Author Topic: texas flint (Read 3284 times)

S.C. hunter · « **on:** January 22, 2018, 04:40:00 pm »

Hey guys,
I purchased a box of flint, it's been several years ago. I got out a chunk, and was going to try and knock off something to knap. This stuff is so hard, I cant hardly break it even with a steel hammer. just break off small pieces.
Is there anything that can be done to soften this up? Or make it flake?

Thanks
Steve

Zuma · « **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2018, 05:36:05 pm »

How about some pictures. Many TX cherts can be heat treated.

Zuma

S.C. hunter · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2018, 06:07:28 pm »

Zuma,
This is still just rocks right now, can I heat treat them? I was thinking you broke up larger rocks, and treated the smaller pieces?
Steve

JEB · « **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2018, 06:44:32 pm »

Sounds you have some river cobble that is used in the landscape industry and yes some of that stuff is as hard as steel. Heat may tame it. When we go there in March I don't mess with that stuff.

bjrogg · « **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2018, 07:12:08 pm »

Jeb or Zuma, I was always wondering the same thing S. C. Hunter asked. Can you cook large stones? I thought I read somewhere not to cook anything of inch thick.
Bjrogg

Chippintuff · « **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2018, 08:57:24 pm »

I live where that is the primary knappable rock. I chip a lot of that Texas River Gravel. Some if it is premium, but what is available around here is tough as nails. I have to slice it and then cook it before it is reasonably chippable, then a lot of it is very good, and the colors are super. Of course that involves using a rock saw. Most people are not equipped for that.

If you cook those rocks whole, there will probably not be a one that survives. They fracture to little pieces if they have much thickness when heat is applied.

If you want to heat them, there are several ways to do it, but the easiest is using a $25 turkey roaster. If you are interested, I can tell you how to do it, but remember that they need to be thinned by spalling or sawing before heat is applied, else you wind up with lots of little fragile pieces of sharp rock that is worthless.

WA

Tower · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2018, 10:01:02 pm »

If you have a roaster start at 200* for 24 hrs. Then increase it 50* every 5 hours until you get to about 375-400* hold it for about 8-12 hours then unplug it. Let it cool a day. Any large cobble should slick right up & turn to candy. Large cobbles will treat. You just have to take it slowly. I will add if you have any rootbeer don't take it past 350*. It will craze.
Just my opinion.
Tower

Zuma · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2018, 10:46:03 pm »

A pic of the rocks and chips you have can only help in identification.
Many can tell what you have just by the cortex (rind)
BJ I am sure tower answered your question. But if they are chert
they will spall or at least split with the correct persuasion.
Zuma

bjrogg · « **Reply #8 on:** January 23, 2018, 06:01:43 am »

Thanks everyone I'm pretty sure that's what S.C. Hunter was looking for to.
Bjrogg

S.C. hunter · « **Reply #9 on:** January 23, 2018, 11:03:25 am »

Thanks everyone,
I guess I need to find a rock saw. Otherwise I guess I just bought a box of useless rocks, LOL

paulc · « **Reply #10 on:** January 23, 2018, 04:03:59 pm »

If they are useless go ahead and cook them. Money is already spent....

JW_Halverson · « **Reply #11 on:** January 23, 2018, 07:48:54 pm »

Wow! Did I just see a reply from the elusive Tower? LOL!

Don't give up on it until the pieces are too small to hold! A couple of the best and finest gunflints I have ever had the pleasure to tighten down in the locks of my flintlocks was Texas concrete looking crap. Ugliest gunflints, too! And they were square, with all four sides good enough to draw snap-crackling hot sparks. I have one left and it resides in a Zales diamond engagement ring box on my desk. I only take it out for when I can draw a muzzleloader tag!

Even if you can't get anything out of it, you burn off calories and frustration! Good luck!

Hawkdancer · « **Reply #12 on:** January 23, 2018, 11:28:38 pm »

Those sound like the kind of gunflints I need! Even have a couple empty ring boxes to keep 'em in! I did manage to score a big bag of good English flints, I'm still work with them.

Hawkdancer

Sasquatch · « **Reply #13 on:** February 01, 2018, 09:36:25 am »

Quote from: Tower on January 22, 2018, 10:01:02 pm

If you have a roaster start at 200* for 24 hrs. Then increase it 50* every 5 hours until you get to about 375-400* hold it for about 8-12 hours then unplug it. Let it cool a day. Any large cobble should slick right up & turn to candy. Large cobbles will treat. You just have to take it slowly. I will add if you have any rootbeer don't take it past 350*. It will craze.
Just my opinion.
Tower

Tower knows how to cook some stone! I saw him turn a piece of concrete into an opal one time.

Primitive Archer