Gunflints

[Th3rty7]

These were found in Va, most are english and american made, one is french I think, don't know much about them.

 

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[The Grim Reaper]

I was told that the dark colored ones are English flint and the honey colored ones are French flint. I only have one and it's honey colored French flint.

 

[Adena_man]

That is very cool! I have never found one in over 30 years of hunting. I also learned something new today - English vs French types of flint.

Awesome finds.

 

[Twitch]

I have two in 11 years of hunting and found them only 2 months apart, one in North Carolina and one in Ohio. The NC example is pristine and looks like grey hornstone. The OH example is translucent and hearly exhausted.

 

[Th3rty7]

Appreciate the good info and comments guys. HH

 

[docmann]

Impressive, T7! I'm not sure I've ever seen such. Nice find and display. I too have learned something.
Doc

 

[RichPA]

What is the size of the average gunflints? Just curious.

 

[RGINN]

Cool, thirty7, I know they're out there and wondered if anybody ever found them.

 

[Buckhunter]

I am surprised you can find French gun flints. I would have thought they would run away! Seriously though I have never found anything like that before. Do you think they would be less common in Missouri?

 

[Th3rty7]

What is the size of the average gunflints? Just curious.

They average about 1" x 1", some slightly bigger 1 1/4 " squared, some smaller 3/4" x 3/4", I tend to think the smaller are heavily used and discarded examples, or maybe for pistol flintlocks.

Thanks Docmann, and RGinn

Here's a few more with some scale reference.

 

[Th3rty7]

I am surprised you can find French gun flints. I would have thought they would run away! Seriously though I have never found anything like that before. Do you think they would be less common in Missouri?

LOL, well played. Not sure if they're common in Mo., mostly because I'm not aware of the history there. They didn't show up in America until after 1800. Here's a couple links I found on them with pictures and drawings of the 4 stages of English gunflints, pretty cool.


http://www.chippewanaturecenter.com/Oxbow/gunflints.htm

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119534039/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

 

[bsit1361]

Was told this was french flint. Had no idea what it was when I picked it up. Was also told it had heavy use.

 

[*Molly*]

Interesting thread.
Thanks guys...

Molly.

 

[Harry Pristis]

Here are two gunflints found in Florida:

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[Th3rty7]

Nice!! gunflints Thirty7,
In this older thread of Larson's, about 3/4 way down the page , i give a little info i got from a book by T.M. Hamilton "Eighteenth Century Gunflints from Fort Michilimackinac and other Colonial sites". I think the website of Mackinac Parks, might still have it for sale, it's about 280 pages, alot of it is spark tests, etc. which kinda puts me to sleep , but there's alot of good stuff in there and i think it's only about $18.
Generally the honey colored to browns are probably French , the blacks to grays British, but there's cross-overs of each also, so the way they're manufactured can help tell what type they are. I've been able to type the ones i've found but if the edges are real battered and missing, from being used on strike-a-lights it's tough(for me) to tell the 2 prismatic blade types apart.
The Native American made ones are extremely rare and the ones Hamilton pictures are all bifacially chipped.

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,319735.0.html

Appreciate the info j.brown, good stuff. I think I have one that's bifacially worked , probably Native American made, I found it in WV. I need to picture that piece and post it.

Thanks for the comments folks, and adding other examples.

 

[larson1951]

here are pictures of the only one i found
thirty7 you have a nice assortment, thanks for posting
this one looks an awful lot your dark one at the lower left on your first image
larson1951

 

[Jonzer]

I think I have found these and threw them back down not knowing what they were.
I hunt a couple of civil war sites and have found a few war time artifacts.
Now I'm mad at myself.

 

[Ohioan]

I found this french gunflint near the scioto. Only one I've ever found.

 

[truckinbutch]

I have two softball size nodules of grey English flint that I have not attempted to work until my grandson and I learn more about working flint .
The limited amount of reading I have done indicates that the grey English was much sought after
as gunflint material for it's spark and longevity .

 

[Th3rty7]

I have two softball size nodules of grey English flint that I have not attempted to work until my grandson and I learn more about working flint .
The limited amount of reading I have done indicates that the grey English was much sought after
as gunflint material for it's spark and longevity .

That stuff is really hard, I wouldn't recommend learning to knapp with it. It's really high grade but imo it's frustrating to work with.