92 



FLINT AND ITS APPLICATIONS. 



France, Canada, Denmark, and other nations, have also their flinty- 

 relics ; whilst stone implements of war and husbandry are commonly 

 used by the aboriginals of Australia, New Zealand, &c. 



The celebrated " eagle-stones" to which such marvellous therapeutic 

 virtues were attributed by our forefathers, were likewise flinty formations 

 around organic matter. It appears also that the instrument with which the 

 people of Israel performed the rite of circumcision was formed of a flint, 

 a wound from which might prove less dangerous than if given with the 

 bronze weapons common in those early times. 



Next in order to the appropriation of flint for spear-heads and arrow- 

 points by our ancestors and other nations of antiquity, we have the 

 venerable tinder-box, with which the good housewife kindled both light 

 and fire not many years ago. For the benefit of younger readers of 

 the Technologist, I may state that a tinder-box consisted of a round tin 

 box, about 4 or 5 inches in diameter, and 2 inches thick, containing a piece 

 of iron, usually in the shape of a common magnet, a flint, and some tinder 

 (burnt rags). Upon striking the flint with the iron, the concussion set 

 free a quantity of sparks, which falling upon the inflammable tinder, were 

 quickly and easily fanned by the breath into a flame. Lucifer-matches 

 have long since superseded this primitive method. 



The most important application of flint came into existence with the 

 invention of gunpowder ; and until the modern substitution of percussion- 

 caps, flint was the agent employed for producing the sparks which exploded 

 all fire-arms. Gun-flints are small square pieces of flint, with sharp edges ; 

 and the yellowish-grey varieties are those most esteemed for the purpose. 



1 Quartering Hammer. 



2 Flaking Hammer. 



3 Knapping Hammer. 



4 Solid Iron Stake. 



The English method of manufacturing gun-flints is based upon the 

 natural cleavage of the stone ; and not only is much labour thereby saved, 

 but a superior article consequently produced ; the flints having a smooth 



