When is a flint bad?

[stacks]

New to the flintlock systems, but I'm pretty well hooked. I've shot about 75 rounds through my GPR, and have flipped the flint once. After about 30-35 shots today I began having no spark.

When do you know when the flint is not good, or how do you recondition it? I know nothing when it comes to using the napping hammers etc.. HELP...

 

[shootemup]

When do you know when the flint is not good, or how do you recondition it? I know nothing when it comes to using the napping hammers etc.. HELP...

Hi stacks,

It's not so difficult as you might think, you just need to try it. You can tap along the edge lightly, or push down from the top - all you're trying to do is flake off some of the material in order to rough up the edge.

No harm playing with it, you'll get the hang of it quickly.

Spot

 

[Robert Egler]

When is a flint bad? Well, if it comes home late at night a lot smelling of alcohol and cheap perfume, or if it holds wild parties when you’re away for the weekend, that a good sign it’s bad. :haha:

 

[Len Graves]

Stacks; It is a hard thing to define a "bad" flint. I have been shooting rock locks for-- Oh my gosh-- 40 years. I have put brand new flints into my lock and had them break in half on the first trigger pull. I have had flints that looked like beach pebbles that sparked well. Generally if you have a fairly sharp edge in front and it's at the proper angle to peel off that little piece of steel from the frizzen its good. That being said every rock is different. Knapping is not all that hard to do. when on the range, in a competition I generally refresh the edge by tapping the edge with my knife. If given time I will use a small tool shown to me by other firelock shooters. This tool is a brass rod about 3" long 3/16" dia. with a turned down end of about 1/8"dia about 1/8" long forming a step.place this step on your flint edge angled slightly forward 30 Deg.? and tap the end of the rod with something (ball starter) this should break a small chip from the under side of the flint. You may have to do this four or five times along the front edge. Place the cock on half cock for this.
Remember you can't really screw up, the flint wasn't working any way. If you can get with guys that make arrowheads watch and ask. Most of those guys are eager to help. A lot like us front stuffers. I was asked once about the reliability of the flint lock, so to truthfully answer I started counting shots on one rock. to my surprise I got 163 shots before the first missed fire. 30 of those shots were in the rain. The next flint used gave me 7 shots and broke in two. Stay with it. I may have question from you when you become an expert. Len