this realy works, did this to my blunderbuss frizzen as a last resort as i have no hardening powder or a decent blowlamp, i did as above and placed it in my garden chimnea and topped it up with scrap wood, then sat back and had a beer, did this for an hour and now frizzen is evem better than before.,,CHEERS !
I remember reading about this method in the back of an old Dixie Gun Works catalog in the early 70s. Besides wrapping the frizzen in leather, it really helps to triple wrap the leather ball in heavy aluminum foil, then seal it in the can. I have hardened frizzens this way and it works great. Plain leather is best, not highly treated stuff. You can get it at craft stores or Tandy, or cut up an old leather garment or shoes you get cheap from Goodwill. The advantage of wrapping the leather ball in multiple heavy aluminum foil layers is that you don't need big pieces of leather to get the same carbonizing effect, and it provides extra protection against potential oxidation of the frizzen.
Just finished trying to reharden my T/C Hawken frizzen that is approx. 34 years old. It just stopped sparking after all those years. I called T/C to replace it and they said they stopped making it 2 years ago. They said take it to a blacksmith. Where the heck do you find a blacksmith nowadays? So I went to the internet and found this site and did exactly what it said. Guess what it worked! I was amazed it sparks like a new one! I guess this is an old mountain man trick. Thanks to whoever posted the video. I'm gonna go find myself a nice whitetail next week. Thanks again!
Can you answer me this question...when do you know the Frizzen needs to be rehardened? Just bought a flintlock and curious to know when I’ll need to tackle this project down the line. Thx
I know this is really late, but I just got back from DGW and their in house gunsmith told me to harden mine because the flint was gouging the frizzen. He said that it shouldn't scratch it so easily.
Do you have to use leather scraps or is there some other material that would work? I don't have leather scraps. My frizzen won't spark at all and I know it's not the Flint. I'm thinking I might have to buy a new one.
Little late, but you can order leather scraps on Amazon for almost nothing. As well, just go to a crafting store - those nearly always carry scrap leather for under 10 dollars.
Tristan Shearer you're not too late! I didn't try it yet. Thanks for the info. A flintlock is kind of useless if the frizzen doesn't produce a spark! I did try sanding it... Did not work at all.
Yeah definitely wouldn't work. The point of this is that the leather burns and provides carbon to the steel (Carbon hardens steel) and the closed tin keeps oxygen from keeping the metal from absorbing the carbon because chemistry I guess? Sanding it would just expose more of the soft steel. If you try it, good luck! :)
Tristan Shearer thanks. I heard that sanding can work, but it must work only before the frizzen has soften up completely. Which I assume mine is. Thanks for the info. There is a craft shop fairly close. I'll have to check them out.
I'm not quite sure how that would work. I could be wrong, but the methods for hardening frizzens only hardens the very surface of it. 99% of the steel is really soft so the frizzen doesn't shatter when it's struck by the flint. Of course, again, I could be wrong and maybe it's dependent on the quality of and type of steel in the frizzen as well. Who knows
He's case hardening the steel (Frizzen), it's a technique blacksmiths used to use and still do sometimes. If you don't have leather; ground charcoal will work along with ground bone. All you need is something with lots of carbon in a sealed container, clay was used traditional. So use real charcoal not the briquettes, or if you have access to some chemicals use Barium carbonate. Good luck with your flinter!
Maybe the sparks are not clearly visibles in the video because there is too much light. But there was a lot! And yes, it's an indian musket. And after reharden the frizzen, it works perfectly.
this realy works, did this to my blunderbuss frizzen as a last resort as i have no hardening powder or a decent blowlamp, i did as above and placed it in my garden chimnea and topped it up with scrap wood, then sat back and had a beer, did this for an hour and now frizzen is evem better than before.,,CHEERS !
I remember reading about this method in the back of an old Dixie Gun Works catalog in the early 70s. Besides wrapping the frizzen in leather, it really helps to triple wrap the leather ball in heavy aluminum foil, then seal it in the can. I have hardened frizzens this way and it works great. Plain leather is best, not highly treated stuff. You can get it at craft stores or Tandy, or cut up an old leather garment or shoes you get cheap from Goodwill. The advantage of wrapping the leather ball in multiple heavy aluminum foil layers is that you don't need big pieces of leather to get the same carbonizing effect, and it provides extra protection against potential oxidation of the frizzen.
I just did this last night. Worked like a charm!! I was skeptical but this works!!
I tried this method yesterday and it worked. Caution: use tin can, not aluminum to prevent can from melting.
Just finished trying to reharden my T/C Hawken frizzen that is approx. 34 years old. It just stopped sparking after all those years. I called T/C to replace it and they said they stopped making it 2 years ago. They said take it to a blacksmith. Where the heck do you find a blacksmith nowadays? So I went to the internet and found this site and did exactly what it said. Guess what it worked! I was amazed it sparks like a new one! I guess this is an old mountain man trick. Thanks to whoever posted the video. I'm gonna go find myself a nice whitetail next week. Thanks again!
Sire doth thou be blindith. blacksmiths are located on every street corner. Doth thou not live in a civil area?
WHERE's THE BLACKSMITH :p
Kevin WHERE'S THE BLACKSMITH!?
@@harryjoe860 why does he have to be black?
@@firewaterforgeofarizona4304 so he can be a smith!
Thank you so much!! This worked like a charm! Great job!
The leather chars to add carbon to the metal. The can is for keeping air from the steel.so it will take the carbon.
I didn't see sparks when the flint hit the frizzen.
Really?
@@burzorz i didnt either
Me either. And I have a '66 Charleville too
I did
Single step the video. One frame contains the blurred sparks. Over in a flash (!)
Wow, I'm going to try this on the weekend !!!
Can you answer me this question...when do you know the Frizzen needs to be rehardened? Just bought a flintlock and curious to know when I’ll need to tackle this project down the line. Thx
If you have a good and well fitted flint, and your frizzen don't sparks, it's may be necessary to rehardening it.
I know this is really late, but I just got back from DGW and their in house gunsmith told me to harden mine because the flint was gouging the frizzen. He said that it shouldn't scratch it so easily.
Are you sure you used enough leather?
Do you have to use leather scraps or is there some other material that would work? I don't have leather scraps. My frizzen won't spark at all and I know it's not the Flint. I'm thinking I might have to buy a new one.
Little late, but you can order leather scraps on Amazon for almost nothing. As well, just go to a crafting store - those nearly always carry scrap leather for under 10 dollars.
Tristan Shearer you're not too late! I didn't try it yet. Thanks for the info. A flintlock is kind of useless if the frizzen doesn't produce a spark! I did try sanding it... Did not work at all.
Yeah definitely wouldn't work. The point of this is that the leather burns and provides carbon to the steel (Carbon hardens steel) and the closed tin keeps oxygen from keeping the metal from absorbing the carbon because chemistry I guess? Sanding it would just expose more of the soft steel. If you try it, good luck! :)
Tristan Shearer thanks. I heard that sanding can work, but it must work only before the frizzen has soften up completely. Which I assume mine is. Thanks for the info. There is a craft shop fairly close. I'll have to check them out.
I'm not quite sure how that would work. I could be wrong, but the methods for hardening frizzens only hardens the very surface of it. 99% of the steel is really soft so the frizzen doesn't shatter when it's struck by the flint. Of course, again, I could be wrong and maybe it's dependent on the quality of and type of steel in the frizzen as well. Who knows
Okay, This worked great on a frizzen. Here is my question. Will this work on a mainspring? Please help? Thanks
No. The effectiveness of the frizzen depends on his hardness. But the effectiveness of the mainspring depends on his elasticity.
What if I don't have leather, what else could I use?
He's case hardening the steel (Frizzen), it's a technique blacksmiths used to use and still do sometimes. If you don't have leather; ground charcoal will work along with ground bone. All you need is something with lots of carbon in a sealed container, clay was used traditional. So use real charcoal not the briquettes, or if you have access to some chemicals use Barium carbonate. Good luck with your flinter!
What does the leather do?
Some kind of organic matter is needed to provide carbon to steel.
@@burzorz Would activated bone carbon work instead of leather?
Don't forget to put a garlic clove in the tin can!
Really? Can vampires get in there??
I did not see any sparks...is this an Indian musket.. That would explain things
Maybe the sparks are not clearly visibles in the video because there is too much light. But there was a lot!
And yes, it's an indian musket. And after reharden the frizzen, it works perfectly.
As I mention above, one frame of the contains the (blurred) sparks, so single step to see them
Can you harden4 or5 at the same time?
I suppose that it's possible. But I didn't never try...
OK, I did not see any sparks...
Stop making Kasenit which hardened frizzen!Now make another type of it kasenit is gone!
Use your can idea with it on frizzen no leather!