Flints

[toot]

one thing about used/worn gun flints, is that they don't take up any room in your fire starting bag/ pouch and possible bag.

 

[tenngun]

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 soaks

 

[RHensley]

Here lately I've been walking a creek near by and picking up a few rocks large enough for the brake open and in pcs I can hold onto. There's been some that worked good. When the weather brakes and I can I plan on taking the wife to east TN and while I'm there see what the small creeks have to offer.

 

[RHensley]

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.

https://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/2012/02/part-five-closer-look-at-flint-and.html
Keith.

Since I started with the flint and steel I have gone from the largest flint I could get my hands on to one rather small. Or at least small for me. This is a 6 in. pocket rule. In the beginning my char punk was not really up to par. I've learned from this forum as well as you tube that if the punk is right then it will catch a spark that is so small that you can miss it if you don't watch closely. I got the steel in a kit off eBay and it had a large pc of Texas flint (at least that is what they said it was) and some char cloth. Since new years day I've went through many Altoids cans of char punk. As soon as I can and the weather allows I'll start on the bow method.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

A proper steel should make a shower of sparks when struck on a sharp flint. Perhaps your striker is the problem.

 

[RHensley]

A proper steel should make a shower of sparks when struck on a sharp flint. Perhaps your striker is the problem.

Your statement is right as rain but let me add one more thing to it. It took a little while to get my technique good enough to use the sharp flint on the steel to get sufficient sparks. I did my best to blame it on the steel the flint but as it turned out when I finely got the striking of the steel part like it should be That's when it started throwing the sparks. And the part where the char cought the spark well when I made the char properly then that took place as it should.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Sharp flint, good steel...no problem.