Fire-steel

stabman

stabman

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Sep 17, 2007
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I'm new to the whole fire-steel thing, so I found it neat to learn that even cheap 440 stainless blades work with them; I had been under the impression the a full carbon rust-prone knife was required.
Just thought I'd share the thing I learned today, in case others didn't know.:)
 
Every thing with a decent edge works actualy, doesnt even have to be sharp.
Learning is good, sharing what you learned is beter.
 
Yeah, a friend of mine recently discovered that out. There seems to be some confusion between the need for hardened carbon steel for flint, and good sharp corner for ferro/misch. Thanks for the info. Moose
 
If I ever have a band it's going to be called Mechanical Shoes. No reason.

Always test your fire steel strikers. I've had hacksaw blades that did not work at all, some strikers that worked kind of meh and others that were really good.
 
Yeh "Firesteel" and Flint and Steel are not really the same thing at all. It's a common point of confusion.

What we call a firesteel is made of Ferrocerium. Which is a combination of minerals that burns when small shavings are suddenly scraped off it. It lights due heat generated by friction.

The really old method is done with with actual flint, a razor edged rock, and a piece of steel. In that method there is a noteworthy difference, it's backwards from the way a ferro rod works. It's the steel that's getting scraped away and turned into sparks when the flint rock cuts off shavings of it.
 
I don't understand why some people always thought that you needed carbon steel. I use a rock that has a groove in it and works perfectly for them.
 
Varg Lobos said:
You carry a rock? How big is the rock? Any pics?
Click to expand...

images


Not really overly practical but it works for him.
 
A sharp flake of flint or chirt will throw sparks from a ferro rod as good as any knife if not better.
 
There is part of a hacksaw blade in my firekit, works good for me. Not as good as the goinggear strikers, but still a good backup.
Fire Steel playing Misch Metal hmm, wondering how that'll sound.

shotgunner11 said:
images


Not really overly practical but it works for him.
Click to expand...

That made for a good big laugh just before bedtime :) Still giggling.
 
Broken glass and other debris will work as well. Not broken glass boogers though, they are hard but not hard enough to scrape on a ferro rod. :D
 
TheGame said:
Yes, I carry a rock. My nephew gave it to me one day. It is no larger then a thumbnail. I'll take a pic of it later tonight after I take him trick or treating.
Click to expand...

Can't wait to see it. For some reason a cantelope size rock weighing about 10 pounds is stuck in my head.:D

I've heard you mention it before in other threads that you use a rock and I've always been curious.
 
Neat!
I didn't expect to learn even more from posting this thread, but that's what happened.:)
 
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