Native made gun flints

[chase]

This was brought up in anther thread, as to weather they are scrapers verses Native made gun flints. In context Native;s did use local chert's to make gun flints. Both out of necessity and for an item that would not cost them in trade. They do resemble small scrapers and at one time that is what I categorized the ones pictured. But like anything Context is everything. These were found in a Ute encampment with many trade items littering the encampment. Even with this strong evidence of association a scraper cannot be ruled out. The fact that other artifacts of a older culture also being found on site. One factor I base these are flints and not scrapers is the gun parts of flintlock rifles. (Not many but enough) and the lack of trade gun flints....... Side note Most gun parts were from cap and ball or Henry double rim fire cartridge guns.

[Havenhunter]

When I get to Carolina this afternoon I'll try to find my photos of Colonial-era gun flints. Very cool! The gunsmiths in Colonial Williamsburg make them for their customers, and they have s collection of 18thc flints found on-site.

[SDhunter]

Thanks Chase. I need to find my small box of what I thought were gun flints. Mine don’t resemble scrapers at all. They are small square pieces of flint for the most part. Hopefully I can find them. They are more like the left and right one you pictured.

[Tam]

I did learn something from that other thread . I never knew this . Really only been studying what’s relative to me and the area . Bottom one to the far left still looks like a scrapper but of course I know nothing of this new knowledge thrown out there and I honestly would have to sit through a class lol to see how these fit into a gun .
Deb and I with a nice trip to the gun shop after lunch would do it .

[pkfrey]

Chase, I think the two upper left may be scrapers, or tools, ( hard to tell ), and the two lower right really look like Native gunflints made from local cherts. Here's one from a Historic site in Tx. It's Edwards chert, but the one edge is so crushed, it can only be a Native made gunflint. Most Native made gunflints will exhibit some degree of crushing on one edge.

[Kyflintguy]

Very informative post Chase! Those are a cool class of artifact, thanks for sharing!

[Hoss]

Thanks for sharing the information Chase.

[SDhunter]

The other side of these flints are most likely flat right? A lot of my scrapers have a curvature, like the one Greg showed. I have flat backed end scrapers as well. I assumed gun flints would be flatter, so they could better sit in the gun. This is conjecture, since I have never really looked close at an old flintlock rifle, to see what size and shape would work best. I also see use wear in the form of step fractures on the end of my scrapers. You wouldn’t see this on gun flints, but maybe more “crushing “ like Paul mentioned.

[chase]

Gary you are correct they are flat