Flint Question
 

All the flints I have for the TC 54cal renegade are about 27 years old never used I put a flint in the gun and adjusted it about 1/16 away at half cocked doesn't seem like like a lot of sparks do flints deteriorate over time or do you think I have one of the bad TC frizzens the gun is 27 years old but I only shot it twice back when I built it.

Flints need a good sharp edge to produce a lot of spark. That's why the old timers carried a little bitty hammer so they could chip them along the edge. So the flints may be dull. or, they could be set just a little too far back. set them a little closer and snap the hammer and see if you get more spark. If not, it is probably the edge. You can buy new flints for just a couple of bucks from:
http://www.buffaloarms.com/Muzzleloa....aspx?CAT=4786

I have the original frizzens on two of my T/C flintlocks, one of which I bought new in 1976. While I am not a competitive shooter, both of these rifles have fired a lot of rounds and the frizzens work just fine. I would look into getting some Tom Fuller hand-knapped English flints from TOW. I use the 6S 3/4" square size in my T/C locks... and they're only $1.65 ea. compared to the $9.12 for 4 as mentioned in the previous post.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/141/1

Adjust your flint so that it's square to the frizzen face and just shy of touching at half cock. Use a good piece of supple leather about 1/16" or so thick to grip the flint. You can also use two thickness' of a thinner leather to hold the flint, just make sure that you snug it down good in the jaws as you don't want the flint pushing back any when it strikes the frizzen. You should get good spark when set up in that manner. Stay away from the "manufactured" (ground) agate or quartz flints...as far as I'm concerned they're not worth the space they take up.

BPS

Flints don't go bad...What are you calling a flint??? I use Black English, not the packaged cut agate that T/C markets..

Does the rifle fire consistently? My locks do not produce a "shower of sparks" but they *almost* always go bang when I pull the trigger.

You can also use lead to hold your flints. I find lead holds a flint more rigidly than leather and therefore you get more sparks.

To use lead: flatten a round ball using a mallet or hammer. You want to pound the lead thin enough so you can wrap it around the flint with enough lead for the jaws of the c0ck to sink into. Trim off excess lead and be sure to check the travel of the c0ck you do not want lead scraping against your stock or barrel. When tightening the jaws perform an initial tighten. Wait a while and then tighten again: lead being a soft metal will conform its shape to the shape of the flint and sink into the grooves of the jaws.

And like BPS said don't bother with the manufactured flints the Black English flints work great.

Also, make sure your frizzen face is clean, and has no traces of oil on it.

I am of the habit of wiping the flint and frizzen with alcohol before a hunt or shoot. Then do not touch either with your fingers.

you may well have the older frizzen but they still work well. I would suspect oil on the face of the frizzen or a dull flint. Just wipe the face of the frizzen off with some alcohol and the edge of the flint also. Then try it. If no spark, flip the flint upside down and try it that way. Still no flint, perhaps try a new flint. I would not think the spring in the hammer is weak. I have a hawken with the old frizzen and it shoots fine.