Probably the wrong forum, but...

[yakker]

Having looked up these things, there doesn't seem to be a forum for such things. They mostly land here as people find them thinking they're maybe worked N.A. stone- only to find that they're actually gun flints! Maybe they should be in the Rev. War forum... But not in 'Relics'- as they're not detected by metal detecting. (Maybe there should be an 'American Mudlarking' forum here...?

I went back up the Maryland to check on my house (still for sale), and went out to one of my favorite spots- which has options for long walks and very short 'look-see's'. Having just twisted the he!! out of my ankle, I opted for the nearest spot, hoping something might have washed out or in while I was in VA. I didn't see an flakes or points, but after a cold and windy search, I did find a nice little- and nearly exhausted French gun flint! So here it is, along with my growing collection of these cool little items! Thanks for looking- and HH all Yakker



from a hunt just before I moved- very weathered...



and the rest...



Cheers

 

[timekiller]

Nice Yakker,I"ve picked up a few myself.
Take Care,
Pete,

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

Great flint collections guy's ! I might have 4 or 5 I have stumbled upon in Jersey , lost count , Always a Welcome find for sure .

 

[yakker]

Hey TK and CDM- thanks! TK- I'm looking at the one in your frame- 2nd from left, bottom row. It looks a bit like one of mine, and because the material was so unusual, I kind of dismissed it as one of those 'I don't know what the heck it is' things. In my pics- it's in the group photo at about 1 o'clock. Pyramid-shaped, but grey/blue/white. Not at all like the grey English flints- or the French honey-colored ones. It's been a head-scratcher for me. (nice collection, BTW!!)Yakker

 

[timekiller]

Hey TK and CDM- thanks! TK- I'm looking at the one in your frame- 2nd from left, bottom row. It looks a bit like one of mine, and because the material was so unusual, I kind of dismissed it as one of those 'I don't know what the heck it is' things. In my pics- it's in the group photo at about 1 o'clock. Pyramid-shaped, but grey/blue/white. Not at all like the grey English flints- or the French honey-colored ones. It's been a head-scratcher for me. (nice collection, BTW!!)Yakker

My shot turned out dark didn't it, anyway here's the one you speak of looks better with some light on it. I believe yours is a gun flint as well,I'd would put it with them if it was me.

 

[yakker]

oops- didn't I say 2nd from left-- it was a blue/grey pyramid-shaped piece, next to a little scrap of something on the side where the other artifacts are... I think you got the one on the right? Yak

 

[timekiller]

oops- didn't I say 2nd from left-- it was a blue/grey pyramid-shaped piece, next to a little scrap of something on the side where the other artifacts are... I think you got the one on the right? Yak

You did,& I'm back & forth from site to site on the net this morning.Yes that one for sure is in your hand & is just like mine Yakker.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Nice looking Gun Flints guys. Here's a few I have. Not personal finds though. These are all from the same site in upper New York. The honey colored ones are French and the darker ones are English.

 

[yakker]

Sweet flints Grim! Thanks

 

[timekiller]

Some more of those types blue/grey flints I've found on these mixed colonial/native American sites.And some chunks of other flints.

 

[timekiller]

other...

 

[unclemac]

would those poor quality flints be native made?.....certainly American, but what did Indians do for new flints if they couldn't or didn't trade for them?

 

[timekiller]

Yes unclemac, I would consider them likely native made. And could also be from colonials as well that had to do what they could in times of need. As the sites I hunt like this are stretched out along the river systems here. And being some of the first to settle I'm sure they might had needed some in between shipments.

 

[NCPeaches]

Those are cool! Thanks guys for sharing the pics of them because I would never had known what they were or looked like. I love this forum and have learned so much in the last year and a half I've been on here. Thanks again! HH

 

[rock]

Ive found a few here in N GA.

 

[GatorBoy]

The only blue ones I have ever found have been on sites with Native American artifacts.. And usually have a kind of pyramid or pillow shape

 

[GatorBoy]

 

[unclemac]

So with gun technology constantly changing....what is the date range for gun flints, when would we expect them to disappear from the record.

 

[GatorBoy]

For the most part around the time of the introduction of percussion caps just before the Civil War

 

[timekiller]

I think it should be noted that not all these flints were used in muskets.Some were used just for lighting fires.More on that in the links below.They were called strick -a- lights
Ephraim Sprague House - Crafts
Thomas Daniels Site - Crafts