Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

General => Gear Questions, Information, Reviews and Competitions => Topic started by: Matthew on June 09, 2011

Title: Fire steel's
Post by: Matthew on June 09, 2011
Just a few of my latest fire steels. The blanks arrived earlier today.

The first one is made from cocobolo and the second one is made from self laminated corrian, a milk white and a metalic grey.

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/DSCF5072.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/DSCF5074.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/DSCF5075.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/DSCF5076.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/DSCF5077.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/DSCF5078.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/DSCF5079.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/DSCF5064.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/DSCF5071edit.jpg)
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: Eamonn on June 09, 2011
Noyce!
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: Kayakgirl on June 09, 2011
Are they fork handles?
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: RedLeader on June 10, 2011
Awesome, you should be making a few quid selling them on Fleabay.
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: Matthew on June 10, 2011
Quote from: Shamara on June 09, 2011
Are they fork handles?

no no they are turned from pieces of material used for making hand made wooden pens.
Quote from: RedLeader on June 10, 2011
Awesome, you should be making a few quid selling them on Fleabay.

I will as soon as I get some free time buddy....  Reports are killing me here.
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: RedLeader on June 10, 2011
Quote from: Matthew Black on June 10, 2011
Quote from: RedLeader on June 10, 2011
Awesome, you should be making a few quid selling them on Fleabay.

I will as soon as I get some free time buddy....  Reports are killing me here.

Should rephrase that, make a few quid off fleabay and make them for your bestest outdoor chums ;)
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: Kayakgirl on June 10, 2011
Quote from: Matthew Black on June 10, 2011
Quote from: Shamara on June 09, 2011
Are they fork handles?

no no they are turned from pieces of material used for making hand made wooden pens.
Was a wee joke..from the Two Ronnies
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: RedLeader on June 10, 2011
Genius.


I thought I was going to cry the day Ronnie Barker died. What a guy!

Quote from: Shamara on June 10, 2011
Quote from: Matthew Black on June 10, 2011
Quote from: Shamara on June 09, 2011
Are they fork handles?

no no they are turned from pieces of material used for making hand made wooden pens.
Was a wee joke..from the Two Ronnies
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: cerbera147 on June 10, 2011
Quote from: RedLeader on June 10, 2011
Genius.



Classic comedy :D

Nice firesteels as well :)
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: Kayakgirl on June 10, 2011
Had such a giggle there watching that.. Thanks..
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: Matthew on June 20, 2011
After losing, my well-traveled original Light My Fire Oak steel I have made a new one for myself.

Zebrawood I had it left over from making a series of pivoting boxes for jewellery making as part of Christmas for Sarah.

Box

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/IMG_0670.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/IMG_0650.jpg)

Fire steel
 
•   Finished with sanding sealer
•   One coat of friction polish
•   Three coats of shellac and buffed

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/94d358c9.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/b4cfa3ce.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e144/matthewrblack/f4f42816.jpg)
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: Kayakgirl on June 20, 2011
Agreed..
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: Greyfox on June 20, 2011
Love firesteels Matthew where do you buy your blanks?

GF
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: Matthew on June 21, 2011
Thanks guy's, the blanks are from www.greenmanbushcraft.co.uk.

Matthew
Title: since we're talking about firesteels...
Post by: DryBag on June 21, 2011
Apart from the fact that yours look fantastic,
are all firesteels made equal? 

I got a couple from dealextreme  and although they do sparkle no bother, it takes a few tries even to light a gas stove.  Is that normal, or should I invest in a decent one?   or am I just useless?
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: suspectmonkey on June 21, 2011
I've heard there can be differences in the rods used for firesteels.  Some of them seem to be softer and literally drop peels of red hot metal onto your tinder, whereas others seem harder and just create a spark.  I definitely find my Light My Fire Scout firesteel seems hard and just sparks, which is fine for lighting a gas stove but hard to get a good spark that will get some tinder to take.  That said, my technique could be called into question!  Hoping to find out more when I go to the bushcraft skills day in July ;)
Title: Re: Fire steel's
Post by: simon on June 21, 2011
Yup, it's true, not all "fire steels" are made equal.

Ferrocerium rods are a mix of metals that when scraped start to burn up. The exact mix of metals varies but should be optimised to give a harder rod that produces smaller shavings. Smaller shavings make better, more numerous sparks. However, technique does matter too. Try holding the striking surface still at the point where you want the sparks to land and then pull the rod backwards.