Revolutionary War Flint Carrier, with flint and patch (SOLD)

This is an item you seldom come across; it is Revolutionary War Flint Case. It is made of horn with tiny tacks and measures 2 ¾” x 2 ¼” x ½”. Inside are two flints and an original cloth patch (the cloth held the flints inside).               

British troops received their supply of musket flints in a small 70-pound cask (called a half barrel) which contained two thousand of the napped stones.

Traditionally, the flint was held in the flintlock cock jaws (see pictures), cushioned by a small piece of cloth, leather or even by a small lead sheet. Some soldiers would use the same flint between twenty and thirty firings before deteriorating or splitting. In 1789 British regulations recommended that soldiers change the flint after 15 – 18 shots.

Each soldier, therefore, was expected to carry spare flints along with powder and balls. I acquired this piece a while back from a longtime French & Indian and Revolutionary War collector. It is well worn with scratches, but amazingly no cracks.