Flintlock Chronology, 1610's to 1720's

Marcus den toom · 15th March 2014, 08:34 PM

A note from the author: I made this chronology on flintlocks not as an expert on them, so i hope my attempt to portray an accurate timeline has succeeded within the margins of acceptable error.
I based my findings mainly on the shape of the dog since this, in my view, is the most characteristic part on a flintlock and endures the best noticeable change during the ages. My study focuses on the period from 1610 to about 1720 and uses mostly French locks. I apologize for the many animal like names I use for describing the shapes of the ‘dog’.

I made several drawings to portray the time line from 1610 to 1660’s

My findings are that the flintlock mechanism as we know it appeared first in about 1610 in France. King Henry the IV stepped down in 1610 and Louis the XIII came to power.
-1610’s The first flintlocks seem to be of flat iron, with a long slightly curved neck and a bulky ‘head’ in which the flint is held.

-1620’s I couldn’t find any pictures of this decade but when comparing the ‘1610’ and ‘1630’ I would say that the base of the dog got wider and the neck shorter

-1630’s I own a dated detached flintlock mechanism from the French region of Burgundy (1636, see thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18230). The dog is still flat and the base of the neck is wider (still round) and the neck is even shorter and gets a little ‘toe’ on the right side which will later on develop to a half circle toward the ‘head’ of the dog. The bulky ‘head’ remains, but develops a duck beak shape (see pictures).

-1640’s The neck now starts from about the middle of the base circle and starts to develop the swan neck shaped dog. The ‘toe’ has merged into an almost circle which now almost touche the ‘head’ .

-1650’s The swan neck becomes more noticeable and the duck beak becomes less broad.

-1660’s The dog is in the early 1660’s still flat but will become rounded during the later years of this decade. The circle shape is fully completed but will disappears when the rounded dog comes into fashion. The ‘head’ is less bulky and becomes also rounded. As far as I can see, the beak will become oval or circle like.

-1670’s The rounded dog becomes even more elegant with its swan neck already over its peak. From thus forth the neck will become even less swirly and more S-shaped. The beak is slimmer and rounded.

-1680’s I don’t have an example for this period but comparing the ‘1670’ and ‘1690’ I would say the the dog becomes more like an S shape and the base also gets fuller.

-1690’s The S shape is now fully adapted and the base is fuller, the upper part of the neck develops an edge/ridge (not fully rounded anymore). The lock plate starts to develop the well know ‘banana’ shape.

-1700’s At the end of the 1690’s and around 1700’s the dog becomes flat again. The before mentioned ridge is more noticeable, but will soon vanish again. The flat dog still retains a rounded or shallow edge. The lock plate is even more curved (banana shape).

-1710’s I own a flintlock gun made by Jean Nouf Cour, a French arms maker. It shows a flat S shaped neck and the ridge has now retreated to the ‘head’ section only.

-1720’s The ridge is completely gone and the dog is flat again. The S shape is getting less apparent and becomes straighter from this point on. The lockplate also becomes less curved.

1610’s lock

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1630’s lock (1636) notice the bulky duck ‘beak’

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15th March 2014, 08:34 PM	#1
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 525	Flintlock Chronology, 1610's to 1720's A note from the author: I made this chronology on flintlocks not as an expert on them, so i hope my attempt to portray an accurate timeline has succeeded within the margins of acceptable error. I based my findings mainly on the shape of the dog since this, in my view, is the most characteristic part on a flintlock and endures the best noticeable change during the ages. My study focuses on the period from 1610 to about 1720 and uses mostly French locks. I apologize for the many animal like names I use for describing the shapes of the ‘dog’. I made several drawings to portray the time line from 1610 to 1660’s My findings are that the flintlock mechanism as we know it appeared first in about 1610 in France. King Henry the IV stepped down in 1610 and Louis the XIII came to power. -1610’s The first flintlocks seem to be of flat iron, with a long slightly curved neck and a bulky ‘head’ in which the flint is held. -1620’s I couldn’t find any pictures of this decade but when comparing the ‘1610’ and ‘1630’ I would say that the base of the dog got wider and the neck shorter -1630’s I own a dated detached flintlock mechanism from the French region of Burgundy (1636, see thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18230). The dog is still flat and the base of the neck is wider (still round) and the neck is even shorter and gets a little ‘toe’ on the right side which will later on develop to a half circle toward the ‘head’ of the dog. The bulky ‘head’ remains, but develops a duck beak shape (see pictures). -1640’s The neck now starts from about the middle of the base circle and starts to develop the swan neck shaped dog. The ‘toe’ has merged into an almost circle which now almost touche the ‘head’ . -1650’s The swan neck becomes more noticeable and the duck beak becomes less broad. -1660’s The dog is in the early 1660’s still flat but will become rounded during the later years of this decade. The circle shape is fully completed but will disappears when the rounded dog comes into fashion. The ‘head’ is less bulky and becomes also rounded. As far as I can see, the beak will become oval or circle like. -1670’s The rounded dog becomes even more elegant with its swan neck already over its peak. From thus forth the neck will become even less swirly and more S-shaped. The beak is slimmer and rounded. -1680’s I don’t have an example for this period but comparing the ‘1670’ and ‘1690’ I would say the the dog becomes more like an S shape and the base also gets fuller. -1690’s The S shape is now fully adapted and the base is fuller, the upper part of the neck develops an edge/ridge (not fully rounded anymore). The lock plate starts to develop the well know ‘banana’ shape. -1700’s At the end of the 1690’s and around 1700’s the dog becomes flat again. The before mentioned ridge is more noticeable, but will soon vanish again. The flat dog still retains a rounded or shallow edge. The lock plate is even more curved (banana shape). -1710’s I own a flintlock gun made by Jean Nouf Cour, a French arms maker. It shows a flat S shaped neck and the ridge has now retreated to the ‘head’ section only. -1720’s The ridge is completely gone and the dog is flat again. The S shape is getting less apparent and becomes straighter from this point on. The lockplate also becomes less curved. 1610’s lock _____ 1630’s lock (1636) notice the bulky duck ‘beak’ ___ Last edited by Marcus den toom; 15th March 2014 at 08:48 PM.