Flint & Steel Question

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dl351

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May 5, 2006
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717
Hello, all. I'm not a regular poster here, but I check this forum every day. It seems this forum has more "survival" type people than some others. I could be wrong, but we'll see! I have a question. I recently purchased a flint and steel set that came with char cloth and some sort of fungus. I have no problem igniting these, but I have a hard time catching anything on fire with them. What kinds of things (tinder, I guess) do any of you use here, who use flint and steel?

I'm used to using ferro rods, which seem to catch things on fire much more easily. Thanks in advance for any help!
 
dl351 said:
Hello, all. I'm not a regular poster here, but I check this forum every day. It seems this forum has more "survival" type people than some others. I could be wrong, but we'll see! I have a question. I recently purchased a flint and steel set that came with char cloth and some sort of fungus. I have no problem igniting these, but I have a hard time catching anything on fire with them. What kinds of things (tinder, I guess) do any of you use here, who use flint and steel?

I'm used to using ferro rods, which seem to catch things on fire much more easily. Thanks in advance for any help!
Click to expand...

dl351, I have used the cotton ball/petroleum jelly & the Tinder Quick fire tabs with wood shavings, dead grass, crunched leaves, old bird's nest, etc. These usually catch very quickly, then add pencil size twigs. Everytime we go camping, everyone practices trying to build a fire, and usually within a 3-4 minute window, someone has a fire started, & just add the larger pieces from there. Hope this helps some.
Be safe.
 
Jute twine. You need to cut about a 6-8" piece, unravel it to fine threads, then bunch them up into a "nest" about 1-1 1/2" in diameter. Take your charcloth or tinderfungus and place in the middle of the nest. Fold the nest closed over the cloth/fungus, and gently blow THROUGH the nest. In a few breaths, you will have a fire in in your hands. Make sure you do your prep work well, shavings, toothpicks, pencils and fingers. After that, your sittin' by the fire, feedin' it.

If you need a visual reference, in the Wilderness Survival and Skills forum here, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=659209&highlight=twinblades, there is a vid that twinblades done showing off his new kit.

Good luck


Moose
 
Thanks for the help!

Now, is "jute twine" the kind of twine you buy at craft stores or hardware stores? I ask because my brother in law was teaching me how to use a bow drill to start fires and he used some rope I had to build the "nest." The problem with that was that I think it had some sort of fire retardant on it, because it smoked like crazy, repeatedly flared up, then went right out. I'd like to make sure I find the right kind of twine to avoid this.

Also, how big or a patch of char cloth do you use?

Thanks again!
 
dl351 said:
Thanks for the help!

Now, is "jute twine" the kind of twine you buy at craft stores or hardware stores? I ask because my brother in law was teaching me how to use a bow drill to start fires and he used some rope I had to build the "nest." The problem with that was that I think it had some sort of fire retardant on it, because it smoked like crazy, repeatedly flared up, then went right out. I'd like to make sure I find the right kind of twine to avoid this.

Also, how big or a patch of char cloth do you use?

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Yep, natural jute twine. They sell it at Wal-Mart back with the rope. About $2 for several hundred feet. Also in the craft department probably. Take a lighter with you, cut off a piece and see if it burns before you buy. :D
 
dl351 said:
Thanks for the help!

Now, is "jute twine" the kind of twine you buy at craft stores or hardware stores? I ask because my brother in law was teaching me how to use a bow drill to start fires and he used some rope I had to build the "nest." The problem with that was that I think it had some sort of fire retardant on it, because it smoked like crazy, repeatedly flared up, then went right out. I'd like to make sure I find the right kind of twine to avoid this.

Also, how big or a patch of char cloth do you use?

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

I use a piece as big as a quarter. Some use smaller, some use bigger, its a personal preference. Don't go so big as to waste your charcloth, but make sure its big enough to catch a spark and has room to spread. I like a quarter size.

Oh, and I got a tutorial up in the WS&S forum on making charcloth if your running low or out.

Moose
 
adaman04 said:
Yep, natural jute twine. They sell it at Wal-Mart back with the rope. About $2 for several hundred feet. Also in the craft department probably. Take a lighter with you, cut off a piece and see if it burns before you buy. :D
Click to expand...




" CLEAN UP, AISLE 3 " as the fire alarm is screaming in the background . . . :)
 
This:
moosez45 said:
Jute twine. You need to cut about a 6-8" piece, unravel it to fine threads, then bunch them up into a "nest" about 1-1 1/2" in diameter. Take your charcloth or tinderfungus and place in the middle of the nest. Fold the nest closed over the cloth/fungus, and gently blow THROUGH the nest. In a few breaths, you will have a fire in in your hands. Make sure you do your prep work well, shavings, toothpicks, pencils and fingers. After that, your sittin' by the fire, feedin' it.
Click to expand...

Jute is what I used to start my first flint & steel fire. Just make sure to unravel it all the way down until it just looks like a ball of hair, then press a little depression into the middle. Put the charcloth ember in the middle, fold the jute over the ember, and blow. Remember, you can't blow the ember out (the air feeds it). So blow hard and it should catch. Good luck!
 
How about sisel twine? I got some of that yesterday from Home Depot, but haven't had much luck yet. Thanks for your help.
 
Using a flint & steel is a skill - keep practicing! It does not throw a shower of sparks like a ferro rod.
 
dl351 said:
How about sisel twine? I got some of that yesterday from Home Depot, but haven't had much luck yet. Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...

Sisal works really good also. I work in the flooring industry and that's what they used to use for the backing on carpet, it's pretty dry and flammable. Just peel it apart like a birds nest.
 
Cedar Bark or Dry grass for the nest. You could always use some cattail or milkweed or thistle fluff to add to the nest. Those are flash tinders, so you will need an extender. Treat the coal like a bowdrill/hand drill coal. Place in center of nest, and blow to flame.


The center from milkweed pods (not the fluff) takes a spark from flint and steel nicely. Remember, not all tree fungus will work. When in doubt experiment!

I dont much see the point in packing store bought materials to use the F&S for firecraft unless you are just practicing at home. If you are gonna rely on this for a survival skill, learning and using what works in the bush will make you better in the long run. Plus IMO the lighter and firesteel will serve a long time and are better tools for the job. Then comes the friction fire stuff(bowdrill etc..), a very important skill to learn. Then comes the flint and steel. I practice all of the primitive methods. Just for my interests though. However in a survival situation, if I need fire, Im grabbin the bic.

A side note about firecraft......While I do carry a few petroleum cotton balls in my PSK, I rely entirely on natural tinders. We dont have fatwood and birch bark in my neck of the hardwoods, so that can sometimes be a challenge. Get out there and learn em and practice with them boys. Free for the taking.
 
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