So I'm getting into this whole muzzleloading thing..

I have a percussion Hawkens that I plan to hunt with, but I also have the same model in a flintlock that I haven't shot in quite some time. One of the reasons I put it down was frankly I would not reliably get an ignition from the flint. Now that I'm toying with the percussion I've picked up the flintlock and I'm trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong. The flints are sharp, and set securely in the vice....I don't always get a good spark shower...could it be the frizzen??? It really has not been shot enough (in my opinion) for the frizzen to have worn out. Is there some special way to "clean" the frizzen that I have not done? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Not getting a good spark shower can be flint shape ( affecting impact angle)
flint movement ( you have seemed to isolated that)
frizzen angle or movement,
Hammer spring strength (affecting impact speed),
poor quality flint,
Hammer impact angle( thus affecting flint impact angle)
frizzen surface,hardness(can be too soft)and irregularity/finish--


(Make sure then flash hole is clear once you start getting good sparks)

What have I forgotten------

This may not be your cure as you say it seems that you don't always get a consistent spark shower. But I was having ignition problems with my GPR and I drilled out the touch hole just a bit and totally solved my problems. I had received the info. for this from a reenactment group on the web, with some research you could find the info. as well. Sorry I don't remember what bit I used.

Again if the trouble is really with the quality of the spark, this isn't your fix.

Can you take a pic of the hammer forward with the flint just touching the frizzen?

Also, try taking a swipe with a file across the face of the frizzen to see how soft it is.

One way is to reharden your frizzen. Years ago there was a short mention of how to do it in Dixie's catalog. Another way that I know of that produces really good sparks is to reface the frizzen with a high carbon piece of steel and what I did was to solder a piece of hacksaw blade to the face. It still works and it's been a long time in use.

What brand of Flintlock do you have? What I have read is the touch hole should be 1/8" but no larger. I got most if my info from a Member with the handle of Roundball, but it may have been on another website.

I'd bet the farm it's your flint giving the problem...at least it was with my Pedersoli Mortimer. Also, make sure the frizzen is clean, dry and all traces of oil, lube or whatever rust repellent is removed.

I've been thinking it is my flint too. It's still sharp as a razor though...I'll try working with the Frizzen this weekend and see what comes of it....the rifle is a Cabelas Hawken

I set the flint so that it's not quite touching the frizzen at half cock. The flint needs to move not all unless the the jaw screw is deliberately loosened. Some locks like the flint upside down which gives it a little more time to scrape the frizzen. Flints are a variable, even the hand-knapped ones I get from Track. They can last anywhere from ten to 50 strikes before giving up the ghost. Most need to be touched up with a brass hammer from time to time while still in the cock. Hint: don't freshen the flint with steel while there's a prime in the pan or even a charge in the barrel. If you've never changed yours you're likely due. Like I said Track sells good ones http://www.trackofthewolf.com/...&subID=29&styleID=83

Steven, I finally found an old bookmark that I hope you'll find useful http://members.aye.net/~bspen/flintlockfaq.html
and another newer one for good measure http://www.chuckhawks.com/flintlocks.htm

The problem is a soft frizzen. Modern tool steel is the same all the way through the part if hardened right but a lot of parts are imported and soon wear to the soft part. You can NOT get a spark from soft steel.
Replace the frizzen or lock. Many cheap frizzens can not be hardened enough to last. Case hardening is short lived.

www.muzzleloadingforum.com Anything you want to know

Last thing is even with a sharp flint and a good hard frizzen is to make sure your priming powder hasn't migrated into the flash hole.

I was taught to sharply tip the rifle towards the lock to move the prime to the outboard side of the pan.

As it was explained to me the flash hole is for flash, not priming powder.

AD

Before I did anything major I would make sure my flint has a good edge, is secured with a pc. of leather or lead, is tight. Set it in the jaws where it will hit about 3/4 way up the frizzen and the edge of flint is as close to frizzen as possible and is still coming to rest about center of the pan on the down stroke. May require flint to be turned over to achieve this. Make sure the the frizzen spring, screws, hammer,,etc have plenty of oil.