Shaping a Fuller flint to fit.

[Pittsburghunter]

I bought 20 Fuller 3/4X7/8 flints for my T/C rifles and only 8-9 actually fit well enough to use. The problem is not in the length or width of the flints but where the "humps" are. Most are close to the center of the flint making it impossible to fit in the jaw correctly and mate up with frizzen at the correct point.

Now if I could somehow either grind down or chip off the hump they would fit fine but I have never read anywhere how to do this. Could one put them in a vice and try to knap off the hump a bit?

 

[Trapper]

Harbor freight sells diamond cutting blades for a Dremel grinder, I use them to nock off the humps on flints. Hope this helps. PS use a dust mast, flint is just like glass not very healthy to breath in.

 

[tg]

Grinding will work, you can often strike the hump with the flint laying on its side at the correct angle and knock a small flake of each side of the hump, it takes some practice and does not always work but is a doable method

 

[Len Graves]

several of the shooters I know havehad the problem of flints that are not shaped right to stay in the jaws of the cock. what I learned from them is to glue (epoxy, or JB weld) a piece of hard wood to the flint and shape the wood to be parallel to the bottom of the rock. I usually use my belt sander to trim off the excess wood. I know it's not period correct and it's ugly, but with rocks going for a buck or more it aint as ugly as I first thought. I somtimes use this same method to get a few more shots out of a short flint. I guess this shows some of my Scottish ancestry. Heard wire was invented by two scotts both pulling on a penny. Len

 

[arquebus]

I bought some Mizzy Wheels from a jewelry supplier to grind down the humps, at the recommendation from someone here on the forum, & they do a fine job.

 

[Many Klatch]

buy a cheap diamond chip sharpening stone. The diamond chips remove the flint well and should work on the humps on your flints, it just takes a little elbo grease.

Many Klatch

 

[Frank/Pa]

This is why I always go to Dixon's gunmakers fair.

I hand pick all my flints there and get enough to last at least a couple years.

 

[roundball]

Dremel Diamond Cutter (grinding) wheel is the real deal...goes through flint like its soft butter.

I've personally used both the Mizzy Wheels and now these Dremel Diamond cutting wheels...the diamond cutting wheels are so superior to Mizzy Wheels you'll never want to bother with a Mizzy wheel again...still have a few mizzy wheels left over from my first order as I only use these diamond cutters. I sit a fan on one end of the workbench so it blows the rock dust away from me.

Then, after making them "flat-tops", I use them for a 50 shot range session and sometimes half way through a second 50 shot range session before I put in a fresh one.
I save all the old ones, clean them off, grind a new tapered slope on them, and shoot another entire 50 shot range session just like I did this morning...so I have about 125 shots on this one Tom Fuller 3/4" x 7/8" flint already.

Find them at WidgetSupply.com...they are in the category of burrs & cutters, not 'grinders'.
http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/PROD/dremel-diamond-wheel-1/BDL34

 

[silverfox]

I got a diamond drum that fits a dremel tool. I think Roundball has one also. Its about 1/4 wide cutting area and will sharpen or reshape a flint in about 15 seconds. Make a flat on the hump or sharpen the edge even if hand held. But do like has been mentioned wear a mask or get good cross air flow you don't want to be getting the dust in your lungs.
It would only take about 5 minutes to fix that dozen flints and you might even fix some worn out ones too.
Thats it Roundball you beat me to it.

Fox :hatsoff:

 

[roundball]

Sorry about that :redface:

Its a good topic to keep coming up though...as the cost of Fuller BEFs is really going up, and one of these diamond cutting wheels will pay for itself just by reconditioning a couple of flints...everything after that is gravy.

I'd been cleaning & saving my used flints for a few years and finally reconditioned slopes on a dozen of them last weekend...today was actually the first time I tried a reconditioned one and it worked like it was brand new again for the whole 50 shot session...

 

[RC]

:haha: evidently they work well,,I looked...fully intended to get some.. then the dreaded""Item sold out. Please check back later.""' sounds like a good idea.. I'll keep checkin! :thumbsup: thanks!

 

[brubincam]

-----last year I got 100 for $60--can't beat that-----

 

[roundball]

:haha: evidently they work well,,I looked...fully intended to get some.. then the dreaded""Item sold out. Please check back later.""' sounds like a good idea.. I'll keep checkin! :thumbsup: thanks!

But SOMEBODY else must carry them...maybe you could find some through Google

 

[Pittsburghunter]

Thanks for all the hints guys that is a lot better than just ordering more flints. I think I can even get hooked up with one of those diamond wheels locally. I am pretty sure I already own some of the mizzy's for my dremel kit.

 

[Stony]

If you're going to use a Dremel you don't need a diamond wheel. Just use the standard BLUE grinding wheel that Dremel sells. You can pick it up at any Ace or True Value hardware store for a few bucks. I say BLUE because Dremel also sells a TAN grinding wheel and the BLUE ones work on flints like a hot knife works on butter. The BLUE ones are available in several different sizes and shapes. Get the one you like.

 

[RC]

:haha: evidently they work well,,I looked...fully intended to get some.. then the dreaded""Item sold out. Please check back later.""' sounds like a good idea.. I'll keep checkin! :thumbsup: thanks!

But SOMEBODY else must carry them...maybe you could find some through Google

I'm sure! (but google scares me!..big numbers! 10 of 249,137..) :haha: I'll find em... :hmm: thanks!

 

[Trapper]

RC, try Harbor Freight

 

[RC]

David, Trapper, thank's I'll try both!.. (an goggle thanks ya too! :haha: )

 

[Hamourkiller]

I use a large carborundom stone and water, just lay the stone on the table and flatten the hump. Water keeps the dust down. Only takes a few seconds per flint.

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

Those diamond grinding drums to fit Dremel tools work excellent. If you've found when following the URL listed in this discussion string that the item has sold out, I recommend the you go to Widget Supply's home page instead of trying to find the specific stock number and search through their tool section. You'll be able to find something in stock.

I've tried the diamond grinding drums and they'll resharpen a flint in a hurry without any knapping skills. They'll also knock off those high spots on flints that prevent flints from seating well in the jaws.

Couple use of the diamond grinding drum with use of JB Weld to add to the length of old resharpened flints and you can extend usable flint life by a long time.