Problems with Flint & Steel

[Red Owl]

There is dry rot wood, dead wood and punk. Dry rot wood is wood inside a dead tree, light weight, dry, crumples in your hand. dead wood might be a dead branch that snaps in two easily. punk is in a dead tree trunk and is resilient or spongy. You can depress it and it bounces back. Not all dead wood is punk. You can char punk and it will work but punk untreated will hold an ember. You can create the ember with flint and steel or a magnifying glass.

 

[Brokennock]

For clarification,,, punk wood, is spongy but dry, not to be confused with soggy

 

[Red Owl]

Yes, close to cork. If you get a spark or ember on it, it will hold the ember even if not charred.
I live in Florida and Hurricane Ian knocked down a lot of old trees so I went around my area checking out trees that had been hollowed out and found a couple with good punk. All set for a long time.
I've read a lot on Native Peoples. When some plains tribes moved there would be a fire keeper that went ahead with burning punk, etc. so they didn't have to start new fires.

 

[Brownwl]

I have removed the lock from my rifle to strike a fire. Works quickly and surely. Assuming your works are dry

 

[TDM]

I have removed the lock from my rifle to strike a fire. Works quickly and surely. Assuming your works are dry

That’s definitely Flint & Steel!

 

[toot]

Gathered up some punk wood this afternoon. Now that I know what to look for it takes about 2 minutes to find here. It’s nice and spongy and not wet at all. I’ll get it charred later this week.

that is REPOURSING WHAT MOTHER NATURE PORVIDES US!!

 

[toot]

I have removed the lock from my rifle to strike a fire. Works quickly and surely. Assuming your works are dry

I do it with the lock in the gun! empty of course! but taking it out is UBER SAFE!

 

[toot]

Both my parents families are from Alabama, going back to 1800.

in my area they used old horse harness.

 

[toot]

For clarification,,, punk wood, is spongy but dry, not to be confused with soggy

wasn't punk wood of some type used back in the day to ignite cannon fuse?

 

[Brokennock]

wasn't punk wood of some type used back in the day to ignite cannon fuse?

Not sure... could be. When it's the right wood and gets a good spark,sparks,, it is very hard to put out and the coal lasts longer than char cloth.

 

[toot]

Good work. I appreciate the time and effort you put into experimenting and sharing what you found.

For what little it is worth,,,
View attachment 171628
I have gotten to really like the foresteel shape shown here, as opposed to the all too common knuckle duster style. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure this is a common period shape for English steels,,, or at least it is close to it. Most of the steels I carry/use are this style.

I have one that is a cast brass porpoise with a metal striker inserted into it's belly, and has two pins that allow it to be replaced as it wares, it came off of a NEW ENGLANED WHALER out of NEW BEDFORD. name of WHALER unknown?

Not sure... could be. When it's the right wood and gets a good spark,sparks,, it is very hard to put out and the coal lasts longer than char cloth.

maybe some one with the knoweledge of just wat was used for different uses to light the touch hole?

 

[flconch53]

wasn't punk wood of some type used back in the day to ignite cannon fuse?

Slow match was used to fire a cannon sometimes known a punk. It's is a cord

 

[toot]

flconch53, thank you for the reply.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

I just made this video to help a customer. If you have a good striker and are still having trouble making sparks, perhaps this will help.