Firestarter and edge sharpness.

I

iggyd

Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
207
this may be a dumb question. I have been using a Swedish Scout firesteel and I noticed it comes with a striker, the RAT doesn't come with one. I read that you need to use your knife as a striker instead so I tried this with my EDC. It's D2 and it totally took the edge off the part I used to strike it.

Now I wanted to know in a survival situation when you have one knife, my RC6 for example, you want to keep it as sharp as possible at all times, so is there a special technique I need to use?

the reason I ask is because I'm ordering the RAT firesteel to make a small rig, but I need to know how to use it right.
 
You do need a good sharp edge for the RAT firesteel. Jeff mentioned that if you were in a survival situation, you could afford to dull a small part of the edge of your knife in exchange for fire. I hooked a small Swiss Army knife to mine and use the blade on there to strike the steel. I think a lot of folks also use a section of hack saw blade as well. :)

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Thanks! The tweezers are handy for pulling out the vaseline soaked cotton balls that are stuffed inside the hollow body.

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I donno if it works with the RAT firesteel, but with normal ones I've found the reamer tool on a SAK to be an unusually good striker.
 
Joben said:
I donno if it works with the RAT firesteel, but with normal ones I've found the reamer tool on a SAK to be an unusually good striker.
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great minds think alike - its funny when I had one as a kid I could never figure out what that bade was for - suprisingly the old man would let a 10 year old kid have a firesteel :D
 
I used the Dremel to put a slight edge on the back of a piece of hacksaw blade. Made it short enough so I can leave it in the hollow in the back with any tinder. Works great!
 
I've added a piece of a hacksaw blade to some of my kits since it is so small. Even though I usually have the striker that came with the firesteel, it is nice to have a backup.
 
theres no way around it with the RAT firesteel it will dull your knife, but like it's been said, in a survival situation it wont matter if you need to dull a small part of your knife in order to get fire
 
I recently got my RAT Firesteel... I am not really in need of starting a fire... It was OVER 120 today... . but I had to try it.

Used an old Kershaw.. went outside of my room.. and Let the Firesteel RIP across the blade. "Molten Balls of FIRE" flew off.. and a few times even stuck on the blade.

Very VERY cool.

We get bored sometimes and have to "Play"... It is NOT a toy though.. I would suggest wearing "Eye Protection"... just to be safe.

Very Cool Tool.
(Thank you LaupaWolf)

Random
 
How sharp does the striker need to be for the RAT firesteel? I've used other firesteels by striking on a choil or thumb groove in the past.
 
MustardMan, the RAT firesteel are Misch metal which is different from most other firesteels like those from Light My Fire. You really do need a pretty sharp edge to get sparks. I tried a sharp knife spine on mine and it wouldn't work.
 
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