Firesteel scraping...

[Teno]

Hello everyone,

I'ts me again...

I have recentry, and finally manage to boy a few firesteels (I live in Argentina, where there are NOT available) and found that using the original scrapper to produce sparks, it removes way too material from the bar.

Using my Victorinox Pioneer´s blade it works like charm, producing more sparks, removing less metal...and ruing the edge...

Any suggestion ???

Thanks!!!

 

[Schwert]

Use the awl (the Pioneer has one right?)

If not get a Soldier or Farmer that has the out-the-front awl...works a charm. Vary the angle of attack and pressure too, that changes how much material is removed by scraping.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Teno,
if your knife has a saw blade, use the back of that, as it will have a square spine.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Pierr]

A piece of flint also works very well.

 

[scanker]

As Ogri says, the back of the saw blade works a treat, and you can do it with the blade still safely folded inside the handle.

 

[Mang]

I use the very end and sort of flick the scraper as I pull it down. It still makes sparks but only wears the end out.

 

[Teno]

I got the awl, but cannot get a decent spark.

It will be rude to start sharpening the awl in the cofee shop where I am now....

Will try later at home and post results.

The drawback of the Pioneer is the lack of saw... a real pity, yet not found the Farmer down here in the south.

Thanks guys!!!

 

[Tadpole]

Hello everyone,

I'ts me again...

I have recentry, and finally manage to boy a few firesteels (I live in Argentina, where there are NOT available) and found that using the original scrapper to produce sparks, it removes way too material from the bar.

Using my Victorinox Pioneer´s blade it works like charm, producing more sparks, removing less metal...and ruing the edge...

Any suggestion ???

Thanks!!!

Having checked my SAK, all the blades and tools have fairly rounded backs, I had the same problem as you with my fix bladed knife , no spark, so I took a file to the back and made it flat and square to the face of the blade. this now generates fantastic sparks. try taking a flat file to the screwdriver/bottle opener's blade back, it take little effort to square it off. I'm sure it will help

 

[Mike Ameling]

With those modern ferro-cerrium rod fire steels, all you need is something with a HARD and SHARP edge to scrape it with to get sparks. Also keep in mind that it is the same material they use in cigarette lighters. In those you have that little wheel with sharp points on it to scrape the rod for sparks.

But the other thing to remember is that those ferro-cerrium rods are a ... consumable item. Those sparks you see are the material being scraped off and burnt. The more you use it, the faster it gets "used up". It is kind of like burning a candle for ligt - the more you burn it for light, the faster it is consumed.

The other thing to also keep in mind is that the fewer sparks you get by reducing how you scrape your fire steel, the harder it will be to catch those sparks and get your fire started. So you have to balance it out. If you reduce how much you scrape off each time, it might then take more tries to get your fire started - and that might end up using up more of your fire steel in the end. You will have to see for yourself how "few" sparks you can get by with to start your tinder. Too often trying to economize usage ends up requiring more.

Hope these humble rambling thoughts help.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[mjk123]

I'd second Mikes comments; IMHO better to produce lots of large, hot sparks than a few crackles. I've use my ferro rod quite a bit and although there's a lump missing, there's still plenty of life left in it. I've yet to hear of someone "wearing out" a ferro rod.

I sometimes use the last tooth of my SAK wood saw. But I prefer a bit of hard metal I found on the garage floor. It produces sparks that can bounce along a concrete floor like the output from a mad welder. It'll light paper, birch bark and even finely shaved wood.

 

[Teno]

The awl works fine, but I have some problems with the angle. Since the ferrocerium is too hard to get here, I will buy a few more, and use the first as "spark test" to check what parts of my SAKs works fine By now, I've found that both awl and the back of the woodsaw (from the Camping and the Rucksak) works very well.

I will dremmel a few parts to square them, and will try to take some photos.
Thanks!!!

 

[SimonM]

I've yet to hear of someone "wearing out" a ferro rod.

I had a "Light My Fire" "Scout" model wear out after 2 years of abuse from the kids at school.

They always used the striker that it came with, and despite me telling them otherwise, always struck it in the same place. This made a flat, thin, spot down the length, which eventually snapped.

So, now you have heard of one wearing out!

Simon

 

[Cairodel]

Instead of wearing out something I've paid good money for (I'm a Scot... ), I use
a piece snapped off an old hacksaw blade.. works great...!!

 

[mjk123]

>>This made a flat, thin, spot down the length, which eventually snapped.

I bet you could've still used the stub though.

If you doubt me on this though, weigh a rod on an accurate scale, then strike for a week or a month then weigh it again. Even with heavy handed carelessness, there's _oodles_ of fires in these things.

And I stand by my previous philosphy: Better one good scrape well above the critical mass than 10 weaker ones below it.

 

[crazydave]

depends on what you are lighting, cotton wool, meths or gas can work with a light spark but natural tinder normally needs a bit more oomph. the back of the sak saw or file blades work well as do the stikers if you move up to using the handle part instead of the ridiculous way they keep changing the pressing so it wears out quicker.

the best thing I've found is a cheapo metal ruler from b&q for 50p with a nice sharp stamped edge to it.

 

[Hammock_man]

I use a pound shop craft knife to act as my scraper. Cheap and produces enough sparks to get a char cloth to take each time. Not worried about the edge as when it goes there are another ten in the box which also hold the char cloth