Pass around?

[Everything Mac]

Glad to hear it. Do post pics if you can.

All the best
Andy

[Globetrotter.uk]

Well despite a busy weekend and not able to venture far, I managed to play about at home. The steel is a nice small and comfortable size and much lighter than the one I normally use, and therefore keeps the weight down on your kit. I got some really great sparks from it despite the flint breaking. The blade is suitable for fluffing up some bark and possible feather sticks (not tried) over all I would definately add one to my kit. A great steel and nicely produced.

[hiho]

I'm going to have to drop out of this ,
Sorry Andy

[Everything Mac]

I've been away and busy.

No worries Hiho. - Has Globetrotter posted it on to you?

All the best
Andy

[hiho]

Andy,

I've replied to your PM

[Everything Mac]

All sorted.

Dave53 I'll pm you my address.

Cheers

[gsfgaz]

I can vouch for Andy's fire steel's , they are a brilliant bit of work ... all his stuff is top class ..

[Everything Mac]

Back in the country again. Many thanks to all who participated!

I'll be knocking up a new batch some time next month!

ATB
Andy

[southey]

No matey , thank you very much, just wish I'd have got to grips with the video at the time, a very cool little knife indeed.

[ged]

...I'll be knocking up a new batch some time next month!

Any chance of one for next week?

[Everything Mac]

Cheers Southey!

Lol sorry Ged, just back from holiday and I'm spending the next couple of weeks sorting out my flat before moving home. So no forge time When I get back to Dorset I'll be able to fire up the big forge though and start bashing stuff out.

The one from the pass around is on its way back to me from Dave. I can send you that one if you want it?

All the best
Andy

[Everything Mac]

A bit delayed but here are my comments (don't feel I can call it a review)

I have to say I was very impressed, it is solid and fits well in the hand. I confess my initial concerns about cutting myself while using it as a steel were not proved true though I was very conscious of the edge all the time. The blade was not razor sharp but that wouldn't take a lot of work I would imagine and would prove a very capable skinner and small tasks knife. I'm not sure I would want to use it as my sole blade but then that is not what it is intended for.
It sparks well and produces nice large sparks once you master the technique on the smaller edge however I felt that my subconsious fear of the blade probably limited my confidence and it is probably even better than I found it. A sheath that could cover the blade when it is in use as a steel would certainly go a long way to fix this.

Andy has managed to create a usable tool and curiously more or less the thing I have often wondered if it would be possible (a combination of blacksmiths knife and firesteel)

I liked it! - would I buy one? now that I have seen and used one I think so, however I would have to find a way of covering the blade.

Thanks for the opportunity to have a play Andy!

Well time really has run away with me. It is a year since I made this batch. I can only apologise.

Ive taken these comments to heart and I've been investigating a method for an in use sheath. I settled on kydex pretty quickly but today is the day I actually got time to play around with it and make the sheath.

Ive used it successfully today as well with a second batch of these salamander fire steels.
I had hoped to make a few more but there is a batch of four for now.

I will post pictures of the sheath after I walk the dog.

All the best Andy

[Everything Mac]

[Everything Mac]

Doesn't look like that picture worked.will have to fire up the laptop.

Im thinking about doing another pass around. Any takers?

Andy

[Everything Mac]

Lets try these:


Here it is shown with my hultafors axe and the lovely mask Palace made for the axe too.



The sheath is kydex. It is my first attempt so it isn't perfect yet. But you get the idea. This design will have to be made specifically for each salamander fire steel as they are all individual.
It needs two rivets really.



As I said I am thinking about doing another pass around - probably with the same rules as before. Would there be any takers?

Andy