Update, I bought several different flints and am happy with the TOTW black english flints.
Using a leather wrap and a small wood flat toothpick shim under the bottom rear of the flint, I'm getting about 80 shots from the flints with good spark and minimum reknapping.
I'm happy with this rifle. Thanks for evveryones help.
RG
Good on ya, Rusty Gunn!
Sounds like that tooth pick may have changed the angle of the strike, many try turning their flint over to achieve the same goal, good thinking on your part, to think outside the box a bit!
The really big deal here is your getting about 80 shots, that's really good!
BTW: I looked at the price of English flints recently and I almost had a heart attack!
Six or eight years back I bought 100 flints, 5/8 x3/4", and if memory serves me right it was about $75 with shipping....nowadays they are about 2 bucks each, and then shipping is added!!!!
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I seldom throw a flint away!
I knap it until there is little left to stabilize the flint, then it goes in an old coffee can.
But your thought of using a toothpick just turned on a light...I will dig into my coffee can and see if a toothpick can bring any of the old ones back to life.
Uncle Russ...