How to use a traditional flint and steel

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  • Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,154
    Here is a video of how to use a traditional flint and steel to catch a spark on char cloth to start a fire. He understands what is happening, just like a flintlock action.



    And here is a flint lock in slow motion so you can compare:
     

    dblas

    Past President, MSI
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 6, 2011
    13,087
    I just found my stash of char cloth from 30+ years ago, along with my flint and striker. Still works as if it were created yesterday.
     

    Allium

    Senior Keyboard Operator
    Feb 10, 2007
    2,703
    I was a scout master decades ago for a small troop in college park, we had zero funds just hanging on. I made it a point to go camping once a month year round. Since we couldn't afford fancy stoves and such all we cooked on was fire. They learned how to start and build a fire under challenging situations. Good group.
     

    Flametamer

    Active Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 6, 2014
    796
    Frederick County
    I used to teach primitive fire starting to scouts and leaders, and just about anyone with an interest. Friction, flint, fire pistons, etc., along with a hands on in the wild session about finding and preparing natural tinders - milkweed, cedar bark, various fungi, punk wood, and local quartz to demonstrate diversity of locally available materials. Still practice regularly and only carry primitive methods when I backpack or hike. Fun showing off to city slickers.... Along the way I managed to acquire a collection of implements from around the world; my favorite is a fire 'steel' recovered from the site of a Roman fort in the UK, although a fire piston recovered from private land near a civil war battlefield is a close second.
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,154
    I used to teach primitive fire starting to scouts and leaders, and just about anyone with an interest. Friction, flint, fire pistons, etc., along with a hands on in the wild session about finding and preparing natural tinders - milkweed, cedar bark, various fungi, punk wood, and local quartz to demonstrate diversity of locally available materials. Still practice regularly and only carry primitive methods when I backpack or hike. Fun showing off to city slickers.... Along the way I managed to acquire a collection of implements from around the world; my favorite is a fire 'steel' recovered from the site of a Roman fort in the UK, although a fire piston recovered from private land near a civil war battlefield is a close second.

    Pictures? :thumbsup:
     

    smokey

    2A TEACHER
    Jan 31, 2008
    31,412
    the coalcracker bushcraft channel is run by this guy up in Pa and has consistently good content.


     

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