Thoughts on my Frizzen?

[Fieldgradevt]

Hi everyone,
I’m hoping for some expert advice. As a lefty flintlocks are awfully hard to find. I recently acquired a lefty DGW Tennessee rifle which I’ve fallen head over heels for. I’m worried about the wear on the Frizzen. Since replacement parts are effectively non-existent I thought I’d ask for some advice. What can I do to prolong the life of the Frizzen and or are there any locks that can be used to replace it should it finally wear out?

 

[waarp8nt]

I've had good luck getting parts from DGW for their products, admittedly right handed. Have you tried them?

You may be able to laminate a thin piece of the appropriate hardness steel to the original frizzen.

 

[rp77469]

Rivit on a piece of depleted uranium. This was a popular fix in the 60's and 70's. The shower of sparks would scare the bejeezus out of us.

 

[morehops52]

I've read here before about adding a piece of steel to the face. You might try a search to find older threads.

 

[SDSmlf]

Rivit on a piece of depleted uranium. This was a popular fix in the 60's and 70's. The shower of sparks would scare the bejeezus out of us.

How long have you been using depleted uranium frizzens?
https://www.nmlra.org/news/uraniumfrizzen-bevelbros

 

[SDSmlf]

Hi everyone,
I’m hoping for some expert advice. As a lefty flintlocks are awfully hard to find. I recently acquired a lefty DGW Tennessee rifle which I’ve fallen head over heels for. I’m worried about the wear on the Frizzen. Since replacement parts are effectively non-existent I thought I’d ask for some advice. What can I do to prolong the life of the Frizzen and or are there any locks that can be used to replace it should it finally wear out?View attachment 290580View attachment 290581

How does this frizzen spark?

 

[French Colonial]

SDSmlf has this exactly right............. first question

Does it spark well?

No, get it resoled or rehardened

Yes, keep shooting and quit worrying

 

[Fieldgradevt]

SDSmlf has this exactly right............. first question

Does it spark well?

No, get it resoled or rehardened

Yes, keep shooting and quit worrying

That was essentially my thoughts, just wanted some insight. Thank you sir!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Obviously has been used a lot. That may mean it works just fine. A light sanding will smooth it out some. If it sparks and fires fine you need do nothing more than enjoy. If it doesn't spark, re-read previous suggestions.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Ever time it gets sanded a bit of metal is removed for appearance. That tiny bit of metal would have been another spark. Don’t fix what isn’t broke.

 

[flatcreek]

I rehardened my lyman frizzen after about 700 shots. Used Cherry Red I got from Dixon's. I think it worked very well, maybe double the amount of spark I was getting and only took a short amount of time. I also used it on a lock tool to harden the screw driver bit and that worked well. So keep shooting and just reharden it when the amount of spark depletes, It should last a really long time.

 

[rafterob]

Others have already said it. If it sparks now, you're ok. If not, you can get it re-soled. I had that done to an old Dixie lock that was just not hardened well. The Gent used a piece of band saw blade and riveted and soldered it in place. Sparks like crazy.

 

[M. De Land]

Hi everyone,
I’m hoping for some expert advice. As a lefty flintlocks are awfully hard to find. I recently acquired a lefty DGW Tennessee rifle which I’ve fallen head over heels for. I’m worried about the wear on the Frizzen. Since replacement parts are effectively non-existent I thought I’d ask for some advice. What can I do to prolong the life of the Frizzen and or are there any locks that can be used to replace it should it finally wear out?View attachment 290580View attachment 290581

Learn to pressure flake your flint edge which keeps it moving it's contact with the frizzen face discouraging groove cutting.
I see that your frizzen had a groove cut in it that has been partially ground out so it may be soft. If it sparks well than leave it alone but if it breaks flint often or does not spark well than the **** angle may need adjusting.
These frizzens can be re-soled so wearing one out is not a real concern.
The thing to do first is to shoot the schnitt out of it and see where it needs some help !

 

[PathfinderNC]

You can reface it with a new piece of steel, soldered or riveted on, like they have been doing for hundreds of years. Here’s an example in a 200 year old flintlock pistol.

 

[rich pierce]

You can reface it with a new piece of steel, soldered or riveted on, like they have been doing for hundreds of years. Here’s an example in a 200 year old flintlock pistol.

Yes this works well but I found it to be tricky. Often the base of the frizzen face is very close up the fence. So, very thin high carbon steel stock must be used and I find it necessary to remove some of the face of the frizzen. So I anneal the frizzen completely for this stock removal. Filing it perfectly flat is tricky. I prefer regular handsaw blade material for facing frizzens. I bend and harden the new face first if soldering. If brazing I do not pre-harden. I wire the face in place, braze, and quench. Then temper.

 

[M. De Land]

Yes this works well but I found it to be tricky. Often the base of the frizzen face is very close up the fence. So, very thin high carbon steel stock must be used and I find it necessary to remove some of the face of the frizzen. So I anneal the frizzen completely for this stock removal. Filing it perfectly flat is tricky. I prefer regular handsaw blade material for facing frizzens. I bend and harden the new face first if soldering. If brazing I do not pre-harden. I wire the face in place, braze, and quench. Then temper.

I wonder if a Tuff-Bond shoe replacement would stay put after roughing up both bond surfaces as there is really no heat issue to be addressed. I would think perhaps the shock load of flint strike may eventually be the weakness to the bond but have not tested the idea. It would not have the strength of a braze but some of this epoxy now days nears or exceeds soft solder strength I believe. The Force-44 low temp silver solder I use often would be and exception as it has 2/3rds the strength of high temp silver solder.
I have lined barrels with soft solder, loc-tite and epoxy and all seem more than adequate to the purpose of shock load but of course this is a tension load stress, primarily being held captive inside the original barrel proper.

 

[Compressorguy]

You can reface it with a new piece of steel, soldered or riveted on, like they have been doing for hundreds of years. Here’s an example in a 200 year old flintlock pistol.

And an example of one I did just a few months ago for the first time on an import frizzen for my sea service pistol. I used a thin piece of high carbon 1095 and the rivet method and it was pretty easy. Works great now! Just keep shooting yours and resole as necessary indefinitely.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I recently acquired a lefty DGW Tennessee rifle which I’ve fallen head over heels for. I’m worried about the wear on the Frizzen. Since replacement parts are effectively non-existent ...

I actually have one for you ... I'll PM you.

 

[reddogge]

My old gunsmith buddy, Ron Griffie, used to keep a fender from a 40s era car to make frizzen faces with. He claimed the old steel was better than new steel.

 

[kyron4]

And an example of one I did just a few months ago for the first time on an import frizzen for my sea service pistol. I used a thin piece of high carbon 1095 and the rivet method and it was pretty easy. Works great now! Just keep shooting yours and resole as necessary indefinitely.

View attachment 290949

Just curious what the rivet method is ? -Thanks