your favorite firesteel striker?

The spine of my Northstar does well, as does the choil area of my Mini Canadian.

The spine of my Helle doesn't do it, but I did manage to scratch it pretty good due to some clumsy strikes:mad:. I might square up and roughen the spine a bit to see if that helps.

The file blade on my Vic Spirit throws huge showers of sparks, but it's a bit hard on the striker.

A Swisstech Utili-key makes a handy striker too, and could be used for other things.


Where's a good source for firesteel blanks? I have an idea for making a handle out of a small aluminum pill fob that could store a bit of tinder.
 
Foilist said:
........

Where's a good source for firesteel blanks? I have an idea for making a handle out of a small aluminum pill fob that could store a bit of tinder.
Click to expand...

My Helle isn't very good at striking either, but it'll do it.

Try Bensbackwoods.com. He sells the 1/4" x 2-1/2" for about $15 for 5 or about $30 for 10.
 
I like the Gossman striker that I keep in this kit.

picture.php


Jeff
 
I like the Condor carbide blade sharpener and then the SAK Farmer awl or saw. The carbide sharpener really throws a shower of sparks.
 
The awl on my Farmer is definitely my favorite. Many still have a hacksaw piece attached, though. The problem with the hacksaw pieces is if you are having trouble with tinder and have to strike it a lot, you can start to gnaw into your flesh with the sawteeth, or else you have to add something to grip the saw piece with.

So as much as possible I use either the Farmer or sharp blade spine. (The Brian Andrews Bushcrafter is fantastic for this, btw.)
 
I used to just use the striker, but I like a flat spot on the firesteel and a flat striker, I find I get more sparks. The saw blade spine from my vics was next, but the saw closed on my hand a couple of times too many, now I use a modded opinel. It's spine is as good as the vic saw, and it locks, and it's on my neck lanyard, along with a glow fob, scout firesteel, and a pill fob stuffed with a pjcb.
 
Totally the spine of an Opinel. Spews sparks like a Nunzilla with hemorrhoids. :D

I've wanted to try the spine of a Spyderco Captain, since it seems like the little swedge grind is absolutely made for it when the knife is closed. Might need a little squaring off though.
 
The awl on my vic farmer is pretty good.
I've sometimes, like a lot of others here, use the spine of what ever knife I carry.

I just can't shake the feeling that a making powerful semi-fast jerking motion so close to the edge of a knife blade, just isn't such a good idea. Imagine screwing up somehow and have the edge bit into your flesh. it would peel the flesh from the bone, like you fille a fish.
 
The movement doesn't have to be a powerful, semi-fast jerking motion, in fact, I find that more often than not when striking that way you mess up your tinder pile.

If you hold the ferro rod in your left hand, and knife in right hand, you can use your left thumb against the blade side. A combination of that and tension in your right hand, a "squeezing effect", means the knife spine travles only an inch or so on the ferro rod. The spine never leaves the rod, and doesn;t go banging into your tinder. Also, the power created here delivers a better spray of thicker globs of molten metal (sparks) that work better.....for me.

The biggest danger is having your thumb slide up the blade side and into the edge. I've never had that happen, but I worry about when my daughter is starting the fire. We've discussed it and practiced this way, and she knows how to do it properly, but I still worry.
 
I use the back of my knives, but I also filed the teeth off the LMF Striker that came w/ my fire steel and it throws far better sparks than it did with the teeth.

goat
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top