Fire steel discovery

[Jeff Wagner]

I will admit that to date I have been a bit less than excited about firesteels. My method for lighting was to scrape along the full length of the rod with a knife or back edge of a saw blade, etc. pulling the ferocerium rod while holding the knife stationary. While this produces a great shower of sparks and ignites birch bark and very fine tinders I have been frustrated in getting consistent ignition when the preferred tinders are not available. It seems to work best when I can place the steel within a ball of tinder. Igniting a few loose fine wood shavings has been problematical.

I am pleased to report this problem has now been solved.

Over the past several days I have been experimenting with some micro firesteels. These microsteels are about 1.5 inches long and little larger in diameter than a pencil lead. ( More on these microsteels later as they relate to a new fire piston design ) Their diminutive size does not offer a very large scraping surface for my usual technique. Forgive me if this is old news to you seasoned firesteel users, however I have discovered that a full length scrape is not required. I have found that by pressing the tip of the steel against a match sized featherstick and making only the tiniest scape I am able to direct the hot spark very precisely and alight the wood shaving. This new found lighting method has elevated the usefulness of the firesteel for me to the point that I may actually carry one....

 

[hammy]

well done join the club

 

[BobFromHolland]

Great job there, I am well interested in the rest of the (fire piston) story.

I totally agree. I have the firestick-embedded-in-magnesium type myself and I only use the last inch of it.
This is the technique that works best for me:
I take the firesteel in my curved fingers of my left hand and push the back of my knife quite hard on the firesteel with my left thumb. It then only needs a twist of the knife (with my right hand) to direct a shower of sparks to the object you wish to ignite.
Big advantage of this method is that you keep your hands relatively steady, so your pile of tinder doesn't get swept away by some uncontrolled effort (which used to happen a lot to me, and is quite frustrating to say it really nicely).

Down side of this method is that you don't wear your firesteel evenly and end up with big hollowed out areas.

Bob

 

[billycan]

I find i also use the end 2cm of the firesteel, in the past when it got really thin i cut about a cm off back to a wider bit. i find this doesn't hinder its use in any way as you still have plenty to use.

 

[Jeff Wagner]

Great job there, I am well interested in the rest of the (fire piston) story.

"Hello...whats that bump ...on the end of the fire piston shaft...?"

"Why, its the end of course....."

"The end...the end of what?"

"The end...of the micro fire steel.... sheathed within the shaft."

"Ahh...Brilliant..."

 

[Pignut]

Great job there, I am well interested in the rest of the (fire piston) story.

"Hello...whats that bump ...on the end of the fire piston shaft...?"

"Why, its the end of course....."

"The end...the end of what?"

"The end...of the micro fire steel.... sheathed within the shaft."



"Ahh...Brilliant..."

Brilliant indeed!

 

[jdlenton]

nice ideas Jeff but whats that lovely metal box for?

James

 

[Jeff Wagner]

Its a brass tinder box with a hinged lid. A place to store my fungus, flint and steel etc.

 

[jdlenton]

looks very nice used to specialize in making boxes like that when i was training to be a silver smith haven't made any for a few years, there's something else to add to my ever expanding "to make" list


James

 

[Ditch Monkey]

So where can we get the mini fire steel?

I have been experimenting with making my own tinder, when it works it works well with the fire steel I have, when it doesn't it is very annoying.

To make the tinder you do need to have a fire going in the first place so it is best to think ahead

First find some very rotten wood; you know those branches that you pick up only to discover that they weigh about a 6th of what you would imagine they would? That's the kind of wood you need. Carve off some very thin strips; if they are not dry let them dry out. Put these dry slivers in an air tight tin - a tobacco tin would be perfect - then put the tin into the fire with a log or something on top to stop the lid from popping of when it gets hot. Leave the tin in the fire for just the right amount of time, this is the tricky bit. What you are aiming for is wood that has burnt off almost completely but is not quite black; trial and error is the key I find forgetting about the tin and putting a brew on and drinking it before remembering about it is far too long. The wood in the tin does not burn evenly so whilst some bits may be black others will be "raw" somewhere in amongst will be the perfectly cooked material. I should be a very dark brown, almost black, and will crumble to dust between fingers and thumb. the dust can, if you get it right, be ignited on the first strike with a Fire Steel. I now always carry my tin of home made tinder alongside my Fire Steel and have stashed some dry rotten wood in a plastic bag in my rucksack so whenever I get low I can make some more.

 

[addyb]

Dryer lint works very well, I learned that at survival camp. And vaseline impregnated cotton balls also work nicely.

Adam

 

[ilan]

i use the sisal string dip one end in candle wax and fluff the other end into individual strands make a few up(unfluffed) and keep in a film canister dont forget the elastic bands as well

 

[firemaker]

Good work there Jeff! This would work great for those who use your crunch method but not as well for those who strike their piston who might find it uncomforable. And 30 years wood working experience tells me that over time, it may damage the rod and make that portion of the piston weak. I have already made one very similar to this but after some studying, I have found a different way to store the steel that neither hinders the ability for the piston to work efficiantly or harm the workmanship over a period of time. Or simiply carry a shortened one in the tin that you carry with your kit. As always though, beautiful work.

Ditch Monkey

Great tinder making idea. I have also found a way to make my own tinder that is self feeding but I am still workign out the bugs. My friend Emil Banks has also be sucessful in a recipe that does this, although different from mine.

 

[Jeff Wagner]

And 30 years wood working experience tells me that over time, it may damage the rod and make that portion of the piston weak.


Now, Darrel....I know for a fact that you turned 40 last month.

 

[Trackend]

Good posts fellas im learning alot, I originate from a town called Brentwood formerly Burntwood that used to supply the gunpowder industry with raw materials.and the production of charcoal was standard subject matter when I went to school it must be old age creeping on. at least thats my excuse for not remembering how to produce it.
Id be interested to find out what all you other chaps like as tinder my own little pouch always has amoung others things some jute fibres which I tease out from un-coloured garden twine into a tennis ball size (£1 for a big ball that lasts for years) as it contains naturaly occuring cellulous one spark and its away.

 

[BOD]

Dryer lint works very well, I learned that at survival camp. And vaseline impregnated cotton balls also work nicely.

Adam

Dryer lint is a great idea. But silicone spray is better than vaseline unless you want slippery fingers and gear

 

[firemaker]

And 30 years wood working experience tells me that over time, it may damage the rod and make that portion of the piston weak.


Now, Darrel....I know for a fact that you turned 40 last month.

Yup I've had a pocket knife sense I was 7, and I know how to use it.

 

[TwoFourAlpha]

Dryer lint is a great idea. But silicone spray is better than vaseline unless you want slippery fingers and gear

Dryer lint is OK, but often contains synthetic fibre, which doesn't help. Better than silicone spray is candle wax. Don't dip connon wool in it, that's too much. Some candle scrapings on top of a ball of wool, heated up 'til it soaks in. Works a treat. Non greasy, too.

 

[addyb]

Well I recently discovered that I CAN get tinder going with my firesteel by just using the first centimetre or so of it. I figure that by doing this, my Scout model should last a lot longer because I'm not scraping off nearly as much as if I drag the striker down the entire length of it. I think that falls under the phrase "Less is more."

Adam

 

[rich59]

Have you got a picture of the match sized feather stick with the mini fire steel against it Jeff?