Storing flints in water keeps 'em fresh.
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Not really sure, but once seen where a friend had all his stored in a Jar full of Water.I thought it was starange cause I couldn't ever (in my mind) see a flint drying out.I don't think they can absorbe water either.I can't see it hurting anything either.I guess it's whatever floats your Boat. :v
I've heard this before too...flint is a non-porus piece of stone...I don't know how they could absorb water.
Just had one of my 3/4" black english flints go through two 50 shot ranges sessions and it was still going strong when I tossed it into my used flint jar...my guess is it hasn't felt water for some number of millions of years (not sure about the EXACT number you understand).
Personally, I think this hobby of grand old muzzleloading...as terrific as it is...has a lot of old wives tales associated with it...or at least a lot of old sayings that seem to defy logic... :grin:
Just had one of my 3/4" black english flints go through two 50 shot ranges sessions and it was still going strong when I tossed it into my used flint jar...my guess is it hasn't felt water for some number of millions of years (not sure about the EXACT number you understand).
Personally, I think this hobby of grand old muzzleloading...as terrific as it is...has a lot of old wives tales associated with it...or at least a lot of old sayings that seem to defy logic... :grin:
tom hargrove
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mabey storeing them in water slows there movement preventing chipping of the edge 
New one on me, just looked at my supply of Tom Fullers, don't see a "best if used before" date, or even a born on date on any of them :rotf: Seriously, if there is anyting to this I would have to agree with the previous post, it is simply a way of maybe preventing dulling the edges if several are carried together. Me, I carry extra flints in a small container packed with sawdust, does just fine, don't have to dry the out to use them either!
CrackStock
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I have heard this tale along with the one that advises to store them in oil many times. I put so much faith in them that I store all of my flints in nothing but air.
I figure that if they did not dry out over the many centuries in the ground, that they will not dry out in my lifetime.
CS
I figure that if they did not dry out over the many centuries in the ground, that they will not dry out in my lifetime.
CS
The Indians put them in springs so they wouldn't freeze in the cold weather and the springs were landmarks. Me and my buddy fould them in a spring close by The Great Trail that runs within half mile of our houses. They had blanks that could be made in a arrowhead with very little work, plus arrowheads.I don't know if it helps them to just store them to use like we do? Dilly
paulvallandigham
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Have you considered that any flint that might have been left in a spring was put under water so it was not easily found by strangers?
If flints are stored in dirt, they sould be dirty than ones not in dirt! If they are stored in salt water, they will be salter than ones not stored in same! Thierfore, ones stored in FRESH water would have to be FRESHER than ones not stored thus! Not bad for a non goverment person :hmm: . Happy 4th.
OK... at the risk of being the lone dissenter and putting a target on my back in this post...
First, with apologies to Halftail and Roundball, both of whom I have a great deal of respect for, flint is porus in a sense - the crystal lattice can, and does, take water into the open space.
Second, the properties of flint can be altered, through either heat treatment or waterlogging; for a brief, non-technical discussion check out
[url] http://www.geocities.com/undyrm/treatment.html[/url]
Freshly dug flint does tend to have a higher amount of water in the lattice due to being isolated from the atmosphere to some extent; the covering material provides a more stable environment. Upon exposure to air the flint begins to lose water until it reaches equilibrium with the air. Some flint knappers I've met prefer freshly unearthed material to work with, or keep the flint stored in water for a while until ready to work with it.
The real question is: does this effect us to any appreciable extent in firing flintlocks? Are these treatments worth the time and trouble? I began storing some of my flints underwater about 20 years ago after hearing about this, just to see how they compared to flints stored in the dry. Over a couple of years I noticed that the "wet" flints generally lasted longer than the "dry" flints, and suffered fewer major failures (such as shattering). I didn't notice any real difference in the sparking. Now I store all of my flints in a plastic, water-filled jar, and order ahead so that all new flints have at least 3 months in the water (different jar) before I use them. No, this was not a rigidly controlled scientific test, but I noticed enough difference to go ahead and store all my flints in water (gotta store them somewhere anyway; this way they all stay together and don't migrate to random corners of the house.) I've had some anecdotal, third party reinforcement for this policy when friends to whom I loaned flints (OK, you don't really "loan" a flint, you give it away...) ask me where I was getting the high quality flints from... Tom Fuller flints, just like they were using.
Is it worth the trouble to store them in water? I decided that it was for me; others may have different experiences. If you're not sure, try it and find out one way or the other... at worst you'll have few wet flints with no change (they don't go bad in the water!); maybe you'll have some change that isn't worth the trouble; at best you'll have a new trick for your rockcrusher.
Best regards,
m
First, with apologies to Halftail and Roundball, both of whom I have a great deal of respect for, flint is porus in a sense - the crystal lattice can, and does, take water into the open space.
Second, the properties of flint can be altered, through either heat treatment or waterlogging; for a brief, non-technical discussion check out
[url] http://www.geocities.com/undyrm/treatment.html[/url]
Freshly dug flint does tend to have a higher amount of water in the lattice due to being isolated from the atmosphere to some extent; the covering material provides a more stable environment. Upon exposure to air the flint begins to lose water until it reaches equilibrium with the air. Some flint knappers I've met prefer freshly unearthed material to work with, or keep the flint stored in water for a while until ready to work with it.
The real question is: does this effect us to any appreciable extent in firing flintlocks? Are these treatments worth the time and trouble? I began storing some of my flints underwater about 20 years ago after hearing about this, just to see how they compared to flints stored in the dry. Over a couple of years I noticed that the "wet" flints generally lasted longer than the "dry" flints, and suffered fewer major failures (such as shattering). I didn't notice any real difference in the sparking. Now I store all of my flints in a plastic, water-filled jar, and order ahead so that all new flints have at least 3 months in the water (different jar) before I use them. No, this was not a rigidly controlled scientific test, but I noticed enough difference to go ahead and store all my flints in water (gotta store them somewhere anyway; this way they all stay together and don't migrate to random corners of the house.) I've had some anecdotal, third party reinforcement for this policy when friends to whom I loaned flints (OK, you don't really "loan" a flint, you give it away...) ask me where I was getting the high quality flints from... Tom Fuller flints, just like they were using.
Is it worth the trouble to store them in water? I decided that it was for me; others may have different experiences. If you're not sure, try it and find out one way or the other... at worst you'll have few wet flints with no change (they don't go bad in the water!); maybe you'll have some change that isn't worth the trouble; at best you'll have a new trick for your rockcrusher.
Best regards,
m
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fallaloosa
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Now this is one I've never heard of, I've been storing flints in the open air and in bags for yers and haven't had any trouble with them. not trying to sound like a smarta-- but where did you hear this advice, I'm just curious.
I first heard it back in the 80's from some guys in the local BP club who were also into flint-knapping - they had picked up the idea about water-treating flint from some class on flint-knapping they had been to.
I really don't think there is any problem with gun flints stored in the air in the first place - they're the norm, and they work fine. It's just another one of those bits of arcana that goes with BP shooting... you know, the "... this works, but can I find a way to make it a little bit better?..." path that leads to all sorts of experiments and endless discussions on cleaners, lubes, etc. Some of the ideas are hard to test, but others can be checked (and keep some of us occupied and safely away from doing anything that might actually be productive!) :grin:
m
I really don't think there is any problem with gun flints stored in the air in the first place - they're the norm, and they work fine. It's just another one of those bits of arcana that goes with BP shooting... you know, the "... this works, but can I find a way to make it a little bit better?..." path that leads to all sorts of experiments and endless discussions on cleaners, lubes, etc. Some of the ideas are hard to test, but others can be checked (and keep some of us occupied and safely away from doing anything that might actually be productive!) :grin:
m
A lot of good thoughts floating around , I'll offer some more. As a flint knapper , keeping your material wet does help the the ability to to fracture it. Most of the hunters here understand hydrostatic shock, right? A shock wave transmits better through a liquid medium. Keeping your material wet allows the shock ( which is what causes flint to fracture ) to travel farther and with less effort. The indians did keep their stone buried , said it kept the sap in it!
Now for us rock lock shooters , heres a thought, if wet stone fractures better why would we want that. Would'nt we want stone that is air dry so it would be more durable. Just some more things to make you go Hmmmmmmmm .
Now for us rock lock shooters , heres a thought, if wet stone fractures better why would we want that. Would'nt we want stone that is air dry so it would be more durable. Just some more things to make you go Hmmmmmmmm .
flashpanner
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I store mine in the "crisper" of my refridgerator. It keeps everything fresher!! :rotf:
Don't worry anout having a different view from mine...I'm not geologist, scientist, etc...my view of porosity is on the basis of comparing a stone to a sponge. :grin:...and I also believe everyone should do whatever they feel is in their best interests for this great hobby.
For me personally...personally...I think the notion of storing my Tom Fuller black english flints in a medium such as water, oil, etc, has zero practical, measureable benefit to shooting my Flintlocks, and therefore not an activity I would ever waste my time with...have hundreds of BEFs stacked up in zip loc bags and their performance is just outstanding.
Other mileage may vary of course :wink:
For me personally...personally...I think the notion of storing my Tom Fuller black english flints in a medium such as water, oil, etc, has zero practical, measureable benefit to shooting my Flintlocks, and therefore not an activity I would ever waste my time with...have hundreds of BEFs stacked up in zip loc bags and their performance is just outstanding.
Other mileage may vary of course :wink:
I’m working on the Chesapeake Bay for a couple of weeks. After reading this I took a moment to mosey over to a colonial wharf and pick up a knob of flint from period ballast waste. It was green and slimy on the outside and when I cracked it open with the edge of my patchie it was dry and shiny inside. No surprise there. A smack or two later with my trowel produced a lovely spark. I have a couple of ancient plow-zone pick up knapped musket flints in a type box and they sparked the same way. They have been in controlled storage for a decade.
