Marcasite & flint firestarting

[Galemys]

2 pieces of marcasite, Fomes fomentarius tinder (whole & scraped into a woolly mass) and a piece of flint.

Here's some pictures of marcasite and flint firestarting:
http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t258/galemys/Marcasite firestarting/

The marcasite is not really hit as in flint and steel, it is more a scraping motion, using the thumb to add pressure (not clear in the picture because I needed one hand to take the picture). A long, pointed piece of flint will therefore work better than a smaller one. Once in a few scrapes a spark is produced, if it takes too long, the tinder will slowly be covered in marcasite dust and harder to reach for a spark.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[chickenofthewoods]

I'm confused because I'd refer to those two nodules as Pyrites (Iron Sulfide) rather than Marcasite. I know the two are very similar though, but understood that the crystal structure is slightly different.

I can find nodules like these fairly locally and have always thought they were pyrites - have I been getting it wrong??

 

[Galemys]

I'm confused because I'd refer to those two nodules as Pyrites (Iron Sulfide) rather than Marcasite. I know the two are very similar though, but understood that the crystal structure is slightly different.

I can find nodules like these fairly locally and have always thought they were pyrites - have I been getting it wrong??

You are not the only one!

In different articles on percussion firestarting both terms are mixed up on a regular basis.

As I understand it marcasite is the one with the radiating innerside, differing in crystal structure only from pyrites while both are chemically the same. The wikipedia entrance for marcasite shows a nodule just like mine. However, the entrance for pyrite is the only one of the two that suggests it was used for sparking (in lighters and firearms). So now I am even more confused!

Do you just find such nodules on the beach or do you have to look in particular areas?

I bought those two lumps as 'marcasite' and they do produce usable sparks so I guess that's what counts. The weak orange sparks come at irregular intervals but burn relatively long. The tinder used is the untreated innerside of the horse hoof fungus, scraping it into a fine woolly mass is enough to catch the sparks.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[chickenofthewoods]

They can be most commonly found on the beaches not too far from here as washout from the cliffs, most frequently among pyritised fossils of shells and wood. Very occasionally I have also come across the odd one in spoilheaps (usually on building sites when they're digging deep foundations).

As kids we called them Thunder Eggs - maybe that was because of their ability to spark, although I never eally knew where the name came from.

 

[Galemys]

They can be most commonly found on the beaches not too far from here as washout from the cliffs, most frequently among pyritised fossils of shells and wood. Very occasionally I have also come across the odd one in spoilheaps (usually on building sites when they're digging deep foundations).

As kids we called them Thunder Eggs - maybe that was because of their ability to spark, although I never eally knew where the name came from.

Thunder eggs, I quite like that!

Are those shell and wood fossils also enclustered in pyrite then?

Tom

 

[chickenofthewoods]

Yep, all the 'fossils' are completely pyritised. We find sizable chunks of branch, occasionally seeds and nuts too, as well as shells. Next time I'm down that way I'll find some & post some pics. The preservation detail is amazing if you can find specimens freshly washed out that haven't been scoured by the tide.

Oh, and lots of shark teeth!