Napping a new flint from an old.

[Misfire99]

Does anybody know of a good web site, or even a book, that covers how to nap a flint for a flint lock rifle? I shot one for the first time the other day and see how quickly the flint wears. I would like to try and keep it operational as long as possible but I have no idea what the proper way to treat the flint. When I was at the range I used the concrete floor to try and shape the flint. This did work some what but it was rather crude. I'm sure there is a better way but I just don't know it. Can someone point me in the right direction? Thanks


I did do a search for flint napping but all I came up with was sites on how to make prehistoric flint tools. I'm really not interested in how to make a clovis point but rather how to get my flint lock to fire.

 

[mykeal]

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showforum.php?fid/17/
There is a sticky on many aspects of shooting a flinter at the top of that forum. Tuning your lock is very important to performance of the flintlock gun. It's not simple, but taking the time is very rewarding; flints last longer and the delay between pan flash and main charge ignition can be almost eliminated, thus resulting in more accurate and effective shooting.

 

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Missfire99..
<http://home.insightbb.com/~bspen>
Scroll down about halfway through the page and take it from there....

 

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

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[Macmac]

2 seemingly very nice sites. I need to get at work, so I will read them later, but thanks!

A quickie... Pull the flint from the jaws and with a brass rod say 1/4 diameter and 6 inches long handy, uyou can sharpen a flint a few times.

You should also be able to use what was the back edge as most flints have 2 shape faces, and some have 3 to 4.

Anyway if you are right handed, and just reverse this if you are lefty, hold the flint in you left index finger and thumb.

As you begin to strike the edge from back of the dull face on an angle pull you left index finger back as if you were going to pull a sliver off the flint with out tapping it.

You will be tapping it, but pull that sliver off.

Be prepared to get a bloody cut, one you won't feel when it happens, but will in 10 minutes when your body catches up.

Angles matter. Think of the part on the flint as if it was a windo and you shot the window with a BB gun. The back side of the window looses a cone shape.

You are making only a part of that cone shape.

If you get steps, where the flint stacks up, you can grind it off, with the concrete, but in the old days they used a sand stone they could carry. You were partly correct in that attempt.

Like anything else this is going to take some practice.

Another tool you could use is a deer antler tip. One of mine is also a fixed powder measure on the other end.

Any yet another is a copper wire about 1.5" long with about 1/4" expose mounted in antler. Mine is shorter than 1/4" now as it has worn some.

With antler you do the same thing with the left hand, but push a pin point of flint off, or press it off.

Sometimes it helps to sit and brace your left hand on you thigh.

Don't breath the dust! The dust has a smokey burnt flavor, and it is pure silica dust, and what you breath isn't good for you. A little won't harm you, but avoid it in general.

 

[sundance44s]

Useing a lead wrap instead of leather will help keep the flint knapped on its own..Your hammer won`t bounce when it strikes the frizzen with the lead wrap .

 

[Misfire99]

Thanks everybody for the help.