My Bravo-1 doesn't throw sparks

E

El_Cid

Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Messages
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I bought a Bark River Bravo-1 with a leather sheath and fire starter combo - but I can't throw sparks with my Bravo-1. With my wave I can throw HUGE sparks and start a fire from nothing :D, so whats the problem? Naturally because they were selling it as a combo I thought I could use the spine to throw sparks... :confused: Maybe my Bravo-1 is a fake :eek:
 
If you are using the spine of the blade, maybe it is not squared enough (not truly 90º edges). Have you tried using the edge just for the hell of it? It shouldn't be done like that, but a few strokes won't hurt the edge much (can always bring it back by stropping).
You could tell us where did you buy that Bravo 1 + ferro rod and how much did you pay for it. So far we had no Bravo 1 fakes reported and I doubt you are the first one.
BTW, questions regarding fixed blades usually get a hell lot more responses in the Wilderness and Survival subforum.
Mikel
 
I just tried multiple times - and the fire rod is biting small bits of my bravo spine :( - how is that possible?
 
WOW - The Bravo one is Heat treated A-2 to Rc 59! Can you post a picture? That would be helpful. Something is wrong for sure.
 
El_Cid said:
I just tried multiple times - and the fire rod is biting small bits of my bravo spine :( - how is that possible?
Click to expand...

A differentially heat treated knife could behave like that: hard edge and soft spine. But I don't think BRKT does that to his production models. Even if differentially heat treated it shouldn't do that.

Did you try with the edge? If the edge is also soft and you chip bits of it when striking a ferro rod maybe the whole blade heat treat is screw up. Did you try to cut anything with it and check for sharpness afterwards? If it doesn't work like a knife should, it is time to send it back to BRKT. Hell... Are you sure you are striking a ferro rod and not a piece of smooth file? :D Just kidding.

As I advised earlier, make this very same question (or just post a new thread and link it to this thread) so people from Wilderness and Survival can help you out.

Mikel
 
El Cid:

Have you tried scraping the fero rod with the grooved-ramp part of the spine?

That's what it's there for & it works much better than using the flat part of the spine.

Give it a try if you haven't already.

Good luck with it....Cliff
 
yes I tried - it doesn't work with the ramp neither...
i would post a picture - but the small bits it chews up are very small and can be felt only by touching it :( how can I test this if its a bad heat treat? ( i can throw sparks with the edge - i tried with the pointy part near the very small choil near the handle).

If its a bad heat treat the postal taxes are gonna kill me - I'm from Europe... :( also to wait 1-2 months to get it back lol
 
I here some knives wont make sparks with some rods, and it looks like cliff is back.
 
El Cid
It is highly doubtful that the ferro rod is harming your Bravo-1 blade. What you're feeling are small globulets of molten metal from the firesteel adhering to the blade. They'll come off.
The spine is not squared enough as someone pointed out, and it's therefore not able to "grab" the rod and grind off the ferrocerium.

Try this: alot of people strike a firesteel using the power in their arms. At the end of the stroke, the blade comes off the end of the ferro rod and the tip either strikes the ground or messes up the tinder pile or both.

Assume you're right-handed. Hold the ferro rod in your left. Place the Bravo-1 spine against the rod and place your left thumb against the blade. Use only the muscles in your left and right hand - use no muscles above the wrist. Now, tighten your right hand and left hand muscles, using the thumb to put pressure against the blade and your right hand to bear down on the blade against the rod. Short, powerful strokes can be obtained. The stroke is only about 3/4". The knife never leaves the rod. Your sparks (globulets of molten metal) will be larger and your tinder pile won;t get messed up.

My Bravo-1 does fine, but there are probably small differences in how squared the spine is on different knives from BRKT. Still, you should be able to get a spark.

I have yet to find a knife in my collection that throws sparks better than my BM Nimravii, but all my Bark Rivers throw sparks - some better than others.

I doubt your steel is harmed. It's molten metal stuck there! :D
 
I had to "sharpen" the spine of my Bravo-1 as well to get good sparks of a ferro rod. It doesn't have to be 90 degr., it just has to be "sharp".
Factory Mora's are even worse but can also be fixed easily with a benchstone flat on the spine and some elbow grease.

Ted
 
You dont need to modify your knife. Get yourself a sak and use it for the appropiate tasks. If you find yourself in a prolonged adventure, your survival knife NEVER leaves the sheath except for when its absolutely needed.
 
Happy New Year, EC!

I'm guessing that the problem you're having isn't technique related, but related to the hand grinding that BRKT does - you likely have one that got a tad too much rounding on the spine.

You can "sharpen" the spine yourself, or give BRKT a call, and send the knife back to them, and they will change the spine edge to your specs.

The "chips" you're feeling are indeed the adhered bits of molten misch metal from the firesteel. Which means you must be getting some sparks going! At times, I've had relatively large chunks of the stuff stuck on a blade, but they do come off with a bit of elbow grease. Your knife steel is not damaged. Honestly, at this point once I get the big chunks off and there's nothing visual left, I just figure the remaining roughness is just "use" and don't worry about it - my knives get scratched with use anyway, right?

I urge you to call BRKT today - I know they're in the shop, and Mike is a great guy to talk with.
 
phew!! there's no need to call them, I can throw sparks with the edge - so I should be able to do the same with the spine, but like you guys said - its prabably not sharp enough. And it makes sense, because it really isn't sharp at all.

I DO have SAKs and leatherman multitools - and I use those for firemaking, but the leather sheath I carry my Bravo-1 in, has a firesteel loop, and it seemed weird to have a firesteel attached to a knife that can't throw sparks :D

thanks for the help
 
I just threw my own experiment. I have a Bravo 2 and a Military Swiss Firesteel (the big one) in the loop, but I hadn't try it yet with the Bravo. I was always using a Mora for that purpose (sharp spine). I have to say that I didn't have any troubles getting sparks from the ferrocerium with the Bravo 2. I'm also inclined to think that the spine of El Cid's Bravo 1 is too rounded on the edges. It could also be that the ferro rod is too hard, and both factors are producing... or not producing the sparks.

Good luck
 
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