Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Traditional Firearms => Flintlock Long Guns => Topic started by: Minnesota Mike on July 09, 2008, 10:24:38 AM

Title: Putting new edge on flint
Post by: Minnesota Mike on July 09, 2008, 10:24:38 AM

At rendezvous back in April, gent who was putting on basics of muzzleloading had a little tool he used for chipping away edge of flint after it had worn down. He admitted he was too much of klutz to use a knapping hammer, so made a little chipping tool.

It looked like a small metal rod, possibly from a small bit or forestock pin material. It had a couple of grooves cut into it one one side that he would then set against the dull edge of the flint and then pull downward to break off small pieces of flint. He would quickly work his away across the flint skipping an equal distance between chip marks and in no time had his flint ready to go again.

I'm interested in looking into making one of those as well, but cannot recall the depth of the groove in the bar and was wondering if anyone else out there has seen such a critter or has one and can help fill in the critical information piece for me.

Thanks.

r/
MM

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Post by: jbullard1 on July 09, 2008, 10:40:27 AM

Very interesting would like to see that also

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Post by: rollingb on July 09, 2008, 12:25:38 PM

Quote from: "jbullard1"

Very interesting would like to see that also

If you've ever watched someone cut glass, they probably used a tool that also had "notchs" in it like the flint chipping tool you're talking about. (only the "notchs" a glass-cutting tool has, are properly sized for "plate", "double-strength", and "single-strength", glass).

In fact, a modern glass cutting tool itself, would probably work pretty good to re-knap a dull flint (if you weren't too overly concerned about the tool not being "period-correct").

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Post by: Captchee on July 09, 2008, 12:54:29 PM

i have made a couple that are used with a hammer  Mike .
basicly what i do is make them from 3?16th  piano whire  cut to approx 3 inches long .
 the tip i cut back  so it has a step thats about 1/2 the thickness of the rod .
 you place theis step at approx a 45 deg angle to the flint "Flint needs to be bevel down " with just the edge of the  step placed on the face of the flint .
 then take your napping hammer and hit the rod . this knocks a flake from under the flint . simply work it across your flint.

  The other thing you can use is a set of flint nibblers .  These are a set of small duck bill pliers that  don’t fully close. Just clamp them onto the flint and twist . They will nibble away at the edge , thus re sharpening  it . The problem with these however is that if the flint is to thick , after a couple uses  they  round the flint off

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Post by: Old Salt on July 09, 2008, 02:25:22 PM

Mike,

On two occasions I've seen people use a short piece of threaded rod to touch up the edge of a flint.  

Rich Pierce uses an anchor bolt that would normally be used to attach a 2x4 wood plate to a concrete foundation.  He uses the short L shaped end like a hammer then in the final process he uses the threaded end by pulling the threads along the cutting edge of the flint as you describe.

I saw another homemade tool that was built like a T that had two different pitches of threads (fine and course) if you will.  It could be used as a hammer and also as described.

The use of  the tool seemed pretty simple but effective.

Salt

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Post by: Minnesota Mike on July 09, 2008, 05:36:44 PM

Quote from: "Captchee"

i have made a couple that are used with a hammer  Mike .
basicly what i do is make them from 3?16th  piano whire  cut to approx 3 inches long .
 the tip i cut back  so it has a step thats about 1/2 the thickness of the rod .
 you place theis step at approx a 45 deg angle to the flint "Flint needs to be bevel down " with just the edge of the  step placed on the face of the flint .
 then take your napping hammer and hit the rod . this knocks a flake from under the flint . simply work it across your flint.

  The other thing you can use is a set of flint nibblers .  These are a set of small duck bill pliers that  don’t fully close. Just clamp them onto the flint and twist . They will nibble away at the edge , thus re sharpening  it . The problem with these however is that if the flint is to thick , after a couple uses  they  round the flint off

Got photos?

r/
MM

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Post by: Captchee on July 09, 2008, 05:38:08 PM

no not much to see but ill drw you a picture here real quick

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Post by: Captchee on July 09, 2008, 05:51:45 PM

here you go

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/captchee/TMA/scan0001-1.jpg)

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Post by: BEAVERMAN on July 09, 2008, 07:31:16 PM

Cool pic Mr Monet eerr ah Cap!, gonna have to give that a try!

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Post by: MikeC on July 09, 2008, 10:21:40 PM

I made mine from nails just like the picture shows.  Works great quick and easy.

Took but a few minutes to make a few up.

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Post by: Captchee on July 09, 2008, 10:42:25 PM

yep a nail will also work . but for just a couple bucks you can have a very strong pioano wire  that 3 feet long . IE long enough to make . 12 .
and it will never bend  oe wear out

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Post by: Dave on July 10, 2008, 01:41:10 AM

uh...this sounds dumb even to me, but where do you get piano wire? Don't say "out of a piano", my wife won't stand for that! I s'pose a music store - just like buying guitar strings?

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Post by: Captchee on July 10, 2008, 08:43:25 AM

most any hobby store will have a selection . Especially those that sell  remote control plains and cars .
 It will be over in their K &S metal  display .
Some true values also carry it

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Post by: Longhunter on July 10, 2008, 08:57:27 AM

I've got a flint flaking rod somewhere in my "stuff"...I've had it for a long time. Most of the time I use the old fashion knappin hammer. I find by putting it on full cock so I can get my index finger under the flint for support, it's fast and easy to dress the edge by tapping with the little hammer tool.

Anyone ever use their belt knife?... ;)

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Post by: Voyageur on July 10, 2008, 11:00:58 AM

8)

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Post by: Kermit on August 06, 2008, 08:15:21 PM

Lookie here. Worth reading.

http://www.muzzleblasts.com/archives/vo ... o44-3.html (http://www.muzzleblasts.com/archives/vol4no4/articles/mbo44-3.html)

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Post by: Minnesota Mike on August 07, 2008, 10:32:22 AM

Very cool.

r/
MM

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Post by: FlintSteel on August 30, 2008, 08:54:16 AM

I've always resharpend my flints by just aligning a straight blade screwdriver along the dull edge of an old flint and a sharp tap with a small hammer on the screwdriver knocks off a nice chip. Just work along till your done. Works till the flints too small to lock in the jaw.

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Post by: mario on August 30, 2008, 04:02:48 PM

I get 30-40 shots out of a flint in my guns. I get my money's worth out of them, so I don't bother re-knapping. Just change it out.

Mario

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Post by: FlintSteel on September 16, 2008, 08:55:34 AM

Mario
I get a good long run from most of my flints, But being a Yankee most of my life (only been in the south for 15 year) I never throw anything away till it be plum wore out. That includes flints. If you get 30-40 shots on a flint now with a little sharpening on that you can get to do that again conservatively speaking 5 or 6 time over. It only takes seconds and you don't even take it out of the jaws unless it needs to be adjusted after knapping. Try it. You'll like it.
No brag, Just fact.