Making a flint striker

[atr]

I have a file , a grinder and a propane tourch . Will propane heat the file up enough to bend the tail ? Will the heat from grinding take the temper out ? When it gets too hot to handle should i just quench it in cold water ? Will the propane tourch heat the file up enough , cherry red to be quenched and tempered ? Should i just say to heck with it and buy one from someone that knows what they're doing ? I have no access to oxy/acetelene or a forge so propane is it . Is there another material other than a flat file that would be just as good and more easily workable given the tools i have ? Is there something better than water for quenching ?

 

[LRB]

If you don't have a good heat source, save yourself a days labor and just go buy a striker.

 

atr, what you have will probably just ruin a good file and use up propane.

There are two really good threads going right now (in this section) on the exact subject with all of the instructions and advice one could ever want. If you read them carefully you will probably find your answers.

 

[dholdridge]

I have a half dozen old triangular files and went to work on a crude homeade forge over the weekend- following your directions from the other thread Ghost.

Had a lot of fun and learned alot as well. After one of my curves snapped off- I ended up with a fish hook shaped striker that will throw sparks (but I give up a little knuckle skin with each attempt!)

Thanks for the great info!

 

[J.M.]

Gentlemen, I have been messing around with knife making and a friend and I just built a very nice propane forge for knifemaking and forgewelding. Probably cost aprx $150 for all the parts. Picked up an anvil and will be trying to learn some Blacksmithing. If you need a small forge setup, look on the Internet for the "One Brick Forge" as described by Wayne Goddard in his "$50 dollar knife shop" book. I made one for a few dollars and was able to heat treat steel to nonmagnetic with a hand held MAP gas tank like plumbers use. Cant see why it would'nt work for a striker. Knifesmiths warned me about old files. Make sure to get name brands like Nicholson etc. They have good carbon content for hardening. Have fun!