Fire Starting

[crockett]

I shoot percussion so I don't mess with flint very much but I want to learn how to make a fire with flint and steel. I got a half dollar size piece of flint a while back and tried to get some sparks with a file. I only got one or two and the edge of the flint was getting broken up. I went ahead and ordered an english flint and harden striker but I am still not having much luck. I know about char cloth, etc. My problem is I can't get any sparks. What am I doing wrong? How hard do you hit the steel? Do you scrape the steel? I am not getting any sparks. Does the flint need to be sharp What bevel should flint have? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[musketman]

Here is a good picture of the angel needed to get a shower of sparks...

I try to match the force of a flint hitting the frizzen on a flintlock, this always produces ample sparks for me...

Usuing a flint and steel

One little side note, the flint will lay your fingers open if they hit the edge while striking the rock, even if it's not that sharp...

 

Ok,,as always, good photo by moosecat,

The flint is the hard part. The sparks come from the steel,not the rock.. The idea is to "shave" tiny (miro-scopic) bit's of steel off the striker with force and friction enough to cause those bits of steel to burn(aka;sparks)
Moosecat's photo is kind of goofy,the guy is holding everything for the photo op. Find a sharp edge of the flint and hold it upwards at a 45% angle like the photo,only hold it "mightly" in yer fist(with much strength!)
While holding the steel in the opposing hand, starting above the flint about 12"/or more, rapidly swing the steel to contact and swing past the flints sharp edge too "shave" the sparks from the steel,again with much might! (god save your knuckles at this point!)(dis-claimer,,I gotta show ya personal or get your own bandaids/stitches!). If ya ain't gettin sparks then change the angle of the flint,,(striking surface) to a sharper angle,,remember,,shave that steel too get sparks. SWING IT FAST! HIT IT HARD! A Bic lighter has a flint and steel, same principle, the steel makes the sparks.

The "char cloth" you know about, is held above the striking surface of the flint like moosecats photo shows "touchwood".(see the black thing?) The idea is to "catch" a spark on the char,,and start the char smoldering. What you do with that glowing ember is up to you,, hope this helps,,,,,

 

[dholdridge]

All-

What is a good ready source of striker material? Everyone in my family knows I mess around with cold cutting knife blades so I have more old saw blades than I'll ever use...

Is there any good common scrap I could use? How do I tell if I don't happen to have my hunk of flint on me?(Keep in mind that I know close to zero about working with metal- although aspire someday to have a small forge when not carting three kids to sports and such.)

 

[Huntinfool]

Hi Hodge and others,

I'm no expert with steel either but they tell me ya can't beat an old file for getting sparks. Or rather if ya beat an old file into a striker they can't be beat. Like others said shave those sparks off the steel.

If ya look in the links section of this site you'll find a lot of info on Bob Spencer's site Black Powder Notebook about making fire with flint & steel. http://members.aye.net/~bspen/fire.html

Hodge, I like your signature........
Jeremiah 29
11 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
12 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
13 'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.


YMH&OS
Chuck Goodall
"The Original Huntin' Fool"
&
Kanawha Ranger Scribe

 

Flint $ steel 101:

1. Use file stock, o-1 or O-2 tool steel

2. apply heat from welding torch or forge until a magnet no longer sticks, should be about orange heat.

3. quench in transmission fluid. the container should hold at least 2 gal. move the striker in a figure 8 motion until cool

4. use good flint. an old musket flint works fine. do not try to use "found flint" untill you know you have a good steel to use for testing.

5. if none of the above works out buy a good quality flintlock rifle and put your char in the pan, snap the lock and catch the now glowing char. (using an empty gun is recomended but not necessary if you really enjoy excitement in your camp) JUST KIDDING, USE AN EMPTY GUN!!

Good steels are available from many suppliers shown on the links for the forum. prices are usually reasonable. They will usually send you a shard of flint if you request one. The Fire in Five kit is a good one for beginners, it has everything you need in one package and their steels work really well. You can get it from the Smoke and Fire Co I believe, J. Townsend also carries it I think.

Otherwise, use the musket flint on every piece of metal you can find. I have several pocket knives that will throw sparks off the blade spring, several knife blades that will spark off the back of the blade and one really neat belt buckle that sparks better than any steel I own!

 

Old files.
files where brought across on the boats too america about the same tyme they brought over they "axe",um "fourteen hunderd and ninetey two"??
The strikers edge need's to be smooth,,stricke steel off the stone. Knapping flint is another study! same stuff,,different school.

 

[dholdridge]

Thanks gentlemen...

HF- that's my life verse- has kept me going over some tough times!

 

[Huntinfool]

Me too Hodge I also like Rom: 8:28
Chuck

 

huntinfool and hodge,,i looked in my bible at jeremiah29;11 and mine don't got nuthin to do with 'welfare',,if ya read the whole buk of jeremiah it might just have a message of "works" goinnin on a bit,,and of course Hf,, all us what work good toghther get the good will gather from the good" but this ain't the palace too quote vrs! I'll help ya with flint-n-steel, and go ahead and carry any verese ya want below yer name 'er handle,,,,,,
If ya wanna send "PM" Private messages to each other and/or me,GREAT!,,,but don't turn this thread into a bible study!

 

[Griz]

Bible study? Where?. They were just good words for today taken from a book that was used in the 18th and 19th century also.
Crockett; I have used old files as steels and they work great, all you need to do is grind, lightly, the cutting teeth off the edge and they will throw good sparks. Also there are great smithy's out there and some on this site that will sell you a great quality striker at a very fair price.
Make sure your flint is sharp, kinda like a knife and the steel is like a piece of cheese that you would be cuttin' a chunk off of. It don't have to be hit as much as it needs to be "cut" at. I hope that made sense.

 

[dholdridge]

Old files I've got- I'll give it a whirl.

Thanks fellas.

 

[musketman]

Old files I've got- I'll give it a whirl.

Thanks fellas.

Use the side edge of a rectangle file, it really throws those sparks...

 

[Stumpkiller]

I was going to suggest using the SAFE edge, or grinding the teeth off a cut edge. You flint wil last MUCH longer. :: Move the steel, hold the flint; unless you get a better result doing it the other way around. I still make a 'target' pile of tinder & charcloth in a nest of tow, rather than try to hold it with the flint. That's too tricky (at least for me) unless I'm just lighting my pipe with the single piece of charcloth.

 

Just curious, but has anyone ever tried using MATCHES! ::

 

[smoke]

Matches??? What in tarnation is matches?

 

[Old Charlie]

I went to Bill's world Buckskining notebook. I read the fire making with flint and steel. It is done very well. Got me a striker some flint found an old birds nest Made a fire first try. Try this guys sight he explanes it very clearly.
Charlie

 

Matches is what you use to fire your old matchlock gun or light your grenades! you light them up with your flint and steel.

 

[Huntinfool]

Hey Fellers,

When I first got into living history or re-enacting if you will. I knew I was going to be entertaining 100's of school kids so I looked up everything I could find on the subject. Here are a few of the sites that I put in my favorites. Some repeat but most will have a tidbit of info the others fail to mention.

The first one gets real technical for you guys who just have to know why it works. LOL!

http://www.northwestjournal.ca/I1.htm

http://www.survivalschool.com/articles/Fire_Making/flint_steel.htm

http://www.ydalir.freeserve.co.uk/crafts/fire.htm

http://www.hollowtop.com/hopsstore_html/flintandsteel.htm

http://www.texianlegacy.com/fire.html

http://www.ragweedforge.com/striking.html

http://members.aye.net/~bspen/fire.html

The school kids all ahh when they see smoke then they hoop and holler when the tinder bursts into flame.

Chuck

 

[Batchief909]

I have laid my char cloth in the pan of my rifle lock, (gun unloaded, of course) What better way of getting spark?