Flint for firestarting

[Geoffrey]

Hi all I am trying to learn to start a fire with true flint and steel, and char cloth.

The problem is, I have contacted any, and everyone here in Nova Scotia, Canada, and there is no local source for flint.

Can anyone recomend a place to get a bunch of pieces suitable to use for fire starting practice?

Also what material makes the best char cloth?

Thanks everyone.

Geoffrey.

 

[leon-1]

Can't advise you on where you can get flint from, but there is a link to an online database that covers the geological side of life in Canada here you will find Nova Scotia halfway down the page or you could visit flintknappers and look at the bit under chert if you don't mind paying

There are a number of threads that cover Char Cloth though, if you have an old pair of jeans, denim is supposed to be very good, as are the old yellow dusters, basically most dense woven cottons are pretty good. If you have an old cotton pillow case that could be used and probably the most famous on BCUK is table cloths, but your best bet would be ask Adi about that ):

 

[Bob Hurley]

Can anyone recomend a place to get a bunch of pieces suitable to use for fire starting practice?

Geoffrey.

You might contact Louie at Flying Canoe Traders http://www.flyingcanoetraders.com/
He doesn't have it in his online catalog, but I'll bet he can tell you a Canadian source.

As to charcloth, I've used linen and cotton with about the same results. Getting it properly charred and keeping it dry seem to be the most important things. (of course you already know that wool and synthetics won't work).

 

[Ed]

You can get sparks from carbon steel with any hard glass-like stone. I look for anything that is hard and shiny that I can put an edge and on give it a try.... even the glassy stuff from mining slagheaps works :biggthump


Ed

 

[Snufkin]

You could try gunshops that stock blackpowder supplies, gun flints might be a little expensive though.
Are there any colonial era re-enactor groups in your area? I'll bet they'll be able to put you onto a source.Here is a list of mountain man/buckskinner sites too.

 

[R-Bowskill]

Gunflints shouldn't be too expensive, try Henry Krank & Co. (www.henrykrank.com) They have them in different sizes all under £1.00 each.

 

[rockyraj]

I don’t have much idea about that, so can not advise you on where you can find flint from, but there is a link that covers the Gemology side of life in USA, Canada, UK, UAE, Australia, and India.


Here at www.henrykrank.com you can get Gunflints, that shouldn't be too expensive.

 

[Keith_Beef]

I don’t have much idea about that, so can not advise you on where you can find flint from, but there is a link that covers the Gemology side of life in USA, Canada, UK, UAE, Australia, and India.


Here at www.henrykrank.com you can get Gunflints, that shouldn't be too expensive.

Here's a link to a page at the US Geological Survey, listing chert deposits by state.

 

[Robson Valley]

Welcome from the west slope of the Rockies. We have free smoke for everyone.

Instead of char-cloth, very finely shredded local birch bark is greasy with the flammable tar-like substance: suberin.
Best I've ever done using that has been 30 seconds of sparks for a flame.

 

[Bazzworx]

I don’t have much idea about that, so can not advise you on where you can find flint from, but there is a link that covers the Gemology side of life in USA, Canada, UK, UAE, Australia, and India.


Here at www.henrykrank.com you can get Gunflints, that shouldn't be too expensive.

I'd like to think after 13 years of searching he'd have found some flint by now