exentding life of flint

[pilgrim]

    The September/October issue of MUZZLELOADER Magazine has a interesting article concerning flints breaking, sometimes after the first stike to frizzen. Frank Twist, the autor of the article,Frizzen Bounce Back,  states that on some flint locks the frizzen when struck by the flint bounces back and strikes the flint, causing the flint to break.  I checked one flint lock so far that breaks flints.  It is the Jukar .45 flint pistol that sold "AS IS" at recent gun fair.  I replaced the wash board frizzen with a Traditions frizzen and put in a new flint.  Dry fired the lock atleast a dozen times.  Had very good spark, BUT noticed  that the upper jaw of hammer has a tiny shiny spot.  Checked the mark in relation to the frizzen in bounce back and it is a MATCH.  I did as Frank Twist said and moved flint leather forward to buffer flint in case frizzen should strike flint.  I learn alot from members of this site and some don't get the Muzzleloader mag, I hope this helps someone solve the problem of broken flints.  I read a post by voy, he had the same problem.  Also according to Rich Pierce, sometimes, the flint needs a sharper angle cut on flint to prevent breakage.   Hope this helps,      Alot of interesting articles in that magazine.