Using firestikers

[JimFSC]

I've just aquired a firestiker (complete with a flint) from the Survival School Shop, i've played around with it for a while but can't seem to get any sparks... are you supposed to actually strike them together or do you scrape them like with a firesteel, does it have to be the sharp edge of flint or is it the edge of the steel.....HELP!

Jim.

 

[al]

hello jim, you can either strike the flint on the steel or the steel on the flint, the flint has to have a nice edge on it for a good spark,doesnt have to be razor sharp but it is a lot better if it is , hold the flint in one hand nice and steady then bring the steel edge across the flint edge nice and fast at a slight angle so it will shave the metal turning them to sparks , and follow through with the steel so the hand holding the steel travels at least 2 feet , you should get sparks that will reach the floor if standing, dont scrape them like a striker , hope tha helps cheers al :-D

 

[Adi007]

Is it the strike-a-light like the one here:

http://www.survivalschool.co.uk/acatalog/Products_With_Choices.html

Basically, put the C band on your right hand (if right handed) and hold the flint in the left and you use glancing strikes against a sharp edge of the flint with the steel. Do it fast enough and you'll eventually get sparks. Now, if you have charcloth, put this on the top side of the flint to catch the sparks (it goes on the top since the sparks are burning bits of steel, not flint).

Hope this helps!

 

[Stew]

They've got some easy to follow pics here: http://www.delareine.free-online.co.uk/NFOE-WEB-SITE/articles/flintandsteel.htm

 

[ESpy]

IME, I find that a fluid movement from the wrist works well with steels. ALso, you are only grazing the flint with the steel - thumping the steel onto the flint won't do you much good!

Garage door springs can make a number of good firesteels :-D

 

[Adi007]

The action does need to be fluid and you only need a glancing blow on the flint ... not knocking hunks off of it!

 

[JimFSC]

Hurrah! Cracked it! Thanks for the tips, this method creates far fewer and cooler sparks than my firesteel but it's very satisfying using materials which are easily renewable, already used it to light a fire on the Gower with no problem.

Just wondering are there better types of steel for making firesteels -I do a few historical reenactments and so am always comparing different tempers and grades of steel....

Cheers, Jim. :-D

 

[Gary]

What period do you re-enact Jim?

And generally no - as long as the steel is high carbon it will be ok - you can add carbon if you have a forge of course but this is a little long winded for me book.

 

[ESpy]

...you can add carbon if you have a forge of course but this is a little long winded for me book.

Nuts to that - I'll stick to my garage door springs! Short of case hardening stuff, I can't see the point, personally - and if you case harden, you'll strip through the higher carbon jacket in a short while. Or do I have the stick grasped firmly at the pointy end?

Files are good, good size springs are good, leaf springs work nicely too - as Gary says, all high carbon. I wouldn't use expensive steel, just reuse what other people mistakenly call "scrap" If you do forge some out, quench to full hard (I use water; don't bother tempering, but be aware that they are quite brittle), then make sure you grind the striking face clean - you'll lose carbon in the outer skin of the striker, so you want to get to the good stuff.