After 30 years of shooting Muzzle loaders (Side Locks and inlines) I bought my first flinter.
The boss gave the ok and I ordered the Lyman Trade Rifle in .54.
From Rydon corp. $340.00 and free shipping.
Also ordered the RMC liner.
I Did all the precleaning and took it out to the range today. More or less just to get used to the ignition system.
2f down the pipe and 4f for the pan. This gun is a dream to shoot.
Between myself and two grandsons,we went through about 15 rounds shooting roundballs,greatplains,Buffalo Ballets and REALS. All did extremely well although We were only shooting about 35 yds.
The only problem I have is the grandsons want to know when theirs will arrive?
A couple of questions.
How often should you sharpen the flint? And what process is best?
What type of flints do you prefer and when do you change them?
Is there anything that I should be doing to the frizzen?
And how often would you replace it?
Thanks for any help and tips.

Until I came to this forum, and although I shot flinters for years, I never knapped my flints. When they got dull, I just replaced them. Now I get a lot more live out of my flints than before by knapping. The guys here told me an easy method.
With the flint in the c0ck (hammer) you just take a small blunt nail or punch and just catch the edge of the flint's edge and tap it with a small hammer or dowel. You just want to flake off the edge. And just move along the edge in small steps. Don't try to break off too much or you will break the flint.
I like to use english flints as they give me the best spark.
As for the frizzen, it takes a long time to wear one out. Just try not to get oil on it when you clean your rifle. If you do, degrease it with alcohol or something similar. Oil may cause it not to spark like it should and will do the same to a flint.

The rifle came with an agate. You do not sharpen them although I have always been tempted to hit them with a diamond wheel and see if I can get a few more shots off it. When the agate wears out, you go to Thomas Fuller Black English Flints. You will know when they need to be knapped when they stop sparking.

The best way to knapp is set the hammer on half c0ck. Then with a striker set at the edge of the flint chip the edge off and sharpen it. A very small flake will come off. Sometimes you don't even see it. But touch the edge and you will feel it. If it just will not sharpen, flip it over in the jaws and try that. Or change it out. I average around 30-40 sparks per flint.

The frizzen will soften with use, but your talking thousands of shots. You can harden the frizzen with kasonite and a torch, but I have never done it. I've shot my Trade Rifle for many years and the frizzen is still fine. You will tell when the frizzen is going back because the flints will start cutting deep into it. As long as it sparks.. keep shooting.

My .54 trade rifle likes 90 grains of 2f black powder and a .530 patched ball.

I buy my flints from a fellow on "The MuzzleLoading Forum" by the name Of Rich Pierce. He will make and sell you a dozen for about $15. Heck he will even ship them to you, and let you inspect them before you pay them. He makes a very good flint.

Normally I just took the back edge of a folding knife and tapped it against the flint to sharpen the edge of the flint. You just need a good jagged edge for a good spark. When that stops just change the flint. And they are cheap enough so that if you have any doubt just change it.

The angle of the flint is almost as important as how jagged the edge is. You want a good angle, and you want the entire flint from left to right to strike the frizzen. That will give you a good spark shower.

I clean the frizzen with brake cleaner.

Good luck to you. Fellow West Virginian!! Tom.