|  | |  | | | Three Gunflints | | | These three gunflints represent the types of gunflints found at Los Adaes. The first gunflint is called a spall type gunflint, because it was made from a large flake or spall knocked off a nodule of flint. This is the easiest type of gunflint to make, but it is not the most efficient use of flint. The second gunflint is called a blade type gunflint because it is made from a blade or long rectangular flake struck from a flint core. It is possible to make more blade gunflints from a flint nodule than it is to make spall gunflints. The blade gunflint made of the honey colored flint is commonly associated with the French. The blade gunflint made from the dark colored flint is commonly associated with the British. Blade and spall gunflints made from honey colored flint are common at Los Adaes, while blade gunflints made of dark colored flint are rare at Los Adaes. Flint or chert from the Americas was also used for gunflints at Los Adaes. The dimensions of the gunflints, left to right are: 2.56 x 3.10 cm, 2.56 x 3.20 cm, and 2.79 x 2.07 cm. | | Photo credit: Don Sepulvado
Source: Williamson Museum, Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, Louisiana | |
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