Slow ignition Touch-hole size?

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Yessir,

I was told that there was this massive ritual that was needed to reliably shoot a flint lock,(something like seven steps) so I began following the ritual, in the 8 years since I started shooting mine I have whittled it down to one step to guarantee reliable fast flint ignition,

pick the vent every time before I prime

:idunno:

 

[LRB]

I get hang fires when I pick before priming. I will sometimes pick before loading if I detect any obstruction when I blow down the barrel.

 

[Ken Cormier]

I only pick when Ihave a flash in the pan on a 30 year old Tulle just my .02$

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

I would have to venture a guess and say that it is dependant on the environment that we shoot in, I'm on the High Desert where it is mostly dry as far as humidity is concerned.

I do know that if I don't pick the vent regularly the ignition problems begin to show up in the form of hang fires and flash in the pan.

 

[LRB]

On those rare days we have low humidity here in FL, I do get some crusting of the fouling, but usually it is just muddy, and sometimes quite wet.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

On those rare days we have low humidity here in FL, I do get some crusting of the fouling, but usually it is just muddy, and sometimes quite wet.

Here where I shoot in Oregon it is only ever crusty, unless I get caught out in the rain.

This just proves that there are different things that work for different areas, this is definitely not a one size fits all kind of game and those few narrow individuals who refuse to acknowledge anothers experiences and try to make it that way just take away from the experience as a whole.

 

[hanshi]

I admit to using a vent pick only when I get a FITP; rarely any other time. All vent liners get drilled out to 1/16" and no larger. Very reliable, too.

 

[M. De Land]

I load with a full diameter soft wire pick in the flash hole, pull and prime the pan. When the pan goes so does the main charge.
I suspect what happens when picking to clear a flash hole after loading the main charge is that the fouling from the hole is pushed into the main charge and partially block/covers up the fresh powder at withdrawal. Mike D.