Flint striker injury

[LucyLion]

Hi all.
I use a flint stick and striker for fire lighting, but the striker has a tendency to rip a layer of skin off my finger if it takes more than a couple of strikes!
Am I better off just using my knife? Or am I missing something with the striker?! It seems a shame not to use the striker at all, I feel the issue must lie with me doing something wrong.
The fire lights, but it's pretty inconvenient having a wound to deal with!
When I next buy one I guess I might have to look for a more elaborate striker!
Does anyone have any advice?

 

[juliojordio1983]

Buy a ferro rod

 

[Macaroon]

Are you striking the flint with the striker, or the striker with the flint?

 

[LucyLion]

Ah, my bad - I've done a little research and what I've been calling a flint is actually a ferro rod!! So, same question but with the thing correctly labelled!!

 

[Corso]

Not all strikers are equal. In fact some of the commercial ones are terrible, it shouldn't take much more than pressure and motion to get a spark and I tend to find I refer to hold the striker still and pull back with the ferro rod but either way works

 

[juliojordio1983]

I've found the majority of ferro rod strikers that come with the rod pretty poor, not a sharp enough edge, or to small to use easily. Do you have a knife with a sharp spine you could use? You can still use the technique mentioned below with the knife, keep the knife still, and draw the rod back. I find it much easier to use my knife than the striker.

 

[hughtrimble]

Not sure I understand how the striker is taking skin off your finger...

1. Is it taking skin off the one holding the ferro rod or
2. Taking it of the finger holding the striker?

Either way, I see no reason for it to do so unless you're holding either very strangely?

 

[Janne]

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[Monikieman]

Bit hacksaw blade. Take off back edge on grinder. That makes a burr on the edge and makes it left or right handed. I've taught kids who have 'tried' for 30 mins without injury. You can used 8mmx2mm tool steel and set a bit in antler and makes great striker. Hope that helps

 

[Hibrion]

Perhaps a picture of the injury and how you hold the rod and striker will help everyone to give you advise on this case?

 

[Janne]

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[Herbalist1]

Yes matches are good - esp. if you can pick up strike anywhere ones (not as easy these days) - you can light 'bigger' material so don't have to prepare or find such fine tinder but ferro rods are good too. Don't have to worry about getting them wet, much easier to use with cold, wet hands and very easy to use - using matches in adverse conditions is a real skill. Saying that, a bic lighter is even easier but I still tend to carry a ferro rod even if I'm carrying other fire lighting methods - just have one on my key ring.

 

[Janne]

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[juliojordio1983]

I just like to start a fire with the ferro rod vs matches/lighter. I may not be factually correct (as Janne says) but it certainly feels the more traditional way to light a fire. Plus, with a rod, it doesn't matter if you fall in a river etc, you can still light a fire. I have safety matches, in a waterproof tub, I carry them every trip, 'just incase' but I haven't yet even opened the tub. And I haven't been unable to light a fire with the ferro rod, even in some horrific conditions.

 

[Janne]

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[LucyLion]

Thanks all for your replies. The injury happens on my index finger where it grips the striker. It's only a cheap little striker that came with the rod. I think I'm just going to use the back of my knife and get rid of the offending striker!
Matches are fine, and I do carry waterproof ones, but I don't like to rely on them in case they get lost, or they fail etc.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[Stew]

Wrap a bit of tape around the striker where you're gripping it?

 

[LucyLion]

It's worth a try.

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[Janne]

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[juliojordio1983]

Not all rods have handles.... maybe OP is trailing a finger down the side of the rod?

Sorry, following replies didn't show up till after I'd replied.