To all of you survivors out there do you trust flints? I had a friend who didn't go camping without one. While they are great for their ease of use I always had my doubts about them. What if they get wet? I always though we should learn to make fire by other means also.
I think that what you are talking about is NOT flint, but ferrocerium. Ferrocerium rods are manufactured & used in cigarette lighters & for making fire lighting rods. No I don't like these, they are not sustainable & using them will teach you very little. Flint & steel fire lighting on the other hand will teach you a lot, & it is sustainable. Keith. Fire steel or striker. Flint. This is a gun flint, but any piece of flint will do providing it is large enough to hold. A selection of fire steels & siliceous rocks. Left to Right: Quartz, Agate, Flint, a rock found not far from where I live, claimed to be Australian flint, but could be a form of Quartz. Bottom: Black English gun flint such as I use, & another piece of Agate. All work well for flint & steel fire lighting. My tinderbox which is used to make fire, & to prepare plant & fungi tinders.
Yeah you nailed it. Over here we have different models but the object is similar and used for similar purposes. I don't like them either. I find them very unreliable.
I don't believe in carrying just one way to light a fire, I carry several different ways, both old and modern. I carry waterproof matches, 3 disposable lighters, ferro rods, flint and steel and a small magnifying glass. if one fails another will work, if I lost one I have others to fall back on.
I think Keith has this subject covered, I've never seen such a beautiful collection of steels. I just have a short piece off a leaf spring.
Interesting. Does it spark well? Keith. More on fire steels on my blog here: http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/fire-steels.html & here: http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/fire-steels-of-different-kind.html
It creates quite a good spark if you catch it with an edge, I've used it with both natural flint and Quartz. I've got to admit that I'm more likely to use a composite flint and a knife to spark up with. It's my every day carry wrapped in charred cotton.
I only asked because most people use a high carbon steel for making a fire steel, such as an old file. I have never tried spring steel. Keith.
I've always carried more than one way of making fire purists say flint and steel but in extreme weather its next to useless because of the low temperature spark ferrosium chucks a 3000 degree spark I have dipped in water and found it still works fine i think generally knowledge to make fire more than one way is the best route to go and practice always makes perfect
Indeed. I had not considered bringing more than one way to make fire but it does seem like the way to go. When it comes to something so essential as fire I guess we cannot take anything for granted. In my limited knowledge, i was taught to adapt always. Should one item not work we should learn to adapt others so we can make do.
I have never been unable to make fire with flint,steel & tinderbox in any weather conditions. No offence intended to anyone, but I think it all comes down to knowledge, skill & experience. The facts are that flint & steel is a sustainable method, modern gadgets are not. If you are having trouble making fire with flint & steel, then you are just not skilled enough yet. Keith.
I don't think that you have fully explored the usability of Ferocerium Kieth. The little rods might be short term but they are dirt cheap and you can get them in sizes up to HUGE. While I have and can use old school flint and steel I see no reason to handicap myself in a survival situation. The sparks off ferocerium are much hotter and longer lasting than those from flint and steel. I bought 6 5/32" by 3" for under 2 bucks the other day. That is enough to light fires every day for at least a year and takes up the same space as 6 kitchen matches. Nothing will last forever but ferocerium goes a long long way and in a survival situation you might not have on hand the very best materials When I want a fire I want it as soon as possible but matches, lighters and such do indeed have a limited life time but even a steel only lasts so long and in a lot of places finding a suitable rock that you can use might be near impossible. I know that to old primitive tried and true ways have an attraction even to me but survival isn't about fun or style it is what works. I would never take and use feroceriun at a rendezvous but I also wouldn't depend on flint and steel for survival when there was better available.
I live on the beach far away from any natural rock or flint. I use ferro rods,lenses,bow drill, bic lighters. Shaved magnesium burns almost like gunpowder. I've built a few with a combo magnesium rod and ferro rod inserted into a wooden handle. Use your knife,fire steel or piece of a hacksaw blade to strike or feather off some magnesium or wood off the handle. I'd post a picture but not sure how to insert a Photobucket image link on this forum.
