Flints

[steve medlock]

I didn't used to like flintlocks that much but over time I've collected at least half a dozen and so I'm often searching around for a good flint. Apart from some that Will Lord made me, I usually get my English made gun flints from Track of the Wolf - a certain irony I'm sure you'll agree! English made gun flints cost $2 in the US, but in the UK, they tend to be £2 - £4 each - how does that work? I recently tried some of those sawn 'match' flints and they are really great but too expensive to buy on a regular basis. I do re-sharpen on a diamond stone but there is a limit to re-use.

Has anyone else found any good sources of supply?

[enfield2band]

I did, once, consider knapping my own but did not carry on with it. While I was looking into it I found this snippet that might be useful for anyone who does want to give it a go.

Flint - Brought slowly to a temperature of 150 deg. C to 260 deg. C, (300 deg F to 500 deg. F), for 24 hours, then slowly cooled to room temperature.
This make the material more homogenous and thus more "knappable" and produces tools with a cleaner, sharper cutting edge.

[tacfoley]

I did, once, consider knapping my own but did not carry on with it. While I was looking into it I found this snippet that might be useful for anyone who does want to give it a go.

Flint - Brought slowly to a temperature of 150 deg. C to 260 deg. C, (300 deg F to 500 deg. F), for 24 hours, then slowly cooled to room temperature.
This make the material more homogenous and thus more "knappable" and produces tools with a cleaner, sharper cutting edge.

Stolen, with thanks.

[Peter Dunkley]

Nothing to do with anything really but I recently read in a book that in seventeen hundred and something a good knapper would produce up to 8.000 usable flints a day.
Bet you didn't know that.

[greasemonkey]

about 20 odd years ago i bought several hundred flints for £20 from a diver who had brought them up from the wreck of the Earl of Abervargenny.they are not the tidiest of flints but are very black,work much better than any i had bought before.i think they were for the supply of the east india company.keeping them for when i revive my repo brown bess.

[tacfoley]

I have access to these from my local supplier in Springfield OR - please let me know if I can help you out. Price is per each, BTW, although I'm sure you knew that already. Kinda different, eh?

Flint - 1/2in
English Knapped
Manufactured by Brandon Mines $1.75

Flint - 1in
English Knapped
Manufactured by Brandon Mines $2.00

Flint - 3/4in
English Knapped
Manufactured by Brandon Mines $2.00

Flint - 5/8in
English Knapped
Manufactured by Brandon Mines $1.75

Flint - 7/8in
English Knapped
Manufactured by Brandon Mines $2.00

I've just emole my old friend Suzi, who owns the place, asking if we can get a bit of a bulk buy going if anybody here is interested?