Problems with Flint & Steel

[tenngun]

Pssssst.! practice with the flint and steel, and hide a BIC in the bottom of your hunting bag
HC and PC are our fun, but comes to chattering teeth and knocking knees, at -10 a bic becomes very pc and hc!

I’ve carried a bic for emergencies for at least thirty years. I’ve used it in camp twice, both times in the last couple of years, and felt bad about it.
Have not had to use it on a trek…. But I add a fresh one to my kit every year. It can well save a life

 

[Trapper Scott]

Yep. Pride becomes less important as the temperature drops.

 

[Pilgrim]

Gauze?

I have never tried Gauze. it is very loosely woven though.

 

[smo]

I use Terri cloth wash clothes for char….
Folder with the frayed edges along the top edge of the flint…downward strike with the steel.


This pic was in a fire starting event…,
My birds nest was in hand as well , flame in a little over 3 seconds…

Finished 3rd.

 

[TDM]

Now I admit I’m moving slow on this, but I’ve got 4 or 5 other projects I’m tinkering with. This morning I took the broken file I had, put it in the vise and broke a little more off. Used a grinder to smooth the top and bottom and round the back. Dipping it in water to keep cool, then used the belt sander to remove the ridges from the striking surface. Man alive, that little broken file will through some sparks. You can see the 2 store bought steels I have. The one on the right was in a cheap kit that included some char I now know is worthless, the whole kit is junk. The smaller steel I bought from TotW. It throws sparks and I might have been successful with good char and the right nest. But the file throws much better! I found the natural denim I bought and I have some new terry cloth hand towels to make new char with. I have a metal can with a tight fitting lid, already have the hole in the top. Next fire I start I’ll try making some new char.

 

[Trapper Scott]

Now I admit I’m moving slow on this, but I’ve got 4 or 5 other projects I’m tinkering with. This morning I took the broken file I had, put it in the vise and broke a little more off. Used a grinder to smooth the top and bottom and round the back. Dipping it in water to keep cool, then used the belt sander to remove the ridges from the striking surface. Man alive, that little broken file will through some sparks. You can see the 2 store bought steels I have. The one on the right was in a cheap kit that included some char I now know is worthless, the whole kit is junk. The smaller steel I bought from TotW. It throws sparks and I might have been successful with good char and the right nest. But the file throws much better! I found the natural denim I bought and I have some new terry cloth hand towels to make new char with. I have a metal can with a tight fitting lid, already have the hole in the top. Next fire I start I’ll try making some new char.

Sounds like your on the right track with the file. When I started tinkering with my flint and steel I was also fooling around with making beeswax. Did you know that Beeswax is great to get a fire going? Well, I didn't until I read about it and tried lighting a small piece of it. It will burn for a good while, certainly long enough to get larger tinder going.

 

[Walkingeagle]

FYI, I just set my tin on the bbq. When smoke starts pouring out the hole I light it on fire. When it goes out the job is done, remove from heat.
Be sure to allow it to fully cool before opening.
Walk

 

[TDM]

FYI, I just set my tin on the bbq. When smoke starts pouring out the hole I light it on fire. When it goes out the job is done, remove from heat.
Be sure to allow it to fully cool before opening.
Walk

Hadn’t thought about using the gas grill. In another few night it will be cool enough to get the fireplace going. Now I don’t have that excuse to keep procrastinating!!!

 

[TDM]

Ok, I got my charcoal Weber going and started cutting out squares and strips of denim and terry cloth. Filled the can up and put it on the grill, checked on it every hour to see if it was still smoking, after about 3 1/2 hours it wasn’t smoking so I took it off with a spatula and set it on the metal gas grill to cool. Checked about 30 minutes late and it was cool. Now remember I’ve never done this before so I didn’t know what to expect. When I opened the can the terry cloth on the top 2 layers was more brown than black. I tried to light it with no luck and my file steel was throwing plenty of sparks. So I dug down a few more layers into the Denim.

 

[TDM]

Low and behold! After about 4 strikes a spark caught on the denim. I had such low expectations that I hadn’t bothered to build a nest with jute and cedar bark as I had planned. So I grabbed a handful of pine straw and leaves and tried to get a flame. Wasn’t in the cards this time. And since I’ve already had an adult beverage I’ll wait and try again tomorrow. But overall I consider it a success!

And I appreciate all the help and encouragement. Thanks.

 

[Trapper Scott]

Low and behold! After about 4 strikes a spark caught on the denim. I had such low expectations that I hadn’t bothered to build a nest with jute and cedar bark as I had planned. So I grabbed a handful of pine straw and leaves and tried to get a flame. Wasn’t in the cards this time. And since I’ve already had an adult beverage I’ll wait and try again tomorrow. But overall I consider it a success!

And I appreciate all the help and encouragement. Thanks.

When you do it the first time, you realize you can do it over and over. Congratulations.

 

[waksupi]

Pssssst.! practice with the flint and steel, and hide a BIC in the bottom of your hunting bag

HC and PC are our fun, but comes to chattering teeth and knocking knees, at -10 a bic becomes very pc and hc!

As an old ice fisherman, I can tell you a Bic doesn't work when that cold.

 

[The Appalachian]

Believe it or not I like Texas Chert better than English flint for flint & steel. Last I bought was a 5 pound box off of ebay. Good stuff.

I don't like denim for char cloth. What I like is old worn out torn up carhartt shirts, coincidentally the same material I use for patches in my flintlock. 100% cotton, just the right thickness and weave, easy to make char cloth with, and a great way to repurpose a formerly expensive shirt instead of just tossing it. I kind of look forward to the next one I "ruin".

As far as "a few red glows" on the char cloth. It's not going to flare up. That little glow is all you get. When you blow ever so gently on it it will travel slowly across the char cloth and consume it. Literally, all you need is one single spark to catch and get that tiny glow going. Your job is to see it happening (do it in a shady or dark place because strong sunlight doesn't let you see what's happening very well), then place the char cloth in your tinder nest, and blow gently until there's enough heat produced to light the tinder nest. Think ahead and have everything ready to go and in reach.

It does takes a knack and some finesse but once it clicks for you it's one of the easiest woodcraft jobs there is.

 

[TDM]

Believe it or not I like Texas Chert better than English flint for flint & steel. Last I bought was a 5 pound box off of ebay. Good stuff.

I don't like denim for char cloth. What I like is old worn out torn up carhartt shirts, coincidentally the same material I use for patches in my flintlock. 100% cotton, just the right thickness, easy to make char cloth with, and a great way to repurpose a formerly expensive shirt instead of just tossing it. I kind of look forward to the next one I "ruin".

As far as "a few red glows" on the char cloth. It's not going to flare up. That little glow is all you get. When you blow ever so gently on it it will travel across the char cloth and consume it. Literally, all you need is one single spark to catch and get that tiny glow going. Your job is to see it happening (do it in a shady or dark place because strong sunlight doesn't let you see what's happening very well), then place the char cloth in your tinder nest, and blow gently until there's enough heat produced to light the tinder nest. Think ahead and have everything ready to go and in reach.

It does takes a knack and some finesse but once it clicks for you it's one of the easiest woodcraft jobs there is.

I’m going to try some cotton t shirt char eventually. What I’m using is Texas Chert I’m pretty sure, if it’s not it’s Arkansas/Missouri Chert. One of my Sons bought me a box, about 12-15 lbs. I doubt I’ll do this much, but I I’ll keep trying till I get a good fire going.

 

[Brokennock]

I'd give the terrycloth and the denim a bit longer at higher heat.
Remember, you are basically trying to reduce the cloth to nothing but carbon. I've done it on a single burner propane camp stove, but I feel it really is best done in a campfire, or really next to one nestled right down into a bed of coals. I just let the smoke stream out the hole in the tin until it stops smoking, then seal the hole and remove from the heat source. Let sit til completely cold.
Of course, as said earlier, I also greatly prefer charred punk wood or tinder fungus.

 

[TDM]

I'd give the terrycloth and the denim a bit longer at higher heat.
Remember, you are basically trying to reduce the cloth to nothing but carbon. I've done it on a single burner propane camp stove, but I feel it really is best done in a campfire, or really next to one nestled right down into a bed of coals. I just let the smoke stream out the hole in the tin until it stops smoking, then seal the hole and remove from the heat source. Let sit til completely cold.
Of course, as said earlier, I also greatly prefer charred punk wood or tinder fungus.

Even with my very limited experience I could tell the color of the terry cloth on top was not black enough. Luckily the bottom layers cooked more, but it had definitely stopped smoking when I took it off the fire, but I did not plug the whole. It’s nice to be at a stage of life where making char or shooting one of my muzzle loaders is all I have to worry about. Very Blessed.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

True tinder fungus is my favorite. Uncharred hard maple punk comes in a close second but it doesn't smell as nice as fungus.

Maple Punk:

 

[Walkingeagle]

My opinion, try not to pack your tin so full. Also once your bbq is warm, put the tin on the burner/bricks and not on the grill itself (I remove the grill before starting). Should only take 20 minutes(ish). Never really timed it.
Walk

 

[TDM]

My opinion, try not to pack your tin so full. Also once your bbq is warm, put the tin on the burner/bricks and not on the grill itself (I remove the grill before starting). Should only take 20 minutes(ish). Never really timed it.
Walk

Thanks Walk, that’s the kind of advice I was looking for.

 

[The Appalachian]

This is my char cloth cooker. It's a Part-all release wax can from my synthetic gun stock making. It measures about 5" diameter and about 3" deep.
Inside is a rack I made out of welding wire. 3 shelves, one piece of cloth on each shelf. I find it cooks better with air space between the layers instead of stacking them. I do not place a piece on the very bottom that's against the heat source.
I use my Coleman white gas single burner cook stove. Low and slow, and watching the smoke vent. It's done when there is only a very little wisp of smoke coming out the vent.
I experimented with the vent holes. I ended up drilling 4 holes and that was too much. I now use it with 3 holes plugged and one to vent. When it's done cooking I shut off the fire and plug the one hole with a #8 Phillips screw. I don't open it until it's cool enough to hold plus a beer's time.
My char cloth made with button up long sleeve carhartt shirt cloth which measures .018" thick comes out dark charcoal gray and pliable, and perfect. You don't want dark black and crispy. That's over cooked. It might catch and light but will crumble and fall apart too easily when your striking your rock. I would rather have a piece that I can control and make it do what I want.