"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

To quote Rodney Dangerfield, "I don't get no respect!"
My eldest son has a sense of humor.
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The Star Wars parody video in the Sci-Fi GAW lead me down an internet rabbit hole, and I found these pearls of wisdom from the CrafsMan about why you need a pocket knife, and how sharpening your pocket knife will help you if you ever get lost in the woods (it is in the first few seconds of the video):
 
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There was a Star Wars spoof called Hardware Wars, maybe on MTV, I don't know, back in the day. "You'll laugh, you'll cry. You'll kiss six bucks goodbye." It was a while ago. Augie Ben Doggie, leader of the Red-eye Knights. And so forth.
I haven't seen that in forty years.
 
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Jolipapa said:
Dad was a welder when I was born, but to get better wages he attended evening classes to work as draftsman. The company gave tools to get the sharpest of his pencils. I still regularly find a sandpaper board, he had many and used them (2 sided, coarse and fine), but kept them away from me (pencils and erasers as well!)
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Very cool and interesting items! I still have a sandpaper board from my high school drafting class.
 
So I've wanted a particular guitar for years and finally found one and it's on the truck to be delivered today so you'll be seeing a lot of my knives on the exchange. :D:eek:
I guess many of you have heard this said, I know I've heard it all my life "The only difference between men and boys are the price of their toys" and man is that true. Over the years here I've saw so many gorgeous sheath and pocket knives some very high end and costly as well as large collections of $25 to $300 knives that took a lot of money to build. Many of you like me have other hobbies and collections that also have been expensive. This is not to mention how many of us have spent tons on activities such as golf. I have over 100 knives and 17 soon to be 18 guitars a bag full of Calloway's, Pings, Pinemeadows and others I can't use anymore and about a million lost balls somewhere on the planet.
Had I never bought these things and saved all that money over the years it would have added up to a healthy bank account but I sure would have missed a lot of fun. :D:D
So I'm going to continue to buy new toys and pay to play games I enjoy because life is short and after all I really am just a boy in a man's body anyway. :rolleyes:
 
There are no doubt other places to ask this on BF, but I'd rather ask the fine and friendly folks here. :)

For quite some time it's been on my someday list to learn and hone the skills necessary to build a fire without a match. My understanding is that flint and steel is a very traditional way of achieving a spark and that ferro rods are a more modern way. Ultimately, I'd like to build proficiency with both. My questions are:

- Is there much difference between the two methods in practice? E.g., does a ferro rod produce a spark that's hotter and is therefore easier to work with?
- If there is a difference, would it be better to master the flint and steel and then move on to the ferro rod as a more convenient way? Or, would flint and steel be better picked up as an advanced skill after learning the basics with a ferro rod?

I'm clearly making assumptions in my questions above. I'd appreciate it if y'all'd set me straight if I'm way off base. Gently of course. :)
 
WhittlinAway said:
There are no doubt other places to ask this on BF, but I'd rather ask the fine and friendly folks here. :)

For quite some time it's been on my someday list to learn and hone the skills necessary to build a fire without a match. My understanding is that flint and steel is a very traditional way of achieving a spark and that ferro rods are a more modern way. Ultimately, I'd like to build proficiency with both. My questions are:

- Is there much difference between the two methods in practice? E.g., does a ferro rod produce a spark that's hotter and is therefore easier to work with?
- If there is a difference, would it be better to master the flint and steel and then move on to the ferro rod as a more convenient way? Or, would flint and steel be better picked up as an advanced skill after learning the basics with a ferro rod?

I'm clearly making assumptions in my questions above. I'd appreciate it if y'all'd set me straight if I'm way off base. Gently of course. :)
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This is the off-topic thread.
Real flint and steel is more difficult. My dad used to say it's more about the tinder than the flint and steel, and that may go for the ferro rod too.
 
The ferro rod contains, I think, magnesium, which ignites easily and burns hot and bright. Not sure what elsi is in there to make it spark from friction, but the rod seems to strike a fire much easier than a flint.
I have actually succeeded a couple of times to start a fire with a rod. Never even ventured a try with a flint.
 
WhittlinAway said:
There are no doubt other places to ask this on BF, but I'd rather ask the fine and friendly folks here. :)

For quite some time it's been on my someday list to learn and hone the skills necessary to build a fire without a match. My understanding is that flint and steel is a very traditional way of achieving a spark and that ferro rods are a more modern way. Ultimately, I'd like to build proficiency with both. My questions are:

- Is there much difference between the two methods in practice? E.g., does a ferro rod produce a spark that's hotter and is therefore easier to work with?
- If there is a difference, would it be better to master the flint and steel and then move on to the ferro rod as a more convenient way? Or, would flint and steel be better picked up as an advanced skill after learning the basics with a ferro rod?

I'm clearly making assumptions in my questions above. I'd appreciate it if y'all'd set me straight if I'm way off base. Gently of course. :)
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A ferrocerium rod produces sparks which are MUCH hotter than those produced by traditional flint and steel. Ferro rods are much easier to use, but still require good technique, and decent tinder. Starting a fire with flint and steel is much easier than many people suppose, but you need a decent steel, a good piece of flint, and good tinder (charred cloth or charred punk wood takes a spark most easily, amadou, which is processed from horse hoof fungus, also takes a good spark, and burns hotter). Once you've mastered making a fire with flint and steel, you can always use the spine of your knife to make a spark. Lots of good videos on YouTube for both (and other) fire-starting methods Randy :thumbsup:

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Jack Black said:
A ferrocerium rod produces sparks which are MUCH hotter than those produced by traditional flint and steel. Ferro rods are much easier to use, but still require good technique, and decent tinder. Starting a fire with flint and steel is much easier than many people suppose, but you need a decent steel, a good piece of flint, and good tinder (charred cloth or charred punk wood takes a spark most easily, amadou, which is processed from horse hoof fungus, also takes a good spark, and burns hotter). Once you've mastered making a fire with flint and steel, you can always use the spine of your knife to make a spark. Lots of good videos on YouTube for both (and other) fire-starting methods Randy :thumbsup:

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Is that a iar rune on your steel? I think I mean iar.
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