Albanian Tanchika

[Bob A]

The most elegant flintlock I've ever seen. Congratulations on your find.

[Treeslicer]

IMHO, the frizzen doesn't show any signs of having been used. Does this weapon look unfired to anyone else?

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Treeslicer

IMHO, the frizzen doesn't show any signs of having been used. Does this weapon look unfired to anyone else?

Rick's original preamble above suggests that it HAS been fired, but not often. The frizzen would not show wear after a few uses as flint, whilst hard, is not as hard as iron/steel. Either way it is an absolutely top notch example of a Tanchika.
Stu

[Treeslicer]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Rick's original preamble above suggests that it HAS been fired, but not often. The frizzen would not show wear after a few uses as flint, whilst hard, is not as hard as iron/steel. Either way it is an absolutely top notch example of a Tanchika.
Stu

Not wanting to start any controversy, but quartz (flint is a microcrystalline form of quartz) is harder than steel. Siliceous stones are commonly used to sharpen swords. Flintlocks work by using the sharp edge of the flint to slice away extremely tiny slivers of the steel frizzen, and set them on fire by impact/friction heating, making sparks of burning iron. This is why frizzens wear out through use. I've owned enough flintlocks to know that any "clatch" leaves scratches and other marks. A "habitant" like myself will get right nasty if a visiting "whuffo" attempts to dry fire one of our pieces at a rendezvous or other re-enactment.

Wasn't saying anything bad about the firearm, just saying it looks unused. A right pretty piece.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Treeslicer

Not wanting to start any controversy, but quartz (flint is a microcrystalline form of quartz) is harder than steel. Siliceous stones are commonly used to sharpen swords. Flintlocks work by using the sharp edge of the flint to slice away extremely tiny slivers of the steel frizzen, and set them on fire by impact/friction heating, making sparks of burning iron. This is why frizzens wear out through use. I've owned enough flintlocks to know that any "clatch" leaves scratches and other marks. A "habitant" like myself will get right nasty if a visiting "whuffo" attempts to dry fire one of our pieces at a rendezous or other re-enactment.

Wasn't saying anything bad about the firearm, just saying it looks unused. A right pretty piece.

I stand corrected. Just goes to show that we are all still learning. I had always understood that steel/iron was harder than flint, and it was the flint which sparked rather than the steel/iron.

[Treeslicer]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

I stand corrected. Just goes to show that we are all still learning. I had always understood that steel/iron was harder than flint, and it was the flint which sparked rather than the steel/iron.

Yup, always learning something. I think some confusion arises from the common term "flint" used for the pyrophoric rare-earth ferrocerium alloys used to make the sacrificial sparking elements in cigarette and other lighters. That substance (being relatively soft) is shaved away by the steel part of the lighter, and catches fire to make sparks.

I've wasted some time occasionally trying to use ferrocerium (scavenged from a survival-kit firelighter) in flintlock ignition, using the frizzen as the striker, so to speak, but the stuff is too frangible to withstand impact. Might work in a wheellock, though.

[Treeslicer]

Rick-

Is that barrel welded Damascus like it looks in the photos?