harden a frizzen

Can one of you guys tell me how to re-harden the surface of a frizzen? I'd like to try it once one of mine wears out.

I would like to see this done as well

tag for future. waiting to get a torch and will be doing 2 frizzens. can and will post pictures.

I watched that video and that seems like a lot of work and I didn't see much spark at the end of the video. After I posted this thread I watched a couple other videos and they used MAP torch and case hardening powder and got a lot of spark when done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTIXGl_3li8

that is what has been holding me up. don't have acetylene torch, and am out of MAP and Propane.
going to town today and if i can remember(doubtful) i will get some.
my TC frizzen just throws minimal spark and i can scratch it with a file. will try it and try to document. have the chemicals from totw.

It it forged frizzen or cast? Makes a huge difference.

I use Lyman frizzens on my T/C. A little mod to narrow the pivot point and it fits perfectly and I get better spark than a TC frizzen

almost certain it is a cast frizzen. though right now i'm not sure of my name. spent all day in town. beats me worse than 2 days splitting wood!
i have been looking at those lyman replacements. trouble is i am addicted to fixit. if for some reason i fixit too good ( like break it) i will get one of those Lymans. the gun shoots too good to leave it sit because of poor ignition.
my main problem is i have been on a building spree and can't shoot all of them. should sell a couple i guess....




NAW!

deerstalkert wrote:almost certain it is a cast frizzen. though right now i'm not sure of my name. spent all day in town. beats me worse than 2 days splitting wood!
i have been looking at those lyman replacements. trouble is i am addicted to fixit. if for some reason i fixit too good ( like break it) i will get one of those Lymans. the gun shoots too good to leave it sit because of poor ignition.
my main problem is i have been on a building spree and can't shoot all of them. should sell a couple i guess....




NAW!

Hey Deerstalkert, We should get together and make some Smoke, We live close enough  I would REALLY Like to learn how to Shoot a Flintlock, This is something i have yet to do

Not much to it Lewis. Its mostly all mechanical. Two of the most important items in shooting a flinter are the location of the touch hole and the tuning of the lock. I've been ucky with my TC lock. It works perfectly and is the fastest lock I've ever had on a rifle (I think I've owned about 5 in my lifetime). Ignition is as fast as a caplock.

that would be cool Lewis!
I have a TC Hawken, a Pedersoli Mortimer, a southern mountain rifle and am right in the middle of another flintlock build.
the TC has a GM barrel on it in 50 right now but i have a .45 barrel for it too. with the GM barrel it sings.this was 10 shots at 50 yards sitting at a bench without rests, just elbows.

the Mortimer has the best lock and shoots great, just a little heavy.
the smr is a .32 with a GR Douglas barrel. it has that cobbled up tang sight i made on it and still shoots better than me!
this new one i am building is.......... well........ might be....... i suppose it is just going to be a deerstalker's grouse shooter special. really don't know what school it falls into, maybe none.
i have a stock blank and Douglas barrel circling north Idaho via FedEX. was supposed to be delivered 1/21/2022 and has been in Ponderay since that date. need to finish a couple before i get to that one if it is not matchsticks when it gets here. hope not, its a curly maple grade 4. should be stunning when done.

hardened the frizzen on my halfstock build last night. hole in my operation was i forgot to record it with my phone.
still wasn't sparking the way i wanted so i reheated it and bent the frizzen to a slight curve. sparked better so i reheated it and hardened again. sparks better but the frizzen spring is weak.
have another frizzen from my TC Hawken that is starting to look like a rototiller has been run up and down it. going to harden it with the same method.
I use totw's hardening sand. polish the face to a shine. i clamp my frizzen in some surgical forceps' below the frizzen face to act as a heat sink. helps protect the pivot.
heat the frizzen to cherry and sprinkle the sand on while keeping the frizzen red from below.
let the sand melt and bubble for a couple minutes minimum. keeping the frizzen a dull red.
after 2 minutes min. dunk in HOT water and swish in a figure eight motion until it stops steaming. let air cool and polish with fine emory cloth.
from no spark to good spark so i guess it worked.

ok. i finally got around to hardening the frizzen on my TC Hawken.
no comments please on the disarray of my work space or my skills at cinematography.
well i can't seem to post the mp4 of the process here. will try doing it on youtube then here.

Just got my latest NMLRA Mag. today and there’s a nice article on this subject.