Hand friendly firestarting with a Mora knife, charred cedar bark and dry grass.

W

Woods Walker

Joined
Jun 3, 2010
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During an outing I used my Mora #2, charred cedar bark, rocks and dried grass to start a fire for warmth and a little cooking.




Posted that here:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-Bushwhacking-camping-with-Kifaru-in-the-cold!

I find it easier to put the charred materials on the rock, then holding the blade strike the spine on the rock's sharp edge. However if the charred materials are too delicate for placement on the rock or if holding a knife with the blade's sharp edge pointed into the hands is simply too risky there are alternatives.

A person can hold the handle and strike the rock on the spine. The downside being the blade can bounce around some. It was mentioned that sticking the point into a log would support the blade. Not too far away was this log. Granted it wasn't a big log however location, location, location.



I tested the knife sticking in log method and it worked but as stated IMO holding the blade and striking steel on rock is easier in some situations.

Twig fire ready to go.



Bacon!




For my outing I edited the video for the sake of time. Often I don't like doing that because it might give the wrong impression. Here is the uncut reality of how long it actually took.

[video=youtube;fLo8loNyfUQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLo8loNyfUQ[/video]

Thanks for watching.
 
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Nice video, thanks for posting it. I really should learn to make char cloth and give that a try.

Jik
 
Thanks for posting. Even though it is kind of last resort, if someone injured one of their arms, this might work in a pinch.
 
Grateful said:
Nice video, thanks for posting it. I really should learn to make char cloth and give that a try.

Jik
Click to expand...

In that example I used charred cedar bark from a fire chain. Charring materials including charred cloth is fun. Give it a try. Thanks for the positive remarks.
 
Bo T said:
Thanks for posting. Even though it is kind of last resort, if someone injured one of their arms, this might work in a pinch.
Click to expand...

Now yea got me wanting to experiment with one handed flint and steel methods. Not sure I have ever seen anyone do it. Firesteel yes but flint and steel not so much. Clearly like most things it must have been done. Glad you liked the video.
 
Cool video. Like the mora 2, or really any scandi ground knife. One of my favorites for bushcraft and woods knives. I'm actually surprised the method you chose worked so well for you. I tried it once. 15 minutes in I had achieved nothing. Another 5 and I got a spark on my char ball (char cloth but made out of a cotton ball) it started, I got excited, it went out. So i grabbed my firesteel and in 1 strike it was blazing lol. Props to you for sticking to it and being successful.
 
Portman30-06 said:
Cool video. Like the mora 2, or really any scandi ground knife. One of my favorites for bushcraft and woods knives. I'm actually surprised the method you chose worked so well for you. I tried it once. 15 minutes in I had achieved nothing. Another 5 and I got a spark on my char ball (char cloth but made out of a cotton ball) it started, I got excited, it went out. So i grabbed my firesteel and in 1 strike it was blazing lol. Props to you for sticking to it and being successful.
Click to expand...

Thanks. There are other flint and steel methods using a knife. Here are two more I posted within this forum not too long ago.

[video=youtube;kwe_2e0L_So]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwe_2e0L_So[/video]

I went with the knife in log method after several people suggested giving it a try. Worked out ok but in no way would traditional flint and steel out preform a firesteel. I guess the primary pro of traditional flint and steel is practice with the fundamentals of firecraft and it's DIY nature. If I have a carbon steel knife maybe I could find a suitable rock, tinder bundle and with planning made some char before hand in the field. If really lucky I could find one of the natural uncharred tinder that will ignite with the lower heat spark such as chaga and milk weed ovum. Honestly at that point I would be working on a friction fire to char materials. That and kicking myself in the butt for leaving myself so ill prepared. :D Try filing the spine flat first. Sometimes there is black slag on the rough spine from the heat treat. Also make sure your rock is sharp. Maybe all those things were done in your case and it still didn't work. I guess that's why they invented lighters. matches and firesteels. :)
 
Nice video, thanks! I'm going to have to try this. It certainly does make me appreciate ferrocerium, but, it's nice to know the old ways can still work. It's also good to have an idea of how much effort and persistence it will take.
 
sodak said:
Nice video, thanks! I'm going to have to try this. It certainly does make me appreciate ferrocerium, but, it's nice to know the old ways can still work. It's also good to have an idea of how much effort and persistence it will take.
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Thanks, glad you like it. Most of the times it is actually easy. But occasionally it fights like a burlap sack full of cats. Give it a try!
 
I took another shot at it after your post (and I was bored) and had success this time. Must have been the rock. Only took 4-5 min this time with the same knife. Thanks for the advice.
 
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