as they can take the heat better than carbide or tool steels. :hmm:

 

[Lonegun1894]

I for one like the way TG thinks. :hatsoff:

As far as the toughness of ceramics nowadays, i dont know what to think. I do know that they were starting to issue ceramic body armor to some units about the time i was finishing up my enlistment in 05, so somebody thinks highly of it. I know it had to be better than the flak jackets we were issued that were left behind because none of us had any faith in them anyway and the weight didnt seem worth in in relation to the extra weight. I have been told that the new ceramic armor is supposed to be a huge improvement, but never go tto see it in action so consider that hearsay. But, seeing as that was off topic, i will try to bring it back by saying that if it will stop a bullet, it should be good enough to give sparks off a frizzen. As far as how long it would last with the repeated strikes against that same frizzen, I have no idea.

 

[paulvallandigham]

There are all kinds of Ceramic products. The kind of ceramic used for body armor differs from the ceramic tiles on the Space Shuttles, and they both differ from the ceramic used to make " flints".

 

[hanshi]

Depleted uranium!? Well bless my sole. :haha:

 

[BigDeutscher]

My Momma says your special

 

[Blackpowdersmoke]

The two (sorta) flints shown were sent to me years ago by a fellow in Pennsylvania. He wanted me to test and write product reviews on them for Muzzle Blasts and other magazines. Unfortunately, before I got to the project he shut down operations. The one on the right in the pic was designed something like a Zippo lighter. A piece of leather was glued to the frizzen face and this gizzmo-flint was put in the jaws of the hammer. On 'striking' the wheel would turn and produce sparks. The white 'flint' on the left is really manufactured ceramic. I really intend to try it one day. I believe it may actually be a good sparker. Mainly I keep them as curiosities and will stay with regular flints, sawn and knapped.
BTW, the reason he quit operations was that he could not get state game and fish commissions to approve his 'zippo' flint for hunting. And, of course, it would be prohibited under NMLRA rules. So it has little to no practical application.

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The man's name is Tom Kyper. I had a lengthy phone conversation with him back when he was going through his fight with the Pa. Game Commission over his flints because they were not "traditional" and were not considered legal in the late ML (flintlock only) season here in Pennsylvania. Seems kinda odd that just a few years prior to that, they passed legislation allowing fiber optic sights and conical bullets (can anyone here say "POWERBELT"). One of his main arguments to them was that wheelocks used the same concept long before the flintlock and that their law basically stated "locks using flint and steel" with no exact definition. It all boils down to money. If you have enough to fight you may stand a chance, if not, you all know how that goes....BPS

 

[Rifleman1776]

Right. I just hesitated to use his name without permission.
In the history of firearms almost everying conceivable and inconcievable has been tried. Calling these a mini-wheellock is an interesting twist.
Personally, I'm not opposed, philisophically, or any other way, to the use of the ceramics for flintlocks. But his zippos are kinda far out for my tastes.

 

[Blackpowdersmoke]

Right. I just hesitated to use his name without permission.
In the history of firearms almost everying conceivable and inconcievable has been tried. Calling these a mini-wheellock is an interesting twist.
Personally, I'm not opposed, philisophically, or any other way, to the use of the ceramics for flintlocks. But his zippos are kinda far out for my tastes.

I didn't really think about that when I put in his name but Tom's a really nice guy so I doubt he would have a problem with it. It's just a shame that he had to "fight City Hall" so to speak. I'm with you, I don't have a problem with anyone using something out of the norm, but it's not for me. I did purchase one of his "zippo" style flints for a neighbor that had an old flintlock long rifle made by Miroku (Japan) that just would not throw a good spark. It worked fine, but the gun had horrible accuracy anyway so he got rid of it. I also have one of the ceramic flints he sent me to try and I too was concerned that it may be too hard on a frizzen so I don't use it....BPS