View Full Version : Blade too soft for Swedish FireSteel?
andywelsh
03-10-2005, 09:46
I just bought a Swedish FireSteel which works fine with pretty much any hard edge.
However, my Lapp Puukko will not produce a spark, which is disappointing to say the least. It's the carbon bladed version, which I'd read would produce respectable sparks - is it the black finish which is preventing the spark?
Sorry if this is a dumb question...
It probably because you have to rounded an edge on the back of your knife.
Try filing it down a bit to get an squarer edge.
Cheers
Grez..
Hi Andy, a lot of the guys have filed the spine down on thier knives so the edges are more aggressive on the firesteel.
However some of the guys have mentioned before that they had difficulty with them. Not having one I can't tell you about the black finish.
What I will say is look at the spine and see if it is 100% square with sharp edges on it, if it is not then you may have found your problem.
It might be that even though you've got a good knife with a good edge the back (spine) of the knife is softer as it doesn't need to be as hard and some of the smiths just make sure that the edge itself is hard. So, the spine might be just too soft? I've had some knives where the spine gets rounded using steels because they're too soft.
After trying filing the edge and testing my technique on other knives I've come to the view that the steel is too soft on mine to produce sparks.....but it's a cracking little knife in all other ways. I just carry a broken piece of hacksaw blade if I'm using this knife which gives a better shower of sparks than anything else and is no burden to carry !!
MartiniDave
03-10-2005, 10:31
Whichever knife I'm carrying as my primary knife, I always carry a swiss army knife, and its always one with a saw. The spine of the saw is great with a firesteel, so lons as you hold the sawblade very virmly, near the tip to prevent it closing on your hand. I used to carry a bit of hacksaw blade, but kept misplacing them!
Dave
Motorbike Man
03-10-2005, 11:28
Whichever knife I'm carrying as my primary knife, I always carry a swiss army knife, and its always one with a saw. The spine of the saw is great with a firesteel, so lons as you hold the sawblade very virmly, near the tip to prevent it closing on your hand. I used to carry a bit of hacksaw blade, but kept misplacing them!
Dave
If you carry the bit of hacksaw blade from the end, you have a conveniant hole to tie it to your fire steel. Of course, this doesn't stop you misplacing the whole lot. Don't ask me how I know this :rolleyes:
MartiniDave
03-10-2005, 12:04
MM,
I suspect I know where you're coming from! :D
Dave
I've found that my lapp puukko is a bit soft for a firesteel, but conversely this softness makes it great for using with real flint, where it is the steel that is producing the sparks, not the flint.
Take care not to wear away the whole knife trying though :)
Well you could also get really practical about it all and use the Choil of the blade to strike with! If you want further information just let me know.