Flint and ???

[bushscout1]

I'm reasonably experienced at firelighting as I'm sure most of us are. My prefered method is the flint & steel as I like the link to how our forefathers started fire, although I am practised at most other methods including friction firelighting etc.

I had heard that it was possible to generate sparks by striking flint and certain types of haematite nodules together, but that the type of nodule required was quite rare.

However, last night I was outside and happened across a piece of flint in the garden and decided to try and knock off a suitable piece for my firelighting kit. As it was dark, I couldn't see particularly well and at first tried to use what I later realised was a sandstone cobble to strike against the flint - all I achieved was to break the cobble in half. I then found a lump of granite which I used to break the flint, but in doing so I noticed that it threw a few dull sparks, I didn't have my firelighting kit nor sufficient time to try it further.

So, I guess my question is, have any of you used 'rock on rock' to generate sparks, and if so did you manage to catch the spark (say on charcloth) in order to progress it onto fire?

 

[mountainm]

Quartz on quartz will generate light within the rock, but no usable heat, other than that not seen it before.

 

[Chiseller]

Interesting thread :thumbup: no I haven't but we should always try summat different as who knows ?

Sent from my HTC Explorer using Tapatalk 2

 

[British Red]

I've managed sparks from iron pyrites and flint....pretty dull feeble ones though....I have caught them and got an ember...but it took a good while!

 

[Keith_Beef]

A few years ago I bought a chunk of marcasite from Minerais do Brasil to do that, but never managed to get a decent spark off it.

Here's an article that discussed hot rock-on-rock action.
http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/fire/twostones/marcasite.html

 

[bushscout1]

I've managed sparks from iron pyrites and flint....pretty dull feeble ones though....I have caught them and got an ember...but it took a good while!

Red

I too have tried iron pyrites in the past as I'd heard of it, but when I tried it just crumbled - any particular tips?

Cheers

 

[British Red]

I found its not the edge you need. Sharp piece of flint bigger than I used with steel and fist size solid lump of pyrites - its not easy though and when I did get a spark I couldn't control where it went.

 

[bushscout1]

I found its not the edge you need. Sharp piece of flint bigger than I used with steel and fist size solid lump of pyrites - its not easy though and when I did get a spark I couldn't control where it went.

When you say a 'solid lump of pyrites', do you mean the type that's otherwise known as fools gold, or do I recall there are harder nodules?

And if so, where do you get it from?

 

[British Red]

Not the crystal stuff...you want a nodule - like this

I found mine on a beach but I imagine you can buy one