Flint, Tinder etc

[rotherdrummer]

Hi everyone

My girlfriend bought me a steel flint and I'd like to use it when we go camping rather than taking matches or a cigarette lighter

My question is, what's the best way to get a BBQ going with a flint? I've watched instructional videos online on how to start a fire with flint, kindling, and fuel, but I'm unsure how you would get hot charcoal going for a BBQ. Could you just light a firelighter cube with the flint? Or would you still need tinder and kindling? I guess the charcoal would be the fuel

Any help/advice appreciated

Thanks

John

 

[sapper1]

firelighters take a spark very well from a ferrocium firesteel.When you say steel flint what exactly do you mean ,as steel and flint are two different parts of a kit .One needs the other.Whereas a firesteel only needs a sharp edge to strike against it.

 

[Podcast Bob]

The flint lights the tinder (Use tinder card if you are stuck)

The tinder lights the kindling (You can use fire lighters instead of kindling here)

The kindling lights the wood

The wood lights the charcoal

The cook then drinks too much beer and burns the food

Simple!

Enjoy

 

[Dave Budd]

if it's realy good charcoal then you can sometimes get it lit straight from a flint and steel spark, but normally you will need a tinder as well.

Charcloth on the flint, get a good ember in it and then hold that to a piece of charcoal and blow gently. It works well enough for me to light my forge at shows during the summer I wouldn't try it with exotic charcoal though as it's too dense.

 

[Matt.S]

Hi John,

first things first, have you got a ferrocerrium rod http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/images/product/main/FIRE-STEEL-ARMY.jpg or a steel strike-a-lite http://www.jelldragon.com/images/sg_fire_striker.jpg? The names are confusing but it's quite important to determine as they are used in different ways.

Typically a ferrocerrium rod will produce hotter sparks than a steel striker. If you break a firelighter block or hexamine tablet in two or more pieces it's easier to light (the powder/dust helps).

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Wander round the garden, if dry, you should find enough kindling - moss, small dry grass, leaf mould etc etc.

Nick

 

[Mikey P]

But take a lighter too! Wouldn't want to see your missus go hungry! Flint & steel needs a fair bit of practice and, if your tinder is damp, is an absolute nightmare. The sparks from true flint and steel are much cooler than those from a firesteel and tinder and fire prep is critical.

 

[charadeur]

I always had a hard time with the old style flint and steel. The trick I learned was to put the flint in my left hand and place the char cloth on top of the flint. I put the steel in the right hand and strike it against the flint. I can get it going with one or two strikes most every time.

 

[Mikey P]

The flint lights the tinder (Use tinder card if you are stuck)

The tinder lights the kindling (You can use fire lighters instead of kindling here)

The kindling lights the wood

The wood lights the charcoal

The cook then drinks too much beer and burns the food

Simple!

Enjoy

Welcome back Bob! How was TGO? Looking forward to some podcasts.

 

[spiritwalker]

for fires buy a pot of maya dust
empty out the maya dust and chuck it away
use the pot for fluff out of your clothes dryer
works way better than the maya dust
makes the perfect cheap tinder to carry around in an emergency

for you bbq make a tower of coals place fluff in the bottom with a few firelighters broken around it and strike it works for me flames from the fluff will get the firelighters going enough to start the coals off then wait 30 mins for coals to whiten and commence the sausage fest
failing that cook the sausages straight away and char them on the outside and pink in the middle a sure way for a day off work with a dicky stomache :-D

 

[Goatboy]

Just remember the cotton wool makeup pads. My mate BB is a demon when it comes to these, take one, pull it in half, apply spark and they burn like nobodies buisiness. Always have them in my tinder kit these days.
+ take a lighter just in case
Goatboy.

 

[Le Loup]

Hi everyone

My girlfriend bought me a steel flint and I'd like to use it when we go camping rather than taking matches or a cigarette lighter

My question is, what's the best way to get a BBQ going with a flint? I've watched instructional videos online on how to start a fire with flint, kindling, and fuel, but I'm unsure how you would get hot charcoal going for a BBQ. Could you just light a firelighter cube with the flint? Or would you still need tinder and kindling? I guess the charcoal would be the fuel

Any help/advice appreciated

Thanks

John

John, are you talking proper flint & steel, or some modern method?
Le Loup.