Firesteel choices?

Hey Guys...

Quirt..

what I suggest doing is getting a short wide Recip blade from any hardware store, and grind off the teeth on a bench grinder,angle grinder, or belt sander, grind a 45 degree angle at the other end of the hole then square it up..

This will make a nice Scraper that throws massive showers of sparks...

You can also get an old paring knife and square it up,, or a Mora.. A Great little knife is the AG Woodswalker.. Square up the spine and you've got an awesome scraper...

A hacksaw blade is Ok,,but a little flimsy.. you want something easy to hang onto and stiff....

Even a piece of steel of some kind,,if you have access to some tools,,it's pretty easy to do....

ttyle

Eric
O/ST



I made one out of a 3" wide power hacksaw blade, and it works wonderfully...
 
I don't get some of you guys. I think you insist on paying ten times more just to feel like you have something "finely-crafted" between you fingers or are some kind of survival expert with only the best gear. This isn't aimed at you Erik, but is a general comment... even beyond this thread.

The standard striker or hacksaw blade works fine and throws a huge shower of sparks from my rods. My 11 yearld daughter has no trouble either, now that she has practiced a little. Besides, with a hacksaw blade you have (if you carry a full blade vice a just a piece) the ability to improvise a saw. I too usually use the mag starters but rarely actually use the mag itself. Easy to start a fire without it so why bother. Cheap and works fine. Smaller too without the wooden handle. I've seen the LMF's and they are nice, but the cheapy mag combo's work too so why pay more?
 
I don't get some of you guys. I think you insist on paying ten times more just to feel like you have something "finely-crafted" between you fingers or are some kind of survival expert with only the best gear. This isn't aimed at you Erik, but is a general comment... even beyond this thread...

The drive to innovate. To make things better. To custom tailor items to one's own ideal. To experiment. If this works will this work better? Can I make it easier to do? Can I overcome this feature I don't like?

I see nothing wrong with it. It is how we learn and how we advanced as a species from hunting with crude as-found rocks to darts and arrows, spears and knives. I am comfortable with my ability to start a fire with a forged iron stryker and a nodule of English flint. Or a squib load from my muzzleloader. Or a firebow. But even at my age the experimenting and learning doesn't.... or shouldn't... stop.

Codger
 
But even at my age the experimenting and learning doesn't.... or shouldn't... stop.

I agree... if this is what it is. But with the gun owners, there is a certain set of people who will buy ANYTHING that says HK or Sako or whatever and swear it is the best. With car owners, there are people who buy a Cadillac Tahoes or a Lincoln Expeditions just for the snob appeal. I suspect there is a fair amount of that here as well. Funny to see posts from people who claim they feel naked without their $400 knife. /ENDTIRADEDOWNARABBITTRAIL
 
We have both the LMF Scout and Army models and they are excellent. However, my prefered to carry is the BSA Hotspark. Compact, work well and at 2.60 each, I can buy several for the price of the LMF Army model.
 
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