Finding & identifying flint

[Floki]

Hi all,

as most woodsman i lite my fires with a ferrocerium rod and if im really lazy i use matches. But this year i decided to spice it up a bit and went a little more traditional, so i started using flint and steel. But as recently i've started to run out of my precious flint and im not sure where to locate it, to be honest i dont even know what it looks like as a raw stone or how deeply buried is it. So i was hoping i could get some tips and pointers?

Cheers Floki

 

[Fraxinus]

Hi Floki, flint is usually found in chalky areas...not sure where you might find chalk layers in Slovenia.
Another source is in the ballast used in concrete mixes: these are in the form of small pebbles and often imported from further afield. They can be broken with care to provide smaller shards that can be used in flint and steel methods.
Alternatively you can research other materials that will work, such as quartz, in your area. You can search for these stones/rocks with google images.

Rob.

 

[Floki]

Thats really helpful, considering that my original plan was to walk around the woods hitting stones with my steel striker until i get sparks

 

[Toddy]

Can you get hold of (ours are available online) a geological map of your area ? Sometimes dating from the Industrial revolution?
These were often made to show the natural resources of an area as many of these became raw ingredients in industrial processes.
Flint was one such mineral that was exploited, and sources are usually marked on such maps.
Search for 'Mineral Resources, map' and the area you are interested in, and the search engines ought to find something useful for you.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Floki]

wow thanks toddy thats a great idea, the only thing i could scavenge is this map, is this what you had in mind?
i tried to translate it, hope that google translater didnt do to bad of a job

 

[Toddy]

Sort of. If you can find a slightly more detailed one it'd be much better, but at least that one will give you general areas to search for in the maps.
Flint is found either as it was formed, in limestone/chalk, or as washed out pebbles that often accumulate in some catchement (sometimes secondary deposits, like placer gold) or are found along beaches.

If you bear in mind that flint is formed within the limestone or chalk, as lumpy masses or discrete nodules, then maybe look for sources of limestone in your area ?

The other way of finding it is to look at the archaeological reports of your area and see if they mention flint sources. Where is was found and utilised in the past is generally where is to be found today. Very rarely are flint deposits totally robbed out. Might not be as easily accessible, but it's a good starting point for it.

cheers,
Toddy

p.s. Like this…..
http://www.academia.edu/439727/The_...an_underwater_find_from_the_northern_Adriatic

 

[Toddy]

How about looking through some sites like this one too ?
http://www.flintsource.net

Your country is beautiful I've been looking as I found links for you. Wonderful resources, tremendous natural variety of habitats and climate areas. Lucky man

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovenia#Geology

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Floki]

Thank you for helping me out toddy, it really helped

 

[Floki]

oh wow thanks man, yeah it is quite beautiful at least the nature is. If you ever find yourself in Slovenia id be glad to show you some sites