Flint hunting disappointment

Q

Quirt

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Oct 10, 2005
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Well I traveled out of state for work in Montana. I stopped at Flint Creek to find some flint. Well it was a dismal failure. I did find some granite and Quartz. I do not live where flint is found so I have no clue what I'm looking for.

Who here can perhaps provide me and others with a simple tuitoral for my next work trip? I'd really like to have a few pieces I found for future fire starters. Thx.
 
google is your friend.

never been to Montana, but its just my guess that there isn't a spot that hasn't been surveyed by the USGS, google the maps, it'll be marked.

or all the archeology maps that have been done, should have quarry sites marked.

 I'm not a geologist, and I'm not sure but I don't think a geologist could predict exactly where to find a flint outcrop, may or should be able to tell you an area, but I would think that would be it.

the flint on top is going to be freeze fractured and worthless, except for maybe strikers. gonna have to do a bit of digging to get to better flint in Montana, is my guess.

I have a bit of experience with this, take multiple pairs of leather work gloves, don't go crazy on the price, they'll be trashed after you get done.

an old truck or car leaf spring works great as a pry bar to get between the plates.

safety glasses and a small sledge, and a heavy spud bar and a large copper baton for spawling the large pieces as you get them out to lighten the load.

several 5/five gallon buckets, when you think you have enough add a few more, just in case.

a 5/five gallon bucket of flint, 75-100 Lbs. depends on how small the pieces. strikers--upper end, large blades-- lower end.

have fun.
 
Spent a few hrs at Flint Ridge area in Ohio 2 wks ago.. Came home with 2 buckets!!! And could have had a dump truck load if we wanted!!! John
 
For fire starting, I assume you mean the traditional flint & steel method where you knock off a weak orange spark from a piece of metal with a hard piece of rock.

If so, quart actually does work, but other rock, like flint does work better. And in terms of what you are looking for, it doesn't have to be actual flint. It could be chert, jasper, or any rock really that has high glass content. I usually bang rocks together and listen. The higher the pitch, the more glass content, thus the better potential for flint striker, cutting edge, or even a knappable piece of rock. Here is one way to make the sharp edges you are looking for...

[video=youtube;77TucCtMDy8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77TucCtMDy8[/video]
 
Thanks guys. I have access to a lot of high quality Quartz, agate and jasper. I use them from traditional flint n steel fires. I also have access to obsidian for arrow heads, knife blades, etc. I was in Montana for work and passed flint creek and attempted, unsuccessful, to procure some actual chert or flint for my fire kit. I had no clue where to look or even what to look for. Just seeking some guidance is all.
 
Just stop by a rock shop at this point. What's in a name, Flint Creek, eh? Obsidian, chert, flint etc work. My sister's cat is named Flint. If you want to find some flint there just look in the litter box. :D

Flint is just chert that has some iron oxide in it as I recall.
 
True flint occurs as nodules within chalk formations. There could be some in North America but I've never seen it and don't know where to look.

The material generally referred to as "flint" is usually some sort of chert. The Flint Hills of Kansas should be called Chert Hills, for example. ;)
Jasper and agate are types of chert. I think flint is technically a type of chert as well. Novaculite is a particularly fine type of chert, common in parts of Arkansas and known for both prehistoric tool-making and knife sharpening stones.

Chert occurs in bedded layers and can vary from a really fine material to some pretty poor crumbly rock. It's really common, and I can't believe you couldn't find any in a place called Flint Creek. I'm not at all surprised you couldn't find any true flint though. :)
Aside from bedded layers and quarries, prehistoric people often sourced chert and other materials from secondary deposits such as conglomerate rock layers and riverbed cobbles.

An interesting bit, some types of chert are rare and local-specific. This makes it possible to source some artifact materials back to a particular bluff or outcrop. Find a prehistoric tool made of Pitkin Chert (for example) and see how far that material traveled or was traded. Very cool!
 
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