Which is the right flint?

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

I picked up my first flintlock on the weekend and have finally had a chance to look at it.

I ordered some 1" flints after advice from another forum member who also has a pedersoli Indian trade gun. In comparison to the flint it came with there is a fair bit of difference.

I'm below the level of novice with flintlocks so I've no idea what the proper fit is.

Is the current flint at .8" (lead attached) correct or too small? Are the 1" flints too big or do they just need trimming down? I have attached a photo of the frizzen in case that helps.

Flint with the gun

Frizzen

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

You can see in the previous post where the flint has been striking, granted uneven but is this the right width of contact or too much or too little?

It does spark though at least, but you can see from the pic it's in the forward half of the pan. Not sure if this is OK or likely to cause ignition issues.

 

[oldwood]

Just my opinion.........Use thin leather to hold the flint in the hammer jaws. As far as kind of flint , French or English , good. Position in the hammer........With the lock at half cock/safety notch position , make sure the flint doesn't touch the frizzen. Put grease on the frizzen cam /spring bearing surface , and the main spring bearing surface to tumbler. Oil the tumbler shaft bearing as well............Luck to ya.......oldwood

 

[French Colonial]

Those new ones do look a little to wide, make sure they are positioned so they do not hit the barrel when the hammer is down or you will put scars on your barrel.

I do not like lead wrapped flints, I believe they are to hard on frizzens so I would wrap it in leather and position them so they don't hit the barrel and try them.

 

[D.Summers]

Sure sparking nice!

 

[Grenadier1758]

@GoodRabbitPilgrim, I would put a match stick, section of a bamboo skewer, or a small wedge of leather lacing under the back edge of the flint to give the striking edge more of a scraping strike on the frizzen. You have good spark. Your flint size equals the maximum width of the frizzen is good. The flint that is too wide can be used by making sure the flint does not strike the barrel. The one that is 0.787" wide will work as well. You won't be wearing that much steel off the frizzen face (even if the flint lasts 100 shots) to cause significant wear. We have used 1" flints on the unit's wall gun with a 1.5" frizzen face without harming the frizzen.

 

[tenngun]

Flints are a natural product, so rarely perfect.
I like other here prefer leather.
On half cock the flint should just miss touching the closed frizzen. When down should not scrape the barrel. A little wide of the frizzen or a might narrow won’t matter

 

[William Lincoln]

I put a small bit of resin on my leather from ye olde pine tree
out back. Then tighten down the lock. It is sticky but will
not become glue. The hold is reliable. I think Good Rabbit pilgrim
above has great spark and should have no ignition issues.

 

[Sidney Smith]

The size of your flints is really determined by the type of lock you have. An Indian trade gun will probably have a queen Anne type lock which can take up to a 1 inch flint. Go onto track of the wolf's flint page and it will tell you which flints go with which locks.

I have a queen Anne lock on my 20 gauge smoothbore, however I use 3/4 X 7/8ths flints.

 

[rafterob]

I think the width looks fine. As mentioned already just adjust it to the right as needed so it does not hit the barrel. At Half cock the flint should just barely touch the frizzen or have 1/16 inch clearance from the frizzen. I too prefer leather over lead. Lead will continue to thin and requires frequent retightening of the jaws. Looks like plenty of spark in the pan. Does not take much to ignite the powder.

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

Thank you for the replies.

As I said I literally just had a chance to go over the gun for the first time, it came with lead but when I can get a piece of scrap leather I will change it over.

I did check the half cock and the current piece of flint at least sits perfectly to my eyes, 1mm or 2 clearance from the frizzen.

So the flint hanging a little over on the outward side of the gun is going to be no issue? If so that's a relief, flints are not cheap here as I've seen prices vary from $7-17 per piece.

 

[tdoyka]

i buy my flints online, i buy them by the dozen


http://heritage-products.com/

 

[GoodRabbitPilgrim]

i buy my flints online, i buy them by the dozen


http://heritage-products.com/

Not american

 

[andy52]

Personally I prefer black English flints, as far size as long as it doesn't hit the barrel and it sparks I don't worry to much about them.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The Black English Flints are not American either but they are very good. Sometimes, made in America is not the best answer.

 

[BrantWW]

Not american

Pray tell where one can buy American flints?

 

[Chris In SE PA]

With spark like that, you have almost nothing to worry about. If it's wide just make sure that it sticks out to the side and doesn't scrape on the barrel at the touch hole area.

 

[deerstalkert]

Not american

i think GoodRabbitPilgrm is stating that he is not American. could be wrong,
was once before the clue is his use of mm.

 

[deerstalkert]

Pray tell where one can buy American flints?

Ebay! if you want those cut abominations!

 

[Grenadier1758]

i think GoodRabbitPilgrm is stating that he is not American. could be wrong,
was once before the clue is his use of mm.

That's right. I recall that @GoodRabbitPilgrim is Australian.