Indian Tool or flintlock flint???

[DennADK]

Hey guys..I found this while out detecting last summer in the Lake George area.. As most of you probably know Lake George was a major battle ground during the French and Indian War.. The object has definitely been knapped and appears to be made of flint.. Does anyone have any idea if it was a rifle flint or if it was an Indian tool.. It appears to have been broken on one end which could have happened naturally or maybe it was broken to fit the rifle..Any info or input would be helpful..Thanks Dan!

 

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[redbeardrelics]

I am guessing an Indian tool. It looks like the size and shape that would have made a good gun flint, but does not appear to have been struck much for the spark, so could also have been a gun flint that wasn't used much. It looks to be a local flint material, and not the material commonly brought over by the French or English. Nice find either way.

 

[DennADK]

Thanks redbeardrelics !!! , I was leaning more towards that myself..I appreciate the input!!

 

[DennADK]

Would anyone know how to date this, Were the Indians still using stone in the late 1700's or is this older??

 

[Tony in SC]

It does kinda look like a scrapper. Tony

 

[BosnMate]

It's hard to say that it was never a gun flint, because some individual might have made a flint for himself. But it's not a manufactured gun flint, keeping in mind that a gun flint needs to be about the width of the jaws on the cock (hammer), because it has to clear the edge of the barrel when the gun is fired, and there is very little space to accomplish that. Here is a picture of what manufactured (knapped by a professional) flints look like, note they don't have the crescent shape of yours, which makes me think yours is more likely a scraper or knife.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

It's hard to say that it was never a gun flint, because some individual might have made a flint for himself. But it's not a manufactured gun flint, keeping in mind that a gun flint needs to be about the width of the jaws on the cock (hammer), because it has to clear the edge of the barrel when the gun is fired, and there is very little space to accomplish that. Here is a picture of what manufactured (knapped by a professional) flints look like, note they don't have the crescent shape of yours, which makes me think yours is more likely a scraper or knife.
View attachment 1085312

Very informative .

 

[DennADK]

I agree, that is very informative.. It seems the shape of mine would definitely not fit right in the jaws of the hammer because its too jagged on the flats. Thanks Bosnmate!!! When you hold it, It definitely fits your fingers as though it was meant for scraping tony in SC..

 

[coinman123]

I agree with Tony, it looks like a scrapper.

Coinman123,