Said term comes from the fact that in order to spark (and thus for your pistol or musket to fire), the flint generally needs to be sharp. If you can run your thumb along the edge of the flint, not cut yourself, and still the weapon will fire, you're skinflint because you're too mean to change your flint before you have to!
I have never yet met a re-enactor who's not cut themselves on the flint of their flintlock weapon at least once.
(And when we've had the skipping-rope out at work for the school-kids to skip with, they've taken to it like a duck to water. Bearing in mind I'm talking Junior school age kids.)
(I kind of miss doing Brownies and Guides. Not that I'd really have the time these days, what with my re-enactment and other activities.)
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2012-03-22 05:57 pm (UTC)Said term comes from the fact that in order to spark (and thus for your pistol or musket to fire), the flint generally needs to be sharp. If you can run your thumb along the edge of the flint, not cut yourself, and still the weapon will fire, you're skinflint because you're too mean to change your flint before you have to!
I have never yet met a re-enactor who's not cut themselves on the flint of their flintlock weapon at least once.
(And when we've had the skipping-rope out at work for the school-kids to skip with, they've taken to it like a duck to water. Bearing in mind I'm talking Junior school age kids.)
(I kind of miss doing Brownies and Guides. Not that I'd really have the time these days, what with my re-enactment and other activities.)