When I first started in Flintlocks, this whole issue of "knapping" was intimidating just because of it's name...a word I knew nothing about and immediately assumed it was some sort of mythical skill that only the most astute could learn in a lifetime.
Well, as it turns out, IMO, knapping a gun flint is the simpliest thing in the world...childs play really...the problem is since we don't know what in the heck is meant by the term 'knapping', we can't even begin to fathom how to do it and subsequently we build it up in our minds that it must be some big special deal...but once you see it or figure it out, you'll be red-faced like I was it's so simple: tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.
Any / all knapping I have to do is always at the range, or in the garage before leaving for a day's hunt as follows:
At the range I just use the stainless shaft on my short starter every 12-15 shots, or better yet, just flip the flint over in the jaws and they tend to 'self-knapp' themselves that way;
In the garage I use a 6" brass rod the size of a wooden pencil;
If I ever have to knapp a flint while hunting...and so far I never have...I'll just use the back edge of my belt knife.
The way I knapp is to just make 4-5 very light little "tap-tap-tap-tap-taps" down across the edge and it's good to go...very light little pecks really...just need to cause tiny scallop shaped flakes of flint to flake off the UNDERSIDE of the flint's edge...only takes 10-15 seconds.
