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RHensley

Pilgrim
Joined
Jan 22, 2018
Messages
189
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I once ask a gentleman on the form (I think it was on this forum) what was his preferred flint for flint and steel. He said the English flint. I had ordered a flint and still kit off the computer and when it arrived it had Texas flint in it. After I beat my hands almost to death I finely got to where I get a pretty decent spark. I tried a couple of large rifle flints English and with there size and my hands I had little success. I found a site on the computer that sold English flint by the lb and it was fairly inexpensive so I've ordered a couple of lbs. In the mean time I have walked the creek below my home and picked up some rocks that I believe to flint. After breaking a few and using them I found they also produce a half way decent spark. Now I've said all this to say one more thing. Do the members here that commonly use the flint and steel method find the rock and use what they find or do you order the flint of your choice. Just looking for more knowledge.
 
I use rifle flints that are not fit to use in a rifle anymore.

Jerry
I tried that and couldn't hold on them well enough to do any good at all. I've not tried the large musket flint just the large rifle flint. The Texas flints I used was between 1.5 and 2.5 inches across and easy to hold on to.
 
I save old, worn out rifle or trade gun flints to use with flint & steel fire making.

Reading both of your posts, Mr. Hensley, I am wondering about your technique. It could be that you could adjust the angle of the flint to steel so that you get a scraping motion. Or I could be all wet, too.
 
I re-grind ‘used’ rifle/smoothie flints using a diamond tile saw (had on hand anyway) and a flint holder jig thet I saw on this site. Since my flinters range in size from tiny flints for small 40-cal locks to HUGE ones for wall gun size flints ... I think I’m set for this life!
 
I save old, worn out rifle or trade gun flints to use with flint & steel fire making.

Reading both of your posts, Mr. Hensley, I am wondering about your technique. It could be that you could adjust the angle of the flint to steel so that you get a scraping motion. Or I could be all wet, too.
You know since I am new to all this I'm quite sure my technique is not the best. I also have trouble hanging on to small objects. Hands don't work as they did many years ago but I have found that so far a pc of flint about 1.5 to 2.5 inches long to 1 inch or more tall is easier for me to hold on to. If you can imagine It's easier to hold on to a base ball than a BB. Now I know this goes to exstremes but you see what i mean.
 
Keep on trying. Use whatever size works. That's the important part. I'm certain you can get it.
Oh I can start a fire was just wondering what others use and there preference in rocks. There are some out there that really know one rock from the other and I try to get as much information as I can. I've used English flints in my rifle for many years and just now getting around to trying others.
 
I once ask a gentleman on the form (I think it was on this forum) what was his preferred flint for flint and steel. He said the English flint. I had ordered a flint and still kit off the computer and when it arrived it had Texas flint in it. After I beat my hands almost to death I finely got to where I get a pretty decent spark. I tried a couple of large rifle flints English and with there size and my hands I had little success. I found a site on the computer that sold English flint by the lb and it was fairly inexpensive so I've ordered a couple of lbs. In the mean time I have walked the creek below my home and picked up some rocks that I believe to flint. After breaking a few and using them I found they also produce a half way decent spark. Now I've said all this to say one more thing. Do the members here that commonly use the flint and steel method find the rock and use what they find or do you order the flint of your choice. Just looking for more knowledge.
I am always keeping my eyes open for suitable rocks RH, for flint & steel & for the flintlock. Flint is not the only siliceous rock you can use.
fire-steels-siliceous-rocks.jpg

https://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/2012/02/part-five-closer-look-at-flint-and.html
Keith.
 
I use pieces of flint I pick up out of the driveway.... we have plenty of flint here!

And how do you know you got "Texas flint"?

At one time I had a piece of flint I picked up in Texas, it was brown. Don't know where it went to...
 
I am always keeping my eyes open for suitable rocks RH, for flint & steel & for the flintlock. Flint is not the only siliceous rock you can use.
fire-steels-siliceous-rocks.jpg

https://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/2012/02/part-five-closer-look-at-flint-and.html
Keith.
There is a flint napping meet this May not too far from my home. If possible I plan on going to see and learn. I do know that the native americans in this area made really good looking arrow heads out of flint and other rocks common to this area and I wish to learn. Thanks
 
I use pieces of flint I pick up out of the driveway.... we have plenty of flint here!

And how do you know you got "Texas flint"?

At one time I had a piece of flint I picked up in Texas, it was brown. Don't know where it went to...
The flint I got from Texas was more of a bluish grey and I don't know which part of Texas it came from I do know it worked pretty good. I'm taking a trip to Dixie Gun Works tomorrow I'll see what they have to offer. They are the only company close with black powder. To go there is really like a kid in a candy store. Guns, clothes knife kits all the things that interest us.
 
I once ask a gentleman on the form (I think it was on this forum) what was his preferred flint for flint and steel. He said the English flint. I had ordered a flint and still kit off the computer and when it arrived it had Texas flint in it. After I beat my hands almost to death I finely got to where I get a pretty decent spark. I tried a couple of large rifle flints English and with there size and my hands I had little success. I found a site on the computer that sold English flint by the lb and it was fairly inexpensive so I've ordered a couple of lbs. In the mean time I have walked the creek below my home and picked up some rocks that I believe to flint. After breaking a few and using them I found they also produce a half way decent spark. Now I've said all this to say one more thing. Do the members here that commonly use the flint and steel method find the rock and use what they find or do you order the flint of your choice. Just looking for more knowledge.

in flint and steel fire lighting we're actually shaving off tiny shards of steel to make the spark. Just as with flintlocks, a sharp flint edge produces hot sparks much better than dull lumps. A flint flake or spall will become dull through repeated use and it can quickly be resharpened with a blow from a small stone or antler billet. In the following video I'm catching a spark in un-charred wood punk. Notice that the flint is a sharp flake.

 
I once ask a gentleman on the form (I think it was on this forum) what was his preferred flint for flint and steel. He said the English flint. I had ordered a flint and still kit off the computer and when it arrived it had Texas flint in it. After I beat my hands almost to death I finely got to where I get a pretty decent spark. I tried a couple of large rifle flints English and with there size and my hands I had little success. I found a site on the computer that sold English flint by the lb and it was fairly inexpensive so I've ordered a couple of lbs. In the mean time I have walked the creek below my home and picked up some rocks that I believe to flint. After breaking a few and using them I found they also produce a half way decent spark. Now I've said all this to say one more thing. Do the members here that commonly use the flint and steel method find the rock and use what they find or do you order the flint of your choice. Just looking for more knowledge.


I’m fortunate enough too live in an area where rocks are plentiful!

When I first tried making fire with flint & steel I had plenty of issues, rocks were the least of my worries.

A good steel is needed to produce good sparks, the first 2 or 3 I purchased weren’t so good.
 
My Dad taught HS Earth Science for 46 years, was a rock hound and a lapidarist. He set aside some of his chunks of red jasper for me. Still using them 25+ years later. It is harder than flint, shatters less and throws more sparks. It does not make as sharp an edge as flint, but that doesn't seem to matter for F&S fire starting.
 
My Dad taught HS Earth Science for 46 years, was a rock hound and a lapidarist. He set aside some of his chunks of red jasper for me. Still using them 25+ years later. It is harder than flint, shatters less and throws more sparks. It does not make as sharp an edge as flint, but that doesn't seem to matter for F&S fire starting.
Thanks for the tip!
Everything I have tried has been inferior tobEnglish or French lint.
ALOT of flint in France & it is becoming available again.(Historically, it appears that the English used French flints half the time.)
Dave
 
The flint, or mystery rock, you are trying is only half the equation. Your steel must be of proper steel and properly hardened. I own several steels and none of them is worth flip for sparks. One used to do well but the surface must have worn through. Without looking to the quality of your steel no real conclusions can be reached.
 
My Dad taught HS Earth Science for 46 years, was a rock hound and a lapidarist. He set aside some of his chunks of red jasper for me. Still using them 25+ years later. It is harder than flint, shatters less and throws more sparks. It does not make as sharp an edge as flint, but that doesn't seem to matter for F&S fire starting.
Now this is part of the flint and steel I wish I knew more about. I'll have to look up what red jasper is.
 
The flint, or mystery rock, you are trying is only half the equation. Your steel must be of proper steel and properly hardened. I own several steels and none of them is worth flip for sparks. One used to do well but the surface must have worn through. Without looking to the quality of your steel no real conclusions can be reached.
I know that the heat treat of a pc. of steel makes all the defference . I've welded for some years and know about pre and post heat and stress relieving. All this makes or brakes a pc of steel.
 
Flint grows wild in the ozarks so I just pick up one off the ground. However, about fifteen years ago I got a good sized piece of pyrites. It throws good sparks, and looks neat. Every one has some sort of flint, but I’m the only guy I know with pyrites.
 
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