Synthetic Flints

[bls4321]

A few years ago I purchased a synthetis flint at a gun show for about $8.00. It looked for all the world like a cut flint but was actually a man made material. I have had nothing but fantastic results with this flint. Easily I have put 200 loads thru my Pennsylvania rifle with fantastic results. I flipped it over after about 150 shots, but that was just because I was entering a match and just wanted to be sure. I have not been able to find these flints since. Does anyone have any leads for me?
Brian

 

[mckutzy]

what does it look like, is it a metal or like a ceramic type of stuff?

 

[bls4321]

It even looks like a flint. Light grey, almost translucent.

It will also knap like a flint.

 

[Fishhog]

A few years ago I purchased a synthetis flint at a gun show for about $8.00. It looked for all the world like a cut flint but was actually a man made material. I have had nothing but fantastic results with this flint. Easily I have put 200 loads thru my Pennsylvania rifle with fantastic results. I flipped it over after about 150 shots, but that was just because I was entering a match and just wanted to be sure. I have not been able to find these flints since. Does anyone have any leads for me?
Brian

Sounds like Dura- flints,sent my 20 bucks 3 years back for 4 of them and never heard a word from anyone..Heard they worked good worked a frizzen over pretty hard though..Think I read somewhere a year ago the maker of them died..Ray

 

[juancho]

I know exactly what you are talking about.I do not think they are man made, but rather cut and/or polished from natural materials.
I buoght 4 of them from TC and had no luck with 2 of them.One was just as good as the real thing, and one has outlasted any other flint I ever had.
They all knap pretty easy,but the bad ones break in an unpredictable way.THe best one just chips in so minuscule fragments that can be resharpened almost indefinitly.Can you post pictures of it?
I know nothing about minerals, but chances are that someone in the forum can recognize what it is.

 

[Leonredbeard]

Fishhog,
are you saying that you never got your flints?
volatpluvia

 

[Fishhog]

Never got them,tried e-mails a few went through no reply had his phone number left a message,no call back....If I'm not mistaken my check never was cashed though,its been awhile.. .Ray

 

[Ohio Rusty]

They are DuraFlints. I bought two of them about five years ago at Friendship for the wifes rifle. They are still sharp and sparking well. I only use real flint but these duraflints are really good manmade flints.
Ohio Rusty >

 

[Grantman]

What Rusty says is correct. I've been using one for about two years now. They look like a cut agate flint, but are much harder. If you have a soft frizzen they will eat it up.

 

[LRB]

Dura flints were not made to be knapped. You sharpen them on a diamond stone.

 

[juancho]

You are probably rite, but when I put one to my diamond wheel,it cracked in half.
Had better results grinding english flint than with those ones.
In any case I always knap my flints sharp,not to be PC or anything, is just easier and faster for me.
I want to try one of those diamond files one day.