Making Sparks with a Fire Steel

[Mike313]

Hi All,
I bought a firesteel a few months ago and after a bit of practice - I'm a old-aged beginner - I came reliably start a fire using birch bark shavings, cotton wool + Vaseline or chap-stick etc. I get great sparks using the back of my Opinel carbon steel knife and with a striker made from a bit of a hacksaw blade (the original striker that came with it was hopeless) BUT I can't really get any sparks using the back of my Mora knife. The Mora is the "Morakniv Heavy Duty F (C)", the one with the orange and black handle and the orange sheath and it says Carbon Steel on the blade but it is very 'stainless looking' unlike the Opinel which is obviously carbon steel. Is there a mod I can do to improve things, such as roughening the back of the blade with a file? Ta in advance.

 

[Mesquite]

Quite often you need to grind the spine of Mora's so they work properly with fire steels as they're not finished very well really.

An alternative is to try this method as demonstrated by Paul Kirtley

 

[Ruud]

Any steel/material with a sharp edge can scrape a spark of the steel. You need to flatten the spine with the file a bit, indeed!

 

[rancid badger]

If, for some odd reason you really want to use the back of a knife for striking sparks (These days, I don't "get it", I really don't! ) you're going to have ensure that the back of the blade has a good, flat, square edge to it.

Best done by grinding it flat, rather than trying to do it with a file.

Better still,rather than eventually end up in A&E with severed tendons, make yourself something like this:
[video=youtube;bc2wQ9ryts0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc2wQ9ryts0[/video]

Sorry about the music, I've tried to change it but it won't let me for some reason!

sincere best wishes

Steve

 

[rickyamos]

I have the Mora 911 and the finish on the back of the spine was nasty, could see all of the shear marks as it was stamped out of the plate metal. Just needed some file action on it. Make a nice 90 degree finish on the back to make a nice sharp edge that will scrap the fire steel and you will be fine.

Sent from my KFSOWI using Tapatalk

 

[Bucephalas]

Alternatively, just get yourself a small round file and file half a circle into the spine and use this part to strike.
It has the added advantage of removing the forocium evenly.

 

[dave53]

nice demo steve and where is the link to such a safe piece of gear regards dave

 

[dave53]

hi rich beat me to it lol

 

[Mike313]

Steve (RancidBadger),
That's a great ideal, the safety steel I suppose you'd call it. I think I'll go this route. Thanks everyone for the replies.

 

[FGYT]

Just to avoid confusion your talking about a Ferro Rod whic is a mix of metals that you scrap with a sharp edge to give large sparks the material comes of the Rod it self

....... a fire Steel is a bit of hardened High carbon steel that you strike on a piece of Flint to get sparks in this case the Flint scrapes off on the Steel itself fro the sparks needs tinder well preped and usually small and fine or char-cloth to increase ember before flame


a Ferro rod will light a fairly heavy tinder i.e newspaper or even cardboard directly if you scrape it about a bit first (just done the Bonfire to dispose of cardboard) or even Rubber inner tube if sliced into thin bits


A striker is another bit of kit to carry as said any sharp thing will do you can even pick up a bit of flint break it and us that so a knife with a striking edge on is anotehr use for no weight or kit I do prefer a curved section to help keep the Ferro under control etc

or a Fire steel can do both flint and Ferro if Hted correctly and ground for both methods and do even more if you think about it

heres the old Mk1 Bushkey only made a handlfull till the Mk2 with folding handle came out now the Mk 3 is about to come online

[video=youtube;0XWaocpITX0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XWaocpITX0[/video]

 

[TeeDee]

now the Mk 3 is about to come online

[video=youtube;0XWaocpITX0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XWaocpITX0[/video]

MK3? You tease....

 

[Mike313]

Hi, Sorry I got my terminology a bit mixed up. I was referring to using a ferrocerium rod. That Bushkey looks really useful! Haven't seen one of those before...

 

[oldtimer]

Quite often you need to grind the spine of Mora's so they work properly with fire steels as they're not finished very well really.

An alternative is to try this method as demonstrated by Paul Kirtley

I glad I read your post. However did I miss this Paul Kirtley video? It has changed the way I will use my fire steel in future. More good syuff from PK.

 

[Mick721]

Sorry to go slightly off topic, but I did see a great idea on the bushcraft store. It's a steel striker/bearing block by ESEE. Over 30 notes though! That would be great if a ferro rod striker was ground in.

http://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/esee-rowen-fire-steel-18155-p.asp

 

[FGYT]

Sorry to go slightly off topic, but I did see a great idea on the bushcraft store. It's a steel striker/bearing block by ESEE. Over 30 notes though! That would be great if a ferro rod striker was ground in.

http://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/esee-rowen-fire-steel-18155-p.asp

says it works on a ferro just hope its not sharp all round as as that's not the best edge for flint striking sparks

Oh there is a similar thing in the works for Shark Tinder

 

[forrestdweller]

Just to avoid confusion your talking about a Ferro Rod whic is a mix of metals that you scrap with a sharp edge to give large sparks the material comes of the Rod it self

....... a fire Steel is a bit of hardened High carbon steel that you strike on a piece of Flint to get sparks in this case the Flint scrapes off on the Steel itself fro the sparks needs tinder well preped and usually small and fine or char-cloth to increase ember before flame

someone should pass that info on to "" light my fire""....

 

[Blaidd]

Sorry to go slightly off topic, but I did see a great idea on the bushcraft store. It's a steel striker/bearing block by ESEE. Over 30 notes though! That would be great if a ferro rod striker was ground in.

http://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/esee-rowen-fire-steel-18155-p.asp

I could be wrong (apparently its happened before, Mrs AJ says) but I think Mr Canterbury had one in a video, he said you needed to insulate it when using it as a bearing block as it got hot in your hand. Not a criticism, just saying...

 

[Haggis]

The terminology for tools tends to change. What are now called "fire steels" were once called simply "steels" or "strikers". When Lewis and Clark made their long journey west, just a touch over 200 years ago, they took with them "30 Steels for striking or making fire" and a "100 Flints for do. do. do.".

 

[Whittler Kev]

I could be wrong (apparently its happened before, Mrs AJ says) but I think Mr Canterbury had one in a video, he said you needed to insulate it when using it as a bearing block as it got hot in your hand. Not a criticism, just saying...

He did. I thought they were his patented product ooer