First flintlock, and first kit. I have some percussion locks.
First flintlock kit
- Thread starter stovepipe699
- Start date
I don’t know of any groups, do you know of any in MB?
I found them, but don’t see the size of the flints listed on their website.
I’ll keep that in mind. Another thing I need to buy, but it’s something I can use in the shop and always wished I had.Here is a tip - if you use Prussian Blue for inletting then make sure to use much less than you think is needed. Like when you think “there is not enough on there”, it is likely too much. Ask me how I know.
Oh yes, and just because you can’t see any on your fingers doesn’t mean there is none on your fingers.
Great product and good luck!
I picked up a small tube from KMS for $10. I used a toothbrush and just a tiny drop, but made the mistake of applying it a bit too high on the breech. It ended up being forced upwards and out, even though I only used a tiny amount. Next time I would just apply it to the bottom 1/2 of the metal.
I’m planning to get a bunch. Trying to get everything together right away. Seems like flints and black powder are hit and miss to find these days.
If you contact him I believe he’ll size them for you.
Ok, I’ll give them a call.
Ok, I’m inexperienced with this so I appreciate the warning.
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Parks Canada Historic sites will have their interpreters, and there will be circles of reenactors who come their events (or they go to their events).
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Flints are literally chips of rock. The idea is thin enough to be gripped in the leather of the jaws, and long enough to spark on the frizzen but not be stopped and fracture. You will probably go through a number of tries before finding a few that are the right size. They are consumables, and when you've used them up, you can give them away as trinkets.
There are a few shooters at Selkirk club and I think Brandon still has an active group. We have a very active black powder club in Saskatoon. The Saskatoon Muzzleloading club (www.saskatoonmuzzleloadingclub.com). You are welcome to to come to any of our shoots. We have lots of camping space. I have built 3 kiblers and am working on a 4th, a Colonial in 54 cal. They are great kits. I have a 58 Colonial and it is a lovely rifle.
This is, by any measure, an understatement. You do not buy a handful of random sized flint chips and then look for those that fit your lock. Flints are knapped to a specific shape and size, within tolerance, and reputable vendors list and sell them by size. They are consumables and require periodic knapping during use to restore the edge. Once too short for one lock, they can often be reknapped for use in a smaller lock. They can also be ground on a green (for carbide) or diamond wheel, but can fracture if they get too hot.
You are certainly correct regarding Prussian Blue.Here is a tip - if you use Prussian Blue for inletting then make sure to use much less than you think is needed. Like when you think “there is not enough on there”, it is likely too much. Ask me how I know.
Oh yes, and just because you can’t see any on your fingers doesn’t mean there is none on your fingers.
Great product and good luck!
I have moved away from it for spotting actions into stocks and tuning, polishing and smoothing actions; I saw some Japanese tool makers using red lead, still a bit toxic but not carcinogenic. Very visible, and easier to clean up. They gave me a little, and I have been using it for years. I won't live long enough to use it up. LOL Not easy to find, but one of the tool and die shops we use, say us using it, and they were able to find some here in Canada.
Candling to put "lamp black" on the metal parts works too.
Like Prussian Blue, if you think you have enough, you have way too much. I comes in a tin as a very dry, almost solid past. we put a bit of mineral oil (white paraffine) on a brush, pick up a bit of the pigment, and then apply it to the metal parts.
- Location
- Eastern Ontario
Congrats on your first kit. Will enjoy following your progress. I can't even tell you the number of times I jhave wanted to do the same thing, but just never was brave enough to try it.. I have seen some beautiful creations and am quite happy to have had the opportunity to do so. All the best.
brnoshooter
Member
- Location
- Fort Macleod
I haven't ventured into flintlocks yet. I got very close a few years ago when priming caps were non-existent, but any offers I made were declined. When I was researching the topic, I was to understand that a flint would last about 10 shots and would most likely have to be dressed or in some cases repositioned 180 degrees in the c0ck (Brown Bess used double faced flints). At $7-$12 a flint, that can get expensive, and flint, or chert, is a naturally available resource depending on where you are, so I always foresaw me collecting and learning to nap my own. It can't be that difficult, and was probably relegated to children to nap a pile full in between other chores they were given to do back in the day.
I had a Navy Arms Charleville musket repro. that I fired using stone from along the shore of Hudson Bay that I knapped. Wasn't flint, wasn't chert, didn't spark as well as black English flint, but it did work. If a person had access to flint or chert, I am sure that spalls could be worked into gunflints. Flint nodules can be purchased. When I was involved in the manufacture of reproduction NW guns, one customer reported getting 70 fires from one flint. I never did anywhere near that well. It is my understanding that some of the very best, very fastest British locks were hard on flints. Flint life was sacrificed in exchange for rapid ignition. Flints at a delivered cost approaching 10 bucks each is discouraging. Then again, the cost of percussion caps is discouraging.
From all the reports and information I have seen about Kibler's kits, I don't think much in the way of Prussian Blue, soot, whatever, is going to be needed. Inletting is very precisely CNC cut.
From all the reports and information I have seen about Kibler's kits, I don't think much in the way of Prussian Blue, soot, whatever, is going to be needed. Inletting is very precisely CNC cut.
