Interesting take on refacing a flint. I'm lazy, I use a small belt sander we use to make fuel/nitrous lines for our engines. Put the Flint in a vise-grip and hold at the proper angle, viola all finished. The first six to eight sparks light everything up! I dress about every twenty-five shots. Thanks for the video.
Never tried a sander. I was taught to do it with a flint knapping hammer and found this to be easier and more precise. I will have to try the sander with the saw cut flints, as they don't chip like this.
Mr. Murphy, You are more well versed in this process than I am. I learned the process you demonstrated about sixty years ago. I only own two Flint rifles and shoot maybe three hundred rounds a year. Some of my friends have me sharpen their flints on the cheapie HFT one inch belt sander we use in the shop. Thanks again for the video.
Longtime flintknapper here. Interesting method. I would recommend you use a copper flaking tool, and changing your angle of attack. Flintknapping is a game of angles and platforms. Hard steel makes it really difficult to reliably detach flakes. Copper is soft enough to grip the platform to detach the flake with control. Steel just bounces off of it, and you can create fractures in the flint which can cause your flint to prematurely self-destruct on impact with the frizzen. Also, if you spend a little time prepping, beveling, and abrading that edge into a continuous platform, and using a pressure flaker, you'll get a much more controllable and reliable result with a finer, sharper edge, and no crushing. Plus, if you keep control over that edge without crushing it, it makes it much easier to resharpen when you need to. You can also use this method on saw-cut flints, you just have to take some micro flakes off the edge to create a beveled platform to chip. That aside, I'm always impressed to see the methods folks come up with to knapp flint.
The fellow I learned this from specifically told me to use a common nail because ot was soft, for the same reasons you stated. May try to find a piece of copper and try what you describe.
I had rifle flint go bad on two rifles at the same time so I got my box of flint it out ended up the new Flint went bad to. So I got some new flint last weekend
Which throws a better spark ; a flint, or a fire steel ? The answer is obvious , it's the fire steel . So , how hard would it be to shape a fire steel to the profile of a flint ( and what would the result be, hint , which runs out in a bic lighter first , the fluid,or the flint )
flint is hard enough that a sharpening stone or file will not take off any of the flint........ That is why traditionally you chip off little pieces to sharpen it.
Perfect just got 9 new flints two of them I got to do already thank you very much awesome presentation
Thanks for the tip. I use a different technique and this is another new one I can use! Great video!
Interesting take on refacing a flint. I'm lazy, I use a small belt sander we use to make fuel/nitrous lines for our engines. Put the Flint in a vise-grip and hold at the proper angle, viola all finished. The first six to eight sparks light everything up! I dress about every twenty-five shots. Thanks for the video.
Never tried a sander. I was taught to do it with a flint knapping hammer and found this to be easier and more precise. I will have to try the sander with the saw cut flints, as they don't chip like this.
Mr. Murphy, You are more well versed in this process than I am. I learned the process you demonstrated about sixty years ago. I only own two Flint rifles and shoot maybe three hundred rounds a year. Some of my friends have me sharpen their flints on the cheapie HFT one inch belt sander we use in the shop. Thanks again for the video.
I'm glad I saw this, thank you
Longtime flintknapper here. Interesting method. I would recommend you use a copper flaking tool, and changing your angle of attack. Flintknapping is a game of angles and platforms. Hard steel makes it really difficult to reliably detach flakes. Copper is soft enough to grip the platform to detach the flake with control. Steel just bounces off of it, and you can create fractures in the flint which can cause your flint to prematurely self-destruct on impact with the frizzen. Also, if you spend a little time prepping, beveling, and abrading that edge into a continuous platform, and using a pressure flaker, you'll get a much more controllable and reliable result with a finer, sharper edge, and no crushing. Plus, if you keep control over that edge without crushing it, it makes it much easier to resharpen when you need to. You can also use this method on saw-cut flints, you just have to take some micro flakes off the edge to create a beveled platform to chip. That aside, I'm always impressed to see the methods folks come up with to knapp flint.
The fellow I learned this from specifically told me to use a common nail because ot was soft, for the same reasons you stated. May try to find a piece of copper and try what you describe.
@@murphyfirearmstraining3630 cool. Nails aren’t nearly as soft or grippy as copper, and you’ll notice a lot more control over your flake releases.
I had rifle flint go bad on two rifles at the same time so I got my box of flint it out ended up the new Flint went bad to. So I got some new flint last weekend
An excellent tutorial. Well done sir
Excellent instruction...well done.
Which throws a better spark ; a flint, or a fire steel ?
The answer is obvious , it's the fire steel . So , how hard would it be to shape a fire steel to the profile of a flint
( and what would the result be, hint , which runs out in a bic lighter first , the fluid,or the flint )
Try to use a cement nail ( VERY hard steel and a dremle tool with cut off wheel to angle and sharpen nail) !!.
I will give that a try. I appreciate the idea.
once when you said it was "taking a big bite off" you did 3 taps,, your tool was on the vice, not on the flint.. good video!
Kirk, good eyes. It is a lot easier when I put my head where the camera was LOL. I appreciate the support.
@@murphyfirearmstraining3630 i like your method better than doing it "on the lock".
why don't you use a sharpening stone or a file on the flint? you all doing too much work with that nail
flint is hard enough that a sharpening stone or file will not take off any of the flint........ That is why traditionally you chip off little pieces to sharpen it.