So I am at the range today, putting ol' Betsy through her paces with some conicals. The flint I had was starting to wear down. So I figured, I'll just give it a rap with the small hammerin my flintlock tool kit, leaving the flint in the rifle the way Roundball suggested.

To my amazement, the darnflint just about disintigrated!

I guess the "trick" to successful knapping is to leave the fint in the jaws of the cock.

Prior to this, I would hold the flint in my fingers. I guess they acted as enough of a shock absorber so the flint wouldn't flake when struck with the above mentioned hammer.

But it sure did when left in the cock!

Thanks again to all who posted suggestions to help with my knapping problems. Now I just need to learn to use a very lite touch when hammering.

~Robert
PS: The October Country Black English flints arrived today. I wasn't planning on going to the range tomorrow. But the flints are just lying there, almost begging to strike some steel...

I know exactly how you feel...

try just flipping flint around at about 10 shots or so. bevel up/down.i sometimes just hold frizzen and let the hammer down and push against the frizzen with flint.i dont think i ever tap my flints,i just flip em until to small to hold.secret is to have flint flat and not that hunchback on it. thats were mizzy wheel as rb and cayugug comes in real handy.