I'm going to have a go at making my own flint for use with one of Jason 01's firesteels. I was just wondering if there is an ideal shape I should be aiming for?
Flints for firesteels
- Thread starter Motorbike Man
- Start date
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Motorbike Man said:
In the days of the musket the flint was squared to fit the lock but for fire lighting all you need it a sharp edge to strike against.
Motorbike Man said:
Hiya Jon
I have a special technique for making firesteel flints, Im not sure whether the Vikings did it this way
.....Flint knappers look away now!
Wrap a good sized lump of flint in a cloth (future charcloth) mind your eyes and give it a good whack with a big hammer, you should end up with quite a few bits
): The sharper the edge the more it will spark and the quicker it'll break off. With trial and error you soon work out the best angle to hold the edge at and so on.Jason
I pressure flake side notches in mine like an arrowhead, so as to permit the attachment of a leather loop. I can wear it as a pendant on a leather thong or attach it to my striker for safe keeping. Recovered NA grave goods often contained broken points that had been reshaped for use as a strike-a-light.
Jeff
Jeff
There is an article on my website that you may find useful.
Fire lighting with flint and steel.
I must admit I do not deliberately shape my flints, I usually have enough "offcuts" from knapping to not need to worry.
Fire lighting with flint and steel.
I must admit I do not deliberately shape my flints, I usually have enough "offcuts" from knapping to not need to worry.
Nice link 
If anyone wants to try some of the flax I've got a stash; I teach kids to spin and they inevitably have a messy start. I keep the fankles and broken bits for fire starting so there's always some around. pm and sae for samples folks.
Failing that
http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/plant__fibres.htm
sell linen, hemp, bamboo, cotton, silk, etc., fibres all of which burn well. I wholeheartedly recommend them as suppliers.
If anyone wants to try some of the flax I've got a stash; I teach kids to spin and they inevitably have a messy start. I keep the fankles and broken bits for fire starting so there's always some around. pm and sae for samples folks.
Failing that
http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/plant__fibres.htm
sell linen, hemp, bamboo, cotton, silk, etc., fibres all of which burn well. I wholeheartedly recommend them as suppliers.
Thanks for that Wayland, that's a nice site you have there, wish I'd known about it when I was doing voluntary work in schoolsWayland said:
PM sent Toddy
Toddy said:Nice link
If anyone wants to try some of the flax I've got a stash; I teach kids to spin and they inevitably have a messy start. I keep the fankles and broken bits for fire starting so there's always some around. pm and sae for samples folks.
Failing that
http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/plant__fibres.htm
sell linen, hemp, bamboo, cotton, silk, etc., fibres all of which burn well. I wholeheartedly recommend them as suppliers.
Thanks for that, their price is very good.
