free fire steel discovery

[matt denison]

After the 2008 election I took down the "Vote For ******** ***** sign in my yard and threw away the banner but kept the heavy wire substructure that holds it up. You've probably all seen these signs up in peoples yards every time there is an election. Well, I needed a piece of that wire for a project and in the course of bending etc. I realized how tough it was. It cut hard with a hacksaw too. I heated andd bent it into shape (a sling swivel) and dipped in water to cool it so I could handle it. I knocked it onto the floor by accident and it BROKE. I got thinkin' hmmm.
So I grabbed a flint shard and sure enough I was able to get a shower of sparks from it.

I quickly bent and hardened another piece of it into the shape of an oval striker and it made a fine fire steel. It's not terribly HC but plenty good enough to give away to Boy Scouts or teach kids at rendezvous where they can keep the steel and flint. The piece of wire is approx. 6 feet long, 5/32" diameter, so I can get dozens of steels from it totally free. Next election I suggest you all go out and scavenge those dead signs for the steel wire and get to work!

 

[omarick1948]

Maybe we can just fire the politians with 'em too!

Rick

 

[ohio ramrod]

My youngest son got mixed up with politics ( I tried to raise him right but it didn't do any good :idunno: ) and I got a few dozen of those frames after the election. They work well for many projects requiring thin rods. :hmm:

 

[necchi]

:hmm: never cared for see'in so many of them signs scattered all about,,maybe I'll get a few frames 'afore election time.
How hot did ya hafta get it fer a good shower of sparks? Cherry, Red, Bright Red,,?

 

[matt denison]

Bright orange. Quench in water. I cleaned up the striking surface a bit on a belt sander too.

I had a leaf spring from an old Jeep. I cut it into pieces the width of the spring X about 2 1/2". Heated one edge bright orange, dunked in water and they made great free strikers for Boy Scouts. I dinged the opposite edge on the milling machine so they wouldn't be trying to strike the soft edge.

One more: I have a bunch of old carbon steel butcher knives. They are the ones with big ol' brass cutlers rivets, mostly worn out that you can often buy for $1 or $2. I found that if you heat and quench the back edge of the HANDLE they will throw incredible sparks too. So then re-handle them but with the scales 1/8" short of the spine of the handle you have a two-in-one tool that can slice up dinner or start a fire too. Just somethiing for you clever type guys to keep in mind.

 

[preston cook]

after the election is over .you might as well take them down yourself, the politician that put them up sure wont do it. :rotf: :rotf:

 

[nilo52]

I have made one outa an broken old file that works preeety good but you are one smart man :bow: I continue to learn the neatist stuff in the Forum.
a STILL learning, nilo52