Lock of a Black
Powder
flintlock pistol
A view of a Black Powder flintlock, taken from the gun facing side showing the mechanism. The flint is shown in contact with the frizzen from which it strikes the sparks necessary for ignition when the trigger is pulled. This lock is a genuinely old one, not a reproduction. Note that the flint is held in the jaws of the hammer cushioned by a piece of soft material (cloth, or leather), this is necessary to avoid shattering it when the jaws of the grip are tightened and to provide a degree of cushioning when striking the frizzen.
