Flint & Steel - Flint Preparation

[chris_r]

Can anyone tell me what the best method is prepare a piece of flint for flint and steel fire lighting? I understand the flint needs a sharp edge and I've tried breaking it with a hammer to get one, but it's a little unpredictable. Is the a right way to go about it?

 

[launditch1]

The type of flint is crucial here.Is it crumbling into pieces?If so its probably riddled with what they call frost fractures,a result of centuries of weathering.Did your flint come from the surface?You can test a piece of flint for knappability by tapping it with a hammer.If there is a nice clear note its good to work,if there is a dull note then its no good!Flint is predictable..if you get the right bit.If youre really dispairing ill give you a piece for firelighting.

 

[chris_r]

I've got loads that I picked up yesterday, all collected from the back of Marsden Beach. Some dark, some light. I understand the dark stuff works better. Some of it I'm having problems breaking with a 2lb hammer, so presumably, it probably doesn't have too many flaws. Some give a bit of a ting, others don't.

I'm not despairing too much, just need some advice about how and where to start.

Am I right to be whacking it with a large hammer?

 

[John Fenna]

The flint pieces I use for my very successful "Dragons Breath" flint and steel fire lighting kits is prepared by whacking a large lump of flaw ridden flint with a hammer...the good bits of flint are harvested and the bom bits discarded....
The used flints are tested for parking ability on a steel before packaging!

 

[chris_r]

Thanks to Time Team's Phil Harding, I've found that I need to be attacking the bits of the stone angled at less than 90 degrees. Big hammer's working a treat now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sim6tAFqvvU

 

[Celt_Ginger]

All you need is a piece with a sharp edge. It can be thick or thin. You are trying to shave off a tiny little bit of the steel by striking it against the sharp edge of the flint. I usually break my flint into shards by either hitting it with another stone, hitting it with a hammer, or dropping a large bit onto another rock. if you get a large enough piece you can simply shatter it on a big rock and collect the small shards that will fly off. I find that the pale flint works just as well as the dark stuff.

 

[British Red]

You need to learn to develop a blade core.

Start with your nodule

Imagine a polygon with all the rough lumpy bits knocked off - use a hammer stone to knock off all the outside off lumps to achieve it

Then at the top on the apex of the angles, develop a platform (flat area)

Take a hammer stone (rounded rock of hard stone) and bring it down sharply on the platform. The shock wave with drive off a blade from the core

As each blade is knocked off it creates new corners - flip the core round in your hand and strike again

Hope that helps

Red

 

[chris_r]

Thanks for the help and advice everyone. I've managed to get a good few blades and have also managed a fire with some char cloth, using my Frost as a striker. Great stuff.