Just a bit of fun really, but with perhaps important things to be learned.
Following a humerous, if slightly bizzarre thread on britishblades, I was wondersing exactly what kind and diversity of materials you can use to get sparks from a ferrocium rod.
It is (or hopefully "was") a popular myth that you had to use carbon steel to get sparks, now everyone should know that stainless works too. But what else? In theory at least, anything harder than ferrocium, with a sharp edge to bite into it, should do the trick.
Why is this useful to know? Well imagine you are out somewhere and get caught short without a knife (god forbid) but you do have your trusty ferro rod? What are you going to do? Fire by friction? With no knife to make the hearth etc? Or look for alternate ways to get sparks off your ferro rod? A list of things that work, would be useful - no?
Anyway, the theory is, not only can you use any steel (stailess or carbon), it doesnt even have to be metal. Take your ferro rod, open your back door and scrape the rod on the corner of your house - tell me what happens? I havent tried it, but I'd be interested to know if broken glass (bottle) works. I have tried a brass screw, that worked, but not brilliantly. A copper plate didnt work (too soft I think).
So, go for it - how inventive can you be?
I'll start a list and edit it for each new discovery. Remember, the edge of the material you use has to be sharp, sharply squared or rough for it to stand any chance.
Key to comments with relevance to igniting dry cotton wool tinder...
excellent: First choice as a striker
good: Very competant alternative
mediocre: Will work with some effort
poor: You'll be lucky
very poor: Use petrol as a tinder.
Following a humerous, if slightly bizzarre thread on britishblades, I was wondersing exactly what kind and diversity of materials you can use to get sparks from a ferrocium rod.
It is (or hopefully "was") a popular myth that you had to use carbon steel to get sparks, now everyone should know that stainless works too. But what else? In theory at least, anything harder than ferrocium, with a sharp edge to bite into it, should do the trick.
Why is this useful to know? Well imagine you are out somewhere and get caught short without a knife (god forbid) but you do have your trusty ferro rod? What are you going to do? Fire by friction? With no knife to make the hearth etc? Or look for alternate ways to get sparks off your ferro rod? A list of things that work, would be useful - no?
Anyway, the theory is, not only can you use any steel (stailess or carbon), it doesnt even have to be metal. Take your ferro rod, open your back door and scrape the rod on the corner of your house - tell me what happens? I havent tried it, but I'd be interested to know if broken glass (bottle) works. I have tried a brass screw, that worked, but not brilliantly. A copper plate didnt work (too soft I think).
So, go for it - how inventive can you be?
I'll start a list and edit it for each new discovery. Remember, the edge of the material you use has to be sharp, sharply squared or rough for it to stand any chance.
- Any knife with a sharp ground spine. (excellent)
- Brass screws. (mediocre)
- Real flint. (excellent)
- Broken Glass (good)
- House Bricks (excellent)
- Broken glazed pottery. (good)
- Sandpaper. (variable, depending on grit)
- Anodized, knurled maglite body. (very poor)
- Cobalt reamer. (excellent +++)
- Tungsten carbide burnisher. (excellent +++)
- Titanium alloy ring. (excellent)
- Slate. (good)
- Granite. (good)
- Iron pyrite. (good)
- ?
Key to comments with relevance to igniting dry cotton wool tinder...
excellent: First choice as a striker
good: Very competant alternative
mediocre: Will work with some effort
poor: You'll be lucky
very poor: Use petrol as a tinder.