Pyrites & Flint

[Oggie]

This Summer whilst on holiday I thought I'd try making fire a Prehistoric way..with Iron Pyrites & Flint.
I bought a piece of Pyrites from a Gem stone shop and had a go.
The impact of my flint promptly broke the pyrites in two! No joy, although I could smell burning as if sparks were being created.

Fast forward to today..I went into the darkness of our under stairs pantry and struck the Pyrites with the flint..lo & behold there were sparks...not many and very weak but there were definately sparks!

I then proceeded to try to make a spark catch on charcloth ,not very prehistoric I know, but its just an experiment.

I could see the sparks,even in daylight dropping onto the charcloth but none caught..Lots of mess was created ie Pyrites dust and tiny flint flakes.
Had a rest for a while then had another go.
I fluffed up the charcloth to try to create more for the spark to catch onto and after a couple of minutes a single spark caught hold!!!
I wasnt intending to create fire as I just wanted to catch a spark but I decided the occasion needed celebrating..I quickly grabbed my tinder pouch and pulled out a birdsnest of tinder and a few seconds later had my first Pyrites & flint fire!!
I'm very pleased but I wouldn't like to rely on it! No wonder in Prehistory they carried embers with them!!

Oggie.

 

[Forest fella]

I tried with some pyrites I also got from a Gem store,But the pyrites was painted Silver and broke into many tiny pieces,I'm still trying to get my hands on some raw iron pyrites,if anyone can get me some,please pm me.

 

[Wayland]

I haven't had much luck with this, were you using the pyrites they sell as "fools gold" or the more ore like stuff?

 

[Forest fella]

Yeah fools gold,more fool me by the sound of it.lol

 

[Oggie]

I haven't had much luck with this, were you using the pyrites they sell as "fools gold" or the more ore like stuff?

Hi Wayland,
It was the fools gold ie. the stuff within the rust like coating you get around the ore.
I found that the shiny stuff wears away quickly leaving a dull silver grey interior which soon becomes a deep V shaped notch as you keep striking the same place with your flint.
I've just had another quick go with no luck so its definately not easy and it quickly blunts your flint.
I'll try again later,,getting the sparks to land on the charcloth is fairly easy. But they are not hot enough to catch and I'm getting as close to the charcloth whilst striking, as I can.
Can anyone out there do this consistently?
Oggie.

 

[Galemys]

Can anyone out there do this consistently?

Yes I can, but it takes some time for a good spark to land on the intended spot. I use the middle layer (trama) of a horse hoof fungus (Fomes fomentarius) as tinder, this fungus I use isn't treated in any way, just dried.
I scrape it to create a fluffy layer on wich to project the sparks. In my opinion this works better than charcloth in catching iron pyrites sparks. However I have a hard time catching traditional flint and firesteel sparks with this tinder! It has something to do with the longevity and temperature of the different kinds of sparks I guess.

Here's a link to a thread of mine with some pictures:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31641

Cheers,

Tom

 

[spiritofold]

I've just tried it out.

If you try and grind some of the oxidised layer from the iron pyrites, say by rubbing it on a slab, it works much better. Not as many hot sparks but more than when its rusty..

 

[redneck]

at least you managed it, well done!

 

[Matt_M]

From what i have read you need to find the right piece of pyrites, i saw a RM episode also and he said that you need the smoother type that you find by shorelines, and you can test its sound to make sure its solid, that way it wont break apart.

 

[Oggie]

I've just done it again using Charcloth. Took about 2 minutes of striking to get a spark to catch though..Makes my traditional steels feel like space age technology!!
Oggie.

 

[spiritofold]

I've just done it again using Charcloth. Took about 2 minutes of striking to get a spark to catch though..Makes my traditional steels feel like space age technology!!
Oggie.

Yeah, really does. I guess the iron pyrites sparks/burns at a lower temp, what with the sparks being more orange, they seem more kind off "blobby" as well, not as sparkly.

Very technical explanation eh

 

[Oggie]

Yeah, really does. I guess the iron pyrites sparks/burns at a lower temp, what with the sparks being more orange, they seem more kind off "blobby" as well, not as sparkly.

Very technical explanation eh

Couldn't have put it better myself..
Oggie.

 

[RobertRogers]

Yeah, you do not want to use the rusty outer part of the pyrite: that has already been oxidized.

It is the immediate oxidation of tiny pieces (fresh iron combining with the oxygen in the air) that makes a hot spark. If the tiny pieces you are chipping off the pyrite are already oxidized (rusted) then there will be no spark.

I describe this process in Flint and Steel: What Causes the Sparks?

 

[Oggie]

Heres a picture of the Pyrites after repeated striking..

Oggie.

 

[Neanderthal]

Well done! When I tried this I managed a few brief sparks but ended up just covered in Gold Glitter.

Stu

 

[Oggie]

Thanks Stu,
Its one of them things I wanted to do but didn't get round to..until now..
I'm not sure how to improve or whether the technique can be improved..
I wonder if it was just as hard to do in prehistory and why didn't they just use a bow drill which seems much easier?
Oggie.

 

[spiritofold]

I dunno about where you live, but round here iron pyrites is easy to find, and whenever
i go into Wiltshire the fields seem loaded with the stuff. Always nice to get the raw materials from the land and have a go

 

[spiritofold]

I've just been playing with a piece of iron rich meteorite that i got hold of ages ago.
It works like iron pyrites as well.

Fire from the sky.

Andy >>>>>-------------------------------------<>

 

[Oggie]

I've just been playing with a piece of iron rich meteorite that i got hold of ages ago.
It works like iron pyrites as well.

Fire from the sky.

Andy >>>>>-------------------------------------<>

Hi Andy,
Possiby a little bit harder to find on the ground.. though I bet it created plenty of sparks hurtling through the atmosphere!
I live in Ironstone country with an Ironworks nearby and the remains of quarries and mineral lines everywhere. I've never found Pyrites and I spoke to a mate that worked in the Ironworks for 10 years and he never saw a piece.
Oggie.

 

[IntrepidStu]

Hi Wayland,
It was the fools gold ie. the stuff within the rust like coating you get around the ore.
I found that the shiny stuff wears away quickly leaving a dull silver grey interior which soon becomes a deep V shaped notch as you keep striking the same place with your flint.

No, thats not fools gold mate. Fools gold is golden all the way through and fairly flakey looking. It sound like you have the correct stuff.

Stu.