Flint on steel or steel on flint

[Wook]

I have noticed a lot of people will use their flint in their right hand and strike their steel with it sending sparks downward onto their tinder, which is sitting on the table/ground below.

I've always found this a wasteful technique that beats up the flints and requires an excellent aim for the sparks. Of course, if you're using something like powdered chaga this is the only way it can be done.

But when using something like charcloth I do it the other way around. The flint goes in the left hand with the charcloth pinched above it with the thumb. The steel is then struck on the flint with the right hand, sending sparks upward into the charcloth. It is almost impossible to miss this way.

The downsides to this technique are if you have a few bad strikes the sweat and pressure from your thumb can cause your charcloth to begin to disintegrate - so you need to be quick about it. The other risk is if you miss with the steel, you are moving your hand toward the razor sharp flint at quite high speed so injuries can result.

But on balance I find using the steel on the flint more effective than using the flint on the steel.

What do you think?

 

[mountainm]

That's the way John Fenna told me to do it, works for me!

 

[DFCA]

Its the way I use charcloth and cramp ball tinder - amadou too - in fact, I dont understand why anyone would do it any other way

 

[Wayland]

I do it both ways depending where I want the sparks to go.

When demonstrating the technique I strike down with the flint on the steel because the audience can see what is happening better. (Sparks go down)

If I'm just lighting up or I want to keep the tinder off a wet surface I put the tinder on the flint and strike down with the steel (Sparks go up)

 

[Dartmoor navigator]

If you strike your steel down on the flint, surely the sparks go down? Thats the way it looks to me and I am still wondering why my charcloth hasnt caught yet

 

[Wook]

The "blade" of the flint should be angled upwards, so the sparks go up.

 

[Dartmoor navigator]

Hmmm... I want to go outside and have another go but I suspect that would be bordering on OCD - I tried practicing in the kitchen but felt that the little shards of flint that were flying off were not entirely dissimilar to glass - Not something I enjoy with my Alpen in the morning

 

[HillBill]

But when using something like charcloth I do it the other way around. The flint goes in the left hand with the charcloth pinched above it with the thumb. The steel is then struck on the flint with the right hand, sending sparks upward into the charcloth. It is almost impossible to miss this way.

This was the way i was shown at a swift valley meet. Works well, never tried the other way.

 

[HillBill]

Bear in mind it is the metal and not the flint which is producing the sparks. striking down with the metal, causes the sparks to be scraped upwards., not that they really travel upwards much, they just stay above the edge of the flint where the charcloth is

If you strike your steel down on the flint, surely the sparks go down? Thats the way it looks to me and I am still wondering why my charcloth hasnt caught yet

 

[Robbi]

well explained Hillbill, that just made it all clear

 

[Dartmoor navigator]

Bear in mind it is the metal and not the flint which is producing the sparks.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Thanks



The penny drops....

 

[Dartmoor navigator]

Sometimes the simplest piece of information can transform the toughest of tasks.

OCD got the better of me in my dressing gown.... about half a dozen strikes and my charcloth was away and lit up



Thanks to this thread and the contributions herein.

 

[Robbi]

Weirdo !!!!!!!

 

[Dartmoor navigator]

Weirdo !!!!!!!

For my next trick I shall be collecting a huuuuge cupboard full of knives

But, for tonight, I am happy with fire.



Nichty nicht...

 

[Ruvio]

I quite literally do it in which ever hand I happen to pick them up in first. Never noticed it makes much a of a difference tbh.

 

[DFCA]

If you strike the steel down on the flint - as it is the steel producing the spark, the relative motion of the steel to the flint is actually up - and my sparks go up (and some down too) onto my tinder - I usually mange to get a spark onto the tinder with one strike and I'm away - its just a practice thing I guess - show this off to the public from 10 till 5 in any one day and you get pretty good at it ;-)


Just realised HillBill described this far better than I - but there you go

 

[Everything Mac]

I usually strike the flint with the steel, but some times it is better to do it the other way round.

As long as you have a good steel then it doesn't matter really.

 

[Silverclaws]

Why do we strike the flint with steel, could this be an inherited thing ?

 

[HillBill]

Dont follow what you mean there mate?

 

[TarHeelBrit]

Bear in mind it is the metal and not the flint which is producing the sparks. striking down with the metal, causes the sparks to be scraped upwards., not that they really travel upwards much, they just stay above the edge of the flint where the charcloth is

Thanks HillBill, well said that's how I do it.