Using the spine of the knife for striker.

I dont use my knife to throw sparks, but I make sure my knife can. It could be important in the field. I never use the edge however, just the spine.
 
On a side note, the one tool I always have with me that I have found to throw an incredible amount of sparks when striking is the file on my Leatherman Charge XTI. For some reason it just rakes them off. Better than anything else I've tried. So that is another option. It has a flat side and a serrated side. And both work really well. I had forgotten all about that. Since I bought a blast match I just use the included striker.
 
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I like to use knives to strike firesteels. If the knife has a differential hardness, you can use the part toward the tip which is what I do. Any discoloration can be cleaned up pretty easily.
 
I totally agree with all that it will not harm a knife.

I agree with those who state that they will use it if they have to.

If it has not been said, I will even use the edge of my knife, if I have to...



But, I never have to, use the edge or the spine. First thing I do, is bin the crap scraper that comes with most ferro rods, and replace it with a Super Striker like is sold at Going Gear. Or I use a carbide sharpening tool as a scraper.

Or I find a product with a good scraper... Which is my hope with the new ferro rods I picked up, review to come...

This whole scraper thing is the reason why I love the Super Striker that Going Gear sells (though I get mine from Tracy at USA Knifemaker).

I was crazy obsessed with fire when I first found out about ferro rods, some 10 years back. And I spent hours collecting tinders (imagine me going tree to tree along the tourist parts of my town, collecting birch bark off the decorative planted trees), and trying different things out, until I got pretty good. I know what works for me, and I have no problems whatsoever with starting a fire with a ferro rod, even with a crap scraper, but why use an inferior tool?

Best,
Marion
 
Marion David Poff said:
Or I use a carbide sharpening tool as a scraper.
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I looked that up and that Corona Super Carbide Tool is neat. I'm gonna have to get one or two. On goinggear they have a video. Guy said he picked it up for $2.99. but everywhere I see it online it's like $7.00.
 
Mannlicher said:
I use the spine of my knives to strike sparks. Frankly, my knives are tools. If that leaves a mark, which to date it has not, who cares?
The spark is what counts, right?
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exactly...i use the spine of whatever knife i have on me at the moment...i'm not going to carry a beater just because i don't want to scratch my precious knife...leave your safe queens at home..."wearing" the spine of a knife is the furthermost thing on my mind when i'm out there...
 
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The ONLY striker I use is the spine of a knife.

It will not damage your knife or discolor it beyond being able to be rubbed out.

A few things ARE required though, for the spine of your knife to work well.

*The spine must be heat treated
* The knife cannot be a laminated blade that has soft(un-heattteated steel) on the outside.
* The spine must be a sharp 90* angle (this can be accomplished with a file)

The only thing that will happen after repeated use, is the "edge" of the spine will lose it's sharpness, just like the knife's edge does when you use it. So, when the spine stops throwing sparks quite as well as it used to, it's time get the file out and square it up again.
 
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I use either the awl on my Farmer, or the saw (if I'm looking for a bigger shower of sparks)...
 
Infi-del said:
I looked that up and that Corona Super Carbide Tool is neat. I'm gonna have to get one or two. On goinggear they have a video. Guy said he picked it up for $2.99. but everywhere I see it online it's like $7.00.
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I don't know where you live, but try old surplus stores, a Wholesale Sports or Sportsman's Warehouse, any place that carries knives. Even an old Ace hardware.

Only issue with the Carbide Sharpener as Scraper is weight, if I remember correctly, it easily outweighs even a Military LMF.

Marion
 
I will use the spine of my knife, but I always keep a lucky rock (my nephew gave it to me) which happens to strike Ferro rods. Always with me, too.
 
I've never noticed any damage from a fire steel on any blade.

On the other hand I used an actualy piece of flint one time on one of the 01 Bushcrafts that Koster occasionally sells and I had to work hard to get the nicks sanded out.

I think a Fallkniven F1 is the most amazing spark thrower of any knife I've tried.

I don't know if it's the INFI steel or a slight rounding of the spine but most of the Busse's I've tried have been VERY stingy with the sparks.:rolleyes:
 
stingray4540 said:
The ONLY striker I use is the spine of a knife.

It will not damage your knife or discolor it beyond being able to be rubbed out.

A few things ARE required though, for the spine of your knife to work well.

*The spine must be heat treated
* The knife cannot be a laminated blade
* The spine must be a sharp 90* angle (this can be accomplished with a file)

The only thing that will happen after repeated use, is the "edge" of the spine will lose it's sharpness, just like the knife's edge does when you use it. So, when the spine stops throwing sparks quite as well as it used to, it's time get the file out and square it up again.
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I think you make a very good point, and you have very well explained what is required.

But, for the average guy, I think it is too much for him to try to make sure that the knife he buys will have a spine that strikes sparks. And most guys are not in a position to modify their knife, so that it will.

I think a high-quality scraper(striker) is the answer for the vast majority of people.

Now, if you are going to buy a custom knife, and you require that your knife-maker build this feature in, then that is a whole other story. Though, if I was going to build one in, I don't think I would do it using the spine, too much risk, I think. I think I would want to build it into the ricasso area.

Marion
 
stingray4540 said:
A few things ARE required though, for the spine of your knife to work well.

*The spine must be heat treated
* The knife cannot be a laminated blade
* The spine must be a sharp 90* angle (this can be accomplished with a file)
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I always used a hacksaw blade or the awl on my SAK's, until I tried the spine of my Fallkniven F1. I fully concur with Hollowdweller, I have a laminated VG 10, and it throws more sparks than anything I've ever tried! - except my angle grinder.... ;)
 
Marion David Poff said:
I think you make a very good point, and you have very well explained what is required.

But, for the average guy, I think it is too much for him to try to make sure that the knife he buys will have a spine that strikes sparks. And most guys are not in a position to modify their knife, so that it will.

I think a high-quality scraper(striker) is the answer for the vast majority of people.

Now, if you are going to buy a custom knife, and you require that your knife-maker build this feature in, then that is a whole other story. Though, if I was going to build one in, I don't think I would do it using the spine, too much risk, I think. I think I would want to build it into the ricasso area.

Marion
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Of course a striker is a fine choice, whether you have a capable knife or not. But, if you knife is able, it will do a fine job as a striker, and it will not be damaged or permanently discolored in any way.

You don't really need to "build" in a striker on a knife. All that is required is that the spine is not left soft, and is heat treated(most knives are except for some customs that are differentially heat treated). If that is the case, all you need to do is use a file to "flatten" the spine so it has sharp 90* angles at the edges. In other words, if the corners are rounded it won't work.

Also, what "risk" do see by using the spine as a striker? I would think a ricasso striker would pose more risk, because now the knife edge is facing the hand that is holding the ferro rod. Regardless, none of my knives have a ricasso area, so I couldn't do it that way if I wanted to.
 
sodak said:
I always used a hacksaw blade or the awl on my SAK's, until I tried the spine of my Fallkniven F1. I fully concur with Hollowdweller, I have a laminated VG 10, and it throws more sparks than anything I've ever tried! - except my angle grinder.... ;)
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I edited my original post. I meant laminated blades were the outside laminations are soft. For instance, a laminated Mora doesn't work.
Oh, and I agree, Fallkniven F1 throws the best sparks I have ever seen! It has a lot to do with having a sharply squared spine though, as all of my knives come quite close the Fallkniven, but I keep the spines sharp.
 
stingray4540 said:
If you knife is able, it will do a fine job as a striker, and it will not be damaged or permanently discolored in any way.
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Totally agree.

stingray4540 said:
You don't really need to "build" in a striker on a knife. All that is required is that the spine is not left soft, and is heat treated(most knives are except for some customs that are differentially heat treated). If that is the case, all you need to do is use a file to "flatten" the spine so it has sharp 90* angles at the edges. In other words, if the corners are rounded it won't work.
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Build or modify. And only some people are ready to do that. Nothing against it, simply noting a perspective.


stingray4540 said:
Also, what "risk" do see by using the spine as a striker? I would think a ricasso striker would pose more risk, because now the knife edge is facing the hand that is holding the ferro rod. Regardless, none of my knives have a ricasso area, so I couldn't do it that way if I wanted to.
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If you have that knife turned round in your hand to make the spine a scraper, if your grip should fail, if you you should tip over, etc... Then the edge of the knife could go right across the palm of your hand. If it was built into the ricasso area, you still might get cut, but probably nowhere near as bad. Just my two cents.


Marion
 
I square all my spines regardless of if I plan to use them for a firesteel or not. They make great fuzz for tinder, Finer that I've been able to get by shaving with the edge.
 
udtjim said:
The striker that came with my fire steel works so much better than any knife that I have tried that it's not worth the effort to use the knife. However I have found also that few tools spark better than the back of the Opinel blade.:eek: Instant spark shower.
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I'd have to agree with the first part of this (havn't tried an Opinel). Is saving the 2 grams the LMF striker weighs even worth bothering about?
 
stingray4540 said:
*The spine must be heat treated
* The knife cannot be a laminated blade that has soft(un-heattteated steel) on the outside.
* The spine must be a sharp 90* angle (this can be accomplished with a file)
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Stingray- I really hope you don't think that I'm dogpiling on you here but actually all three of these statements are wrong. I agree with you that it won't damage the knife in any way and I only use my knife spine to strike firesteels. I'm in the 'don't want another thing to remember/lose' crowd so I use my knife.

But, in no way does the spine have to be hardened. I differentially treat most of my knives and they will all throw sparks just the same. Now, that sharp corner may break down faster than a fully hardened one. I just tried six different 'soft spine' knives in my shop and they all work fine. Also used some cutoff drops of steel on the floor that are not hardened at all. Work great. It's just the sharp edge you need not the hardness of the steel. A rock, as someone mentioned will work fine, as will a sharp piece of glass.

For the second point, see above answer.

For the third point, the knife just needs a sharp corner. Degree of the angle doesn't matter. You just have to raise, lower the angle of the knife in order to make contact with that sharp edge.

All good. Carry on.:thumbup:
 
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