How to use a Firesteel

I

IA Woodsman

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Sep 21, 2009
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I know that it may seem like we all should know how to use a firesteel by now. But, there are always new people who may not know a certain skill. So with that said, in this vid I try to cover what I think is the best way to use a firesteel and some different common items in your kit or nature you can use to strike it.

[YOUTUBE]eltjfIeTsxU[/YOUTUBE]
 
Great video Terry. Theres many ways to spark a metal match, im always interested in the differant tech people use. I was out with Iz just yesterday practicing some skills and was amazed at how hot I was able to get my spark after he showed me a few things.
 
mesoscopic said:
Great video! :thumbup: So does a firesteel eventually wear out after prolonged use?
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Oh yeah, this is one of my long ones, I'll try and dig up a pic of my really worn one !

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By pitdog2010 at 2010-08-05
 
I liked the video - but I NEVER have any problems getting cotton balls to strike up. It is wood shavings that are my bane.

Prepared tinder seems very easy to me - it is when I am out in the bush, looking for tinder that I struggle.

TF
 
Talfuchre said:
I liked the video - but I NEVER have any problems getting cotton balls to strike up. It is wood shavings that are my bane.

Prepared tinder seems very easy to me - it is when I am out in the bush, looking for tinder that I struggle.

TF
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Same here.

I can't get wood shavings to light at all.
Last time I practiced with just wood I managed it by basically making sawdust...rather time consuming.

The only natural stuff I've found easy to light so far is whisps of birch bark.
 
Joben said:
Same here.

I can't get wood shavings to light at all.
Last time I practiced with just wood I managed it by basically making sawdust...rather time consuming.

The only natural stuff I've found easy to light so far is whisps of birch bark.
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I taught my dad how to make Fatwood shavings and light them with a ferr-rod today. Afterwards I made some shavings using some normal pine and although it was harder to light than the fatwood it did still light. If there is any trick at all it's making the shavings as fine as you possibly can.;):thumbup:
 
I can easily get fire with fatwood - I just see these dudes on TV using what seems like damned near anything to get fire - and here I sit.

Now - I do live in a super humid climate - so that doesn't help - but it is frustrating too.

TF
 
I too struggle with getting shavings to light. We dont have birch bark, or fatwood here. However, I am getting better at this. Practiced a bit this evening with some cedar and some hickory, and finnaly got it to light after getting the shavings very thin. As far as natural tinders go, I used some fluff from some thistle and some honey locust thorns and it was instant. Bridging the gap between flash tinder and pencil kindling is key when you dont have anything that takes a spark and burns forever like the fatwood and birch bark. Cedar bark works very well as a tinder too. Dang humidity makes firecraft a bit*h.

Practice, practice, practice....:rolleyes:
 
Talfuchre said:
I can easily get fire with fatwood - I just see these dudes on TV using what seems like damned near anything to get fire - and here I sit.

Now - I do live in a super humid climate - so that doesn't help - but it is frustrating too.

TF
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TF I know what you are saying. This is what works for me. Take a fairly straight grained piece of wood. Put your knife at 90 degrees to the wood and scrape down. This should produce scrapings. Get about a golf ball sized pile use a large firesteel and the awl of a pocket knife. Have you shavings ready because the flame is usually small. If it is wet out, split up you wood and use the dry insides. Here is another vid on it also.

[YOUTUBE]6I_WSt4tJu0[/YOUTUBE]
 
Yep learned about the dust vs shavings technique last year in the winter. Went outside in the yard to practice in the cold. Around zero outside with my older son standing next to me holding a flashlight and asking if my hands were cold yet. (hands, feet, nose, everything was cold!)
I couldn't get the dang shavings to light so I scraped a good sized pile of dust together, lit it, got the shavings to light, then a smaller stick, etc. We were going to cook some hot dogs, but I wimped out with the cold.
Thanks for the videos! I learn every day on here. And it reinforces my thought that this isn't rocket science, just practical knowledge that needs practice.
 
I find that a saw, such as the small one on a SAK, greatly speeds up the dust making process.
 
IA, what the heck is that racket in the first video? gotta be the nosiest woods i've ever heard!

as far as oddball strikers go, a piece of broken class from the bottom of a bottle works well... of course, that's not the easiest to find in the middle of nowhere or to pack with you... but it's a great way to demonstrate a firesteel to people that think you need a carbon steel blade to make sparks with one.
 
fixer said:
IA, what the heck is that racket in the first video? gotta be the nosiest woods i've ever heard!

as far as oddball strikers go, a piece of broken class from the bottom of a bottle works well... of course, that's not the easiest to find in the middle of nowhere or to pack with you... but it's a great way to demonstrate a firesteel to people that think you need a carbon steel blade to make sparks with one.
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That noise is bugs. Mostly cicada.
 
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