I have a whole pile of worn out english flints and would like to learn how to napp them into usable condition again. I know very little other than that you should use a piece of antler for the striking tool. Any descriptions on how to do this would be helpful. Thanks
Chadr

Chadr,

There is a bunch of info on the web on how to properly knap flint. If you plan on using them in the same gun as you wore them out in, they are probably gonna be too short to reliably trip the frizzen.

I was in the same boat as you are in, I used to have a bunch of them too. I would put them in a vice and rap them on the end with the steel handle of a file. This would chip off small flakes from the end and I could get a couple more shots out of them. I would only use them for range practice.

Nowadays when a flint stops giving good spark, I just toss it over my right shoulder for good luck. It's just not worth the hassle when you can get new flints for about $2 each.

In preparation for a hunt, I install a new flint that I dry fire twice against the frizzen (no 4F in the pan and no charge in the barrel). This assures that you are getting good spark and that your flint doesn't have any major cracks in it. I've had new flints crack in half on the first shot.

My advice is to always keep an eye out for nice looking pre-knapped flints, and to buy them when you can.

Lotsa luck,
Z

There is a type of plier you can buy from places like Dixie Gun Works that is used to shape and to put a fresh edge on flints. It's much easier than preassure-flaking with an antler.

A cheap Harbor Freight diamond wheel in a Dremel is an excellent way of dressing dull flints......