Fire lighting, strike a flint/metal things

[TaxiDriver]

I'm curious having never used one,

the ones Ive seen look like you strike/scrape them with a knife(?) and the resultant spark is used to ignite tinder(?)

 

My question is.....Doesn't this striking/scraping action ****** up ones' knife edge ?

[chrispti]

Not if you use the back of the knife

[cant hit rabbits 123]

Not particularly, in limited amounts. However, I'm not sure of the effect if it was alot more regualar.

[Tim Kelly]

Back of the knife! Great for getting the coleman petrol stove going on wet days. Lighters get damp and are useless, but the flinty things work however wet they get.

[TaxiDriver]

Not if you use the back of the knife

 

I had thought of that (honestly I had) but it seemed a little bit obvious :unsure:

[huffhuff]

As above, you use the back edge/spine of the knife. Or some come with strikers attached. The fire steel works better when used with a carbon striker (reacts better to the ferrocium). You're also better off using something with a Good square edge.

 

Or use flint and steel and a tab of char cloth

[CZ550Kevlar]

yep spine of the knife. or i bought a flint and steel that came in a waterproof holder.

[WoodyPopper]

Here's my fire steel. It's a copy of a Viking steel, made by a blacksmith who calls himself Ragnar! I hardly ever use it, but it's a satisfying thing to own. I use a flint to strike sparks onto a piece of charred cotton. Char the cotton(T shirt scraps are good) by putting it in a tin and putting the tin on a fire.

Edited May 2, 2012 by WoodyPopper

[huffhuff]

Here's mine (by chance I have my entire 'alternative' fire lighting kit in the office. I prefer this 'D' shape - less bloody knuckles

 

There's also some denim charcloth, some inner tube and a flint, synthetic flint and some pyrites.

 

Edited May 3, 2012 by huffhuff

[WoodyPopper]

Here's mine (by chance I have my entire 'alternative' fire lighting kit in the office. I prefer this 'D' shape - less bloody knuckles

 

There's also some denim charcloth, some inner tube and a flint, synthetic flint and some pyrites.

 

What's the inner tube for? Here's the site I learned from: Ragweed Forge

Years ago,when I was trying to cut down smoking, I told myself I could only smoke if I lit each fag with the firesteel. The result was that I got very good with the steel! Having given up smoking completely, it's been years since I used the firesteel. I just tried now, and I've completely lost the knack. I did get it to catch eventually, but it was hard work. I must learn again. Never know when it might come in handy.

Edited May 3, 2012 by WoodyPopper

[ack-ack]

Here's my fire steel. It's a copy of a Viking steel, made by a blacksmith who calls himself Ragnar! I hardly ever use it, but it's a satisfying thing to own. I use a flint to strike sparks onto a piece of charred cotton. Char the cotton(T shirt scraps are good) by putting it in a tin and putting the tin on a fire.

 

 

What a nice item Proper objet d'art

[huffhuff]

What's the inner tube for? Here's the site I learned from: Ragweed Forge

Years ago,when I was trying to cut down smoking, I told myself I could only smoke if I lit each fag with the firesteel. The result was that I got very good with the steel! Having given up smoking completely, it's been years since I used the firesteel. I just tried now, and I've completely lost the knack. I did get it to catch eventually, but it was hard work. I must learn again. Never know when it might come in handy.

 

The inner tube is great for fire lighting. It dries out instantly if wet, it has quite a long burn time and it can be used for other stuff too (ranger bands for example)

[njc110381]

I light the woodburner with a traditional firesteel sometimes. It's a nice thing to do but not really that useful. What I really want to master is the fire drill which is a totally different ballgame. A firesteel doesn't really offer much over a lighter or matches in situations that you may be desperate. It still needs to be with you and if you don't have it it's a useless waste of brain space!

 

Here's an old photo of mine. I've made a leather bag for it now and the flint has long worn out and been replaced. I use charred t-shirts for the tinder at home or those little round hard black fungi that grow on dead ash trees when I'm out and have run out of cloth.

 

[huffhuff]

I light the woodburner with a traditional firesteel sometimes. It's a nice thing to do but not really that useful. What I really want to master is the fire drill which is a totally different ballgame. A firesteel doesn't really offer much over a lighter or matches in situations that you may be desperate. It still needs to be with you and if you don't have it it's a useless waste of brain space!

 

Here's an old photo of mine. I've made a leather bag for it now and the flint has long worn out and been replaced. I use charred t-shirts for the tinder at home or those little round hard black fungi that grow on dead ash trees when I'm out and have run out of cloth.

 

 

Cramp balls, King Alfred cakes or if you wanna get all latin - daldenia concentrica! I'll take a pic now for those interested...

 

The fire bow is relatively easy (if a little knackering) as long as you stick to the rules I have yet to fully master it.

 

Here i'm using a fire drill (not bow) on a recent 'survival trip' to the Sahara. It's so dry there, this got going in a few twists through the palms.

 

 

Below is a cramp ball. The latin name above is obvious when you see the concentric circles on breaking one open. They are found on fallen/dead ash trees and are great at taking a low grade spark. They last a while too so good for transporting fire or if you need some time. You can also see some maya sticks (fat wood/pine), a parabolic reflector and a fire piston in the pic.

 

Edited May 4, 2012 by huffhuff

[njc110381]

I've never tried the fire bow seriously. I've had a dabble at it and got close but I prefer the hand drill. It's a bit harder but with less materials needed.

 

I've got as far as making a lot of smoke and burning my fingers but haven't coaxed a flame yet. I think you need to do it regularly to be any good at it.

[WoodyPopper]

So that's what those revolting looking fungi are! There's a fallen tree covered with them, over the path where I walk my dog in the mornings. I'll take one next time I pass. Well, you learn more every day.

[huffhuff]

So that's what those revolting looking fungi are! There's a fallen tree covered with them, over the path where I walk my dog in the mornings. I'll take one next time I pass. Well, you learn more every day.

 

Yep, make sure you dry them out. Put them in a bag that can breath but not sweat. But be warned, they do cast black bits everywhere so don't put it on top of the towels drying on the radiator... learn from my mistake