Probably a very silly question.

[bambodoggy]

What's dodgy about it? I spent years at RADA perfecting it. I am a thespian

I don't know about RADA but wife seems to spend years at Prada!!!!!! Still, for every new handbag she buys that's a new toy for me for bushcraft! ):

 

[falling rain]

Yep - agreed Ed, buffing it up a bit does help, and being bone dry helps too of course when using it straight off the tree. :wave:

 

[Scally]

there are two ways of useing fires steel 1 produces spark but not that hot or long lasting and thats dragging steel down fire stick
2nd way press steel at 90 degrees (sometimes need to flip to other side) then push steel whilst still pressing down useing your thumb to push the steel down the steel digs out more material but at a lot higher temp and longer lasting. works for me any way? hope this makes sence

 

[TheViking]

there are two ways of useing fires steel 1 produces spark but not that hot or long lasting and thats dragging steel down fire stick
2nd way press steel at 90 degrees (sometimes need to flip to other side) then push steel whilst still pressing down useing your thumb to push the steel down the steel digs out more material but at a lot higher temp and longer lasting. works for me any way? hope this makes sence

Nope 3. http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showpost.php?p=52589&postcount=8
:biggthump

 

[leon-1]

Dave, this is an image of an F1 and a firesteel being used to light some birch bark. It was posted by Neil1, this is what you will need in the way of a spark to get it going, if your birch bark doesn't catch try interspersing it with thistle down or a lighter form of tinder, this way if the bark doesn't go the other stuff probably will.

With cotton wool I used to blow into it before I tried to light it, method blow into it, tease it up and then use the firesteel on it by placing the steel actually on the cotton wool (it will form a little hollow) and then using the area on the spine of the knife close to the tip of the blade and using a lot of force push the knife slowly towards the tinder. The resulting shower of sparks is quite intense and prolonged, the cotton wool more or less explodes into a life of flame.

For more difficult tinders (cloth and some fungi) try holding the tinder against the spine of the blade and striking the firesteel through the tinder, with this you may have to nurse an ember and if you are having trouble with your cotton wool try this method with cotton wool.

As an alternative you could use fine grade wirewool, with this you will almost certainly have to nurse an ember, but once it is burning it throws out a lot of heat.

All the best in your search for the eternal flame :biggthump

 

[Jeff Wagner]

I am not familiar with your silver birch, however a pile of yellow birch peelings similar to those shown in the photo will ignite instantly, as they are removed from the tree with no additional preparation. I've done it numerous times even with the poor excuse for a sparking tool provided with the fire steel. A knife or back of my gerber saw blade does a much better job. I will often collect a handful of birch peels while still hunting and save them for later fire making. The fire piston is of course the most often used fire making device and in this case the birch bark is ignited using a ball of shredded cedar bark about the size of an egg. I have noted that using the firesteel after dark causes temporary impairment of ones vision due to the bright flash. I cant see my tinder... :shock:

 

[Ed]

I have noted that using the firesteel after dark causes temporary impairment of ones vision due to the bright flash. I cant see my tinder...

Its even worse with one of those magnesium block firestarters....

Ed

 

[Jeff Wagner]

Hmmm....another advantage of the fire piston ):