Firesteel Tinder from Sticks?

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pinnah

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Jul 28, 2011
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I've been practicing with my firesteel more this winter (if you can call the warm, snowless weather we have winter).

I can reliably ignite fuzzed birch bark, dry grasses and artificial tinders like painter's tack cloth. I know the trick to shave off some of the firesteel.

But, I'm interested in learning how to create tinder from dead fall wood for times I don't have access to birch bark or dry grasses.

I've seen videos of people doing it. Usually it involves scraping the wood with the blade to create tiny shavings.

Still, I'm struggling. Any suggestions? Tips?
 
Look up IA Woodsman on youtube he has several videos on how to properly use a firesteel and what materials to use. Good luck
 
My breakthrough came when I switched to a knife with a sharper spine. There's sparks, and then there's sparks! A good sharp spine also makes a good scraper for wood to make very fine shavings. The inner barks of lots of trees work good too
 
I shave a pile of fine curls with the blade than i pin the pile to the ground with the fire steel. and give multiple strikes 2-5 strikes usually lights the mass up reliably enough that ive been carrying aroundvthe same tube of pj cotton for 3 years. I sometimes use the spine of my knife to rough up a tinder ball of cedar or similar bark..but most of the time just use shavings..good luck in your endeavors
 
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Panzer, thanks for the You Tube pointer.

Cody, yes, I've noticed my Opinel 9 or 10 are the best strikers I own.

Riley, can you talk more about using curls, particularly in wet weather and in eastern hardwoods? How thick of a stick do you seek out and how deep do you go to ensure dry shavings? Also, in hardwoods, I can't guarantee access to any conifer. Maple, Beech and Oak are the most common. Is one better than the other?
 
Pinnah mostly oak, maple and beech by me..incidentally dead beech leaves will go right up with a ferro using the same strike technique..just wad up a mess of em...in wet weather i carve deep to the point where the wood feels dry when i touch it to my face..if it came from standing dead wood its usually just below the surface. A thumb thick stick 12- 18 inch in length should be enough to get a great pile of shaving with enough left over for good match stick kindling..i generally try use standing deadwood. I dont notice one being particularly better than another. I do try to keep the angle of my blade as accute as i can while still getting adequare purchase in the wood.its more of a feel thing...i generally dont focus on keeping the feathers on the stick..i just curl them into my hat..and set the pile up on as dry a surface as i can when im ready to roll.
all the best
rr
 
Cody Hofsommer said:
My breakthrough came when I switched to a knife with a sharper spine. There's sparks, and then there's sparks! A good sharp spine also makes a good scraper for wood to make very fine shavings. The inner barks of lots of trees work good too
Click to expand...

This. A sharp scraper is KEY, also the larger the firesteel diameter the more material you will remove with each scrape.

Here is a video I made about lighting fine featherstcks with a firesteel:

[video=youtube;r4N2P6d66is]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4N2P6d66is[/video]
 
Do you have Cedar ? Cedar bark shavings light nicely with a fire steel , also don't forget to add a little resinous sap if you find it.
 
Cody Hofsommer said:
My breakthrough came when I switched to a knife with a sharper spine. There's sparks, and then there's sparks! A good sharp spine also makes a good scraper for wood to make very fine shavings. The inner barks of lots of trees work good too
Click to expand...

I have always had luck with the back of a sak saw. They don't lock so be careful not to put too much pressure, and scrape near the base to reduce force on the pivot.
 
pitdog said:
Do you have Cedar ? Cedar bark shavings light nicely with a fire steel , also don't forget to add a little resinous sap if you find it.
Click to expand...

You don't even need shavings if it's dry enough, just rub it together to fluff it up a bunch.
 
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