Flint & Steel fire starting

[tsitenha]

On Monday 26t of Dec. I had the pleasure of hosting a friend and student of mine that has made a great journey in his personal growth as a Human. We talked a lot, about all sort of things. In the wee hours of the night I asked if he and his companion would would like to start a fire with flint & steel. They both said yes, I showed them how I achieved it and the both accomplished the task in a minute or so. I had them re-do it 3 time just to see if it wasn't a fluke but they both repeated the task with ease.
I am proud that they achieved it, one of 2016'th best moments.

To spark the charcloth as easy as possible, I set up all of the components at hands length.
I find the sharpest edge of the flint if none I will expose one by knapping it:
Place the steel near by:
Add a piece of charcloth (I use a cotton mop that has been chard) on the top edge:
With a sharp strike with the steel I produce a spark (one or two strikes) and place both the steel and flint aside while holding the chard piece place it in a 'nest" of either dried grass or 'flufted jute twine':
Gently but steadily blow on through the nest until a flame appears:
Place the flaming 'nest' into a pre-prepared tinder pile and again gently blow in it, let it ignite.
Voila fire is achieved.

 

[Monikieman]

I had the pleasure of teaching an 8year old the same thing this year. I explained that the flick of the teel was like flicking someone in the behind with a towel! He understood completely. Flint/steel/charcloth. He got it first time. I was so pleased that I gifted him a tiner pouch/flint and steel. A gift to remember

 

[Night Phoenix]

That is a beautiful story and both are beautiful instances.
There is just something so satisfying about it. Fire by friction is magical but so is flint and steal, its so instantaneous and there is something about using something as solid as stone to make something as lively as flame. It harks back to the old earth to when stone moved in fire. Love it.
I was so lucky to have a beautiful moment in November of 2016. I was hiking with a new, good friend up a valley to some caves in the Highlands. Caves where some of the oldest human and animal remains have been found. There was about a foot of snow on the ground as we hiked up and it was just getting dark when we reached the caves which were wonderfully dry. It started snowing filling the valley with silence and absorbing the sounds of a raven flying by to its rocky perch. We sat there and i reached into my bag and pulled out my vike fire kit that happened to still be there and then i made sparks. I had no tinder with me and did not collect any along the way as this was not the goal nor were we staying but i then taught my friend how to make sparks in that beautiful cave that seemed to be a portal through time.
I want to go back and make a fire not just sparks and to spend the night there
Ahhh magic

 

[crosslandkelly]

No matter how many times you do it, there is something deeply satisfying and primal, getting a fire going using this method.

 

[Leshy]

I totally agree with crosslandkelly here, I love using the flint and steel.
Im yet to succeed in friction fire but that won't be long until I give it a bash again..

 

[redneck]

To me stone is older than wood so fire from rocks seems more primal than any other way, it may or may not be the earliest Form of fire creation by man but it certainly echoes deep within your spirit much more than rubbing sticks.