Source for Blond French flints??

[Hawkeye_Joe]

Does anyone have a good source for blond French Flints?.. I'd really like to pick up a dozen or more good ones.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Dixie Gun Works has them, but they aren't cheap. Like 4X English flints.

 

[kentucky bucky]

You had better run it by your woman before you look for anything that is French and blond! :haha:

 

[bdarin]

Don't know about the flints, but if'n yore anywhere near Canada, I know where you can get some blond French women cheap. Did I say that? :haha: :redface: :blah:

 

[2172]

some frenchman wrote to our club, twice, including a dozen flints (different sizes) as samples..I passed 'em out to the members and wrote back that we didn't buy anything French if we could help it....with "friends" like those guys, who needs enemies? Hank

 

[Stumpkiller]

with "friends" like those guys, who needs enemies?

Cut 'em some slack. Without them we'd all be singing "God Save the Queen" and playing cricket. They've just been in a downslide for the past 180 years. They'll pull out of it sometime.

 

[kentucky bucky]

We paid them back double. The way I see it is they OWE us now.

:curse:

 

[Musketeer]

Man, back in school I had a blond French teacher. Does this count? I firmly believe that she coulda set off a flintlock just by holdin' her finger to the vent! Ahhhh, such sweet memories...... :master: :master: :master: :m2c:
Actually, we should be ashamed of ourselves for not answering the original poster's question. The only thing I know about French blond or "amber" flints is that they were used by the French military back in the day, and were considered to be superior (by the French of course, so what else is new?) to the English flints of the time. I believe that their exact properties (how they were cut, etc.) were actually a closely-guarded secret. As to where to find them today? Not a clue....sorry. :shocking: :boohoo: :thumbsup:

 

[Musketeer]

This subject has been weighing on my mind ever since I first read the original post. Stumpy, I agree with you. The French gave us a tremendous amount of help back during the Revolution, and we in turn saved them from Hitler. As far as who "owes" who, that's not going to be settled in this forum. Neither is our current less-than-friendly relationship with France. All we can do here is share ideas and info about all aspects of blackpowder. For my part, I extend a warm welcome to ALL of our blackpowder brethren, wherever they are from.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Actually, we should be ashamed of ourselves for not answering the original poster's question.

That happens a lot around here. I get a little tired of it myself. :nono:

Here's another source: October Country

 

[roundball]

Are there any forum members who have actually used the amber flints?

Can someone speak from first hand experience and "quantify" the differences between black english flints and amber french flints?

By 'quantify' I mean provide meaningful statistical comparisons like:

ie: number of shots per flint, volume of sparks, cost, etc.

For example my average flint life is 40-60 shots with a 3/4" Tom Fuller black english flint that has a good flat top and thin profile...less if the flint is thick with a high hump back ridge.

They spark very well giving fast ignition to priming powder;

They cost about .75cents each buying bulk.
=======================================================

How do french blonde / amber flints compare with things like that?

 

[Stumpkiller]

The few French flints I've used give similar life to the English flints. I find no noticable improvement in sparking, either. I kept mine mostly for display - as they give a lock a unique look. They're also more "authentic" for a 1776 through 1820 or so flintlock (when British flints would have been available only via capture).

 

[2172]

Any help we got from the French in the Revolution was because they saw it as harming their traditional enemy, not from any great love of us or Liberty...and, at the treaty of Paris, they tried to screw us in the final settlement, as they'd feel more comfortable with a weak U.S....probably saw it as a chance to eventually take us over....whatever debt we owed them we paid the day that Cornwallis surrendered, tearing the 13 colonies, the 'jewel' of the Brit empire, from that empire...Hank

 

[Claude Mathis]

Any help we got from the French in the Revolution was because they saw it as harming their traditional enemy, not from any great love of us or Liberty...

I don't want to see this thread go from "flints" to "politics", but all nations make treaties for their own benefit and no other reason. It would be foolish to do otherwise.

 

[Musketeer]

Back to the subject of blond French flints (finally), I ran across a site this morning called Wild Billy's Trade Blanket. This guy offers these elusive amber flints for $4 apiece. Seems like wherever you get these, thay aren't going to come cheap! Go to http://members.tripod.com/~wildbilly1760/index-2.html/ and have a look. :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

Being more period specific to mate up with a particular ML would make sense...
Otherwise, if they're functionally equivalent to and 5X the cost of a BEF, 'nuff said for me ::

 

[robinghewitt]

Black English flints on a path where people go to empty their dogs, turn amber. It's only skin deep, it may sound unlikely, but it's true :shocking:

You could make your own, Dog willing ::

 

[Musketeer]

Ah, Squire Robin! Now you're just being dogmatic! :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :shocking: :thumbsup:

 

[robinghewitt]

Hi Musketeer

This morning I was sitting down a big hole in a Surrey wood trying to hold back a bunch of guys with ML shotguns. I only had a clay trap to shoot back with.

I saw this and thought of you ::

best regards, Squire Robin GHH