sparks from flint and steel

[beezlebob]

 I bought a flint and steel fire kit from Track of the wolf, and it came today, but I'll be danged if I can get sparks from the flint and steel. After 20 minutes I'd succeded in getting only two tiny sparks. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong? I've used harbor freight flint and steel and have great success with that. but with this stuff I can't seem to get sparks enough to start a fire. Appreciate any thoughts on this.

[hotfxr]

I have won every single fire starting contest I have ever entered since I was a Cub Scout. I can start a fire with steel wool, a magnifying glass, wood bow, mag stick, sometimes even a stern look. But the strange way they use flint & steel at any muzzleloadeing gathering or event I look like a drunk sailor after a storm at sea. I have yet to be able to start a fire let alone win the race. I believe it is black magic and voodoo tricks that make it work and therefore I now stay away. If you still want to figure out how to make it spark, I go find someone who knows what they are doing and just watch them for a while, then ask them to teach me.

[Patocazador]

My flintlock will do it consistently. I use a Bic lighter.   

[beezlebob]

I love you guys, honesty at at last.ha ha I think I'll try a hack saw blade today, maybe that'll work, otherwise I'll go back to the coleman and Harbor freight flint and steel that works so well, heck, maybe matches, I'm not proud.

[pilgrim]

    I know this will sound crazy, but,  if I were out in the woods  with my flintlock rifle and was cold and needed to make a fire.  I would prime the flash pan, close the frizzen ,  place the lock next to some Tinder and pull the trigger.  enough sparks to start a fire and be getting warm before any of you ever got a spark from flint and steel fire kit.     Try that with a useless caplock.

[Papa]

Sounds to me like you got a soft steel. It's not that tough to do, usually.
Mark

[beowulf]

making fire with flint and steel is`nt hard at all , once you figure it out and get in some practice !  this is the best video I`ve seen on it ! it`a almost 24 minutes , but he knows what he`s talking about ! https://youtu.be/FYEnrbZWMaU

[Dogshirt]

    I know this will sound crazy, but,  if I were out in the woods  with my flintlock rifle and was cold and needed to make a fire.  I would prime the flash pan, close the frizzen ,  place the lock next to some Tinder and pull the trigger.  enough sparks to start a fire and be getting warm before any of you ever got a spark from flint and steel fire kit.     Try that with a useless caplock.

I've done it dozens of times. 

[Dogshirt]

I bought a flint and steel fire kit from Track of the wolf, and it came today, but I'll be danged if I can get sparks from the flint and steel. After 20 minutes I'd succeded in getting only two tiny sparks. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong? I've used harbor freight flint and steel and have great success with that. but with this stuff I can't seem to get sparks enough to start a fire. Appreciate any thoughts on this.

You need GOOD char cloth to make it easy. But if your steel is too soft nothing will help.

[West Texan]

A good steel can be made from a three sided file. Grind the teeth from one corner to be used as a striker surface. Then you have three sides to sharpen tools. Make char cloth in an empty shoe polish can or 4 ounce stain or paint can.

[ErikPrice1@msn.com]

 Make your tinder bundle right , spend the time on it, it'll be worth it in the long run. Also try some char cloth with it, if none available fine grass, moss or old birds nest, than fine grind up dried pitch into the mixture. My record at rendezvous with flint and steel was a little over 9 seconds with char cloth, I run about 30 seconds to a minute without. It just takes practice. If none of that works I recommend my stand by, a gallon of gas and a match will get'er going.

[graybear]

Road flares will work great.   

[Red Badger]

I carry flint and steel in my truck and like to teach the basic fire starting skills at boy scout events... but I'll be honest - the one time I fell into a very cold, Pine river in Wisconsin, I was knew I shaking so baldly that I could not get flint to steel and did not even try.  I got my benz-o-matic torch out of the truck and pressed the trigger... instant fire and hot enough to start a nice fire to get me warm....   

[Watauga]

  beezlebob,  I bought a flint and steel fire kit fro Ebay about 8 years ago, it looked nice had a hand made leather pouch a big chunk of Flint a char tin full of char cloth and a good supply of Tow and sap wood.etc even some tender fungus.    As a scout I could get sparks from the Scout steel and flint set quite well.. ...But the Ebay striker  would barley make a spark?? I handed it to a buddy that naps flint as a hobby and demonstration or Student day activity at  rendezvous and Powwows etc...  He put the flint to it and Sparks flew everyplace??? I said it was not the flint or the Steel it was Me!   My buddy showed me a little better way to grip the Rock and had me angle the steel just a bit and after a bit of practice I had the "Bad flint and steel" throwing sparks like a champ!  Practice makes a big difference! Keep sparking You will do fine beezlebob 

[beezlebob]

Well, guess I'll go back and try some more to do it right. Has really been frustrating with nothing to show for it. Char cloth and punk wood, all sorts of stuff, but, you gotta get a dang spark to do it. No sparks, no fire. That's where I am at right now. Will try some more I guess.