On Gunflint Manufacture in Germany

Abstract

In six chapters the author describes the history of German gunflint manufacture. The first four short chapters on the ‘Dinkelberg', ‘Electorate of Hannover', ‘Prussia', and ‘Cut gunflints', follow more or less detailed reports on possible local gunflint production in the regions concerned. In chapter five the question of the enigmatic gunflint production on the Island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea, mentioned in passing by a German geologist in 1933, is followed in greater detail. The author concludes that, most likely sometime between 1835 and 1839, the Prussian Military seems to have made an experiment on working Rügen flint into gunflints. The operation was terminated in consequence to the advent of the percussion lock, making gunflints obsolete. A hypothetical local “small scale” gunflint production on Rügen for “civilian use”, mentioned by other authors in 2003, is rejected. The last chapter is dedicated to Germany's one and only veritable gunflint factory in Burglengenfeld, Bavaria. Between 1794 and 1808 regional Jurassic chert was mined, and knapped into gunflints, destined for civilian markets as well as the Bavarian Military.