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Alibates Flint
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Hivernant
posted
Hello all,
I was curious if any one had any experience with the alibates flint. It is abundant around my stomping grounds and was used by the local tribes for arrow heads and other tools. I was curious if it could be knapped into a good flint for a rifle. What do you think?
Thanks
 
Posts: 117 | Location: Texas Panhandle, North of the Canadian | Registered: 10 July 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of SCLoyalist
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I've seen other forums where alibates flint was mentioned as being used for fire strikers, so the stuff should throw a spark. If you can create a sharp edged spall that will fit in the jaws of your lock, you should be good to go. If you do give it a try, wearing gloves or using a leather pad to hold the rock would be prudent, and safety glasses especially so. I've experimented with making gunflints from Texas flint and think the flints produced cost me less and work at least as well as 'store bought' English flints, but my technique leaves a lot to be desired with respect to yield per pound of rock.

Good luck. SCL


Here's a health to the King and a lasting Peace. May Faction end and Wealth increase....Old Loyalist Ballad
 
Posts: 767 | Location: Panhandle Florida | Registered: 02 February 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
Picture of Dick
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It is certainly possible to use "native" flint or chert to make gunflints. Gunflint Lake on the border of Minnesota and Canada is one place where, apparently, this was done.
Some who knap native stone for arrowheads insist that heat-treating the stone in your kitchen range helps it knap better. I've not done this, and it's not necessary, but may be helpful.
Follow the safety advice above--you can damage your vision and cut your hands or legs.

Dick


"Est Deus in Nobis"
 
Posts: 2902 | Location: Helena, Montana | Registered: 10 December 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hivernant
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Thanks for the imput guys. Ill have to try and knapp some out. I have used it with my steel and it does seem shave good sparks. About heating it first, I had at one time several large chunks of the alibates flint for a fire ring in my tipi and was told by an old timer not to let it get hot as it would explode. Something to think about I guess.
 
Posts: 117 | Location: Texas Panhandle, North of the Canadian | Registered: 10 July 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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I had never heard of alibates flint. So, I googled it and got very little info. Apparently it is simply flint. No different except for color. Should be just fine for gunflints.
 
Posts: 1487 | Location: Mountain Home, Arkansas | Registered: 08 October 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of Deercop
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I've got some from up around Lake Meredith (above Amarillo,TX). It's striped, makes a real pretty arrowhead. I've used some as gunflints, and they work as well as any other flint.

The Alibates Flint Quarry Nat. Mon. is a worthwhile visit.
 
Posts: 649 | Location: Clovis, New Mexico | Registered: 21 March 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hivernant
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Thanks for the post guys. Yes Deercop, it is a nice visit if anyone is through this area. That and the Adobe Walls battle sites. Not a whole lot left to see there though. I never knew you were from Clovis Deercop. Not too far at all. I guess I never paid attention to the location while reading your posts.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bear Claw,
 
Posts: 117 | Location: Texas Panhandle, North of the Canadian | Registered: 10 July 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of Josh Crain
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What is Alibates Flint?


"Return unto me, and I will return unto you," saith the Lord of hosts.
~Malachi 3:7b
 
Posts: 297 | Location: MI | Registered: 18 August 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hivernant
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Alibates flint is just a type of flint that is kind of a two tone burgundy and grey strips. Its found locally here on the Canadian River in the Texas Panhandle. I lived here all my life and am still not sure of the name alibates or where they come up with it to name the flint. I've read that it had been found as far south as South America and even up north into Michigan. I assume traded by the Comanches and other local tribes. I find it all the time and its not uncommon at all to find arrow heads and scrappers knapped out of it by the Indians after a rain shower.
 
Posts: 117 | Location: Texas Panhandle, North of the Canadian | Registered: 10 July 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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Bear Claw, I keep meaning to get out to see the Adobe Walls Battle Site. I've got "The Life of Billy Dixon" by Olive Dixon, and "Adobe Walls, The History and Archaeology of the 1874 Trading Post" by Baker & Harrison, and did some research into Kit Carson's 1864 battle there for a college paper.
Pretty interesting country.
 
Posts: 649 | Location: Clovis, New Mexico | Registered: 21 March 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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Thanks Bear Claw!


"Return unto me, and I will return unto you," saith the Lord of hosts.
~Malachi 3:7b
 
Posts: 297 | Location: MI | Registered: 18 August 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hivernant
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Yeah Deercop, It's pretty interesting country. I think it has kind of a "young" history compared to the history of this great nation. I've read about both battles at adobe walls but I tend to be more interested in the 1864 battle. I like Kit Carson...even named my youngest boy after him. I like reading about the 1874 battle as well just that I have a hard time deciding what is fact vs fiction. You know how people like to spin stories. The Baker & Harrison one is an excellent book in my opinion.
 
Posts: 117 | Location: Texas Panhandle, North of the Canadian | Registered: 10 July 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
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Bear Claw: I knap, mostly obsidian since it is our local lithic material. Obsidian will make pretty gun flints, that produce good spark.....for about three shots. That said Alibates should make good gunflints. On the subject of cooking flint, it was done in the past, and is done today to make flint more easily knapped. A good way to tell if flint will knap raw, or needs cooking, is to compare ancient knapped tools with a piece of the same material that has not been knapped. If they both look the same, you can knap it raw. If, however the ancient tool is glossier, it was probably heat treated (cooked). BTW...do not heat treat rock in the oven...this may jeopardize being fed. If you do need to heat treat rock, use a turkey roaster from a thrift store.
Woody
 
Posts: 36 | Location: Wet side of Warshington | Registered: 30 April 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hivernant
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Great info Woodyrock. I appreciate it. I'll for sure heed your advice. I dang sure don't want to do anything to jeopardize being fed!
 
Posts: 117 | Location: Texas Panhandle, North of the Canadian | Registered: 10 July 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
Picture of roundball
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There's a good website about Alibates flint and the National Park built around it:

http://www.nps.gov/alfl/index.htm


Flintlock Rifles & Smoothbores
Hunt Like The Settlers
 
Posts: 1867 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: 28 January 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
Picture of Dick
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Yes, I knew Alibates Flint well. He was a hard, hard man. He died young, though, in a blaze of glory, cornered in a dry canyon in West Texas...
Oh. Never mind!
I scrounged up some local flint once, in Kansas, I think, but never got around to doing more than just a couple of efforts at knapping. Made an arrow point once, but it broke when my spouse vacuumed it up... I do remember using a crudely knapped flint in a rifle, and it worked fine but was too roughly shaped to hold an edge long. Obsidian is great for arrow points.

Dick


"Est Deus in Nobis"
 
Posts: 2902 | Location: Helena, Montana | Registered: 10 December 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hivernant
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Is English flint actually "English" imported in from Europe or is it native in the eastern United States? I guess that sounds ignorant but I was curious.
 
Posts: 117 | Location: Texas Panhandle, North of the Canadian | Registered: 10 July 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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Yes, Black English Flints are mined in England.
Also, FYI...there are French Amber Flints from France.


Flintlock Rifles & Smoothbores
Hunt Like The Settlers
 
Posts: 1867 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: 28 January 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
Picture of Woodyrock
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If you live anywhere near an old seaport, you can often find English flint on the beach. Sailing ships coming to North America often were laden with woolen goods, which was a light cargo thus needed ballast. That ballast often was flint, mostly smaller nodules than the flint knappers wanted. For the non production oriented knapper these smaller nodules will yield several good flints. The ballast was offloaded in deeper water, but some still washes ashore. divers can bring it up by the bucket truck load.
Woody
 
Posts: 36 | Location: Wet side of Warshington | Registered: 30 April 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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