7 years I've been wondering why flint and steel looks the way it does in Minecraft. Now I know! What a cool skill - and thank you for such a clear and succinct video! :)
Thank you. I picked up a kit just yesterday and was moving the flint. Had a few sparks. Just watched you video and used your technique and am making spark showers now. Great video.
I've been watching bushcraft videos lately. I haven't done a lot of camping in my day but enough that I've gotten the taste for it. On a whim, I bought a flint and steel, and it arrived today. I just started chopping at it and watching the sparks fly, but then started searching on TH-cam for an explainer video. This was very well explained, thank you
Really good tutorial explaining the process. Thanks, I’ve struggled for a while. I also wasn’t aware quartz worked which is useful to know depending on your location. I’ve finally managed to light a fire with flint and char cloth thanks to this.
when i started this technique i was amazed how simple it is. many types of stones will work but chert and flint are the best. you should warn a beginner how easy it easy to lay open your hand on the flint.
Nicely done! Best, simplest explanation I've seen yet. Maybe next video.. finding/locating your flint, chert, quartz.. sizing it down.. putting sharp edges on them. :-) Finding rocks here that are harder than steel is is really difficult. If you do find one it's usually a transplant. Thanks for the video..
I bought a F/S kit after watching this. I couldn't believe how friggin easy it is. I was able to get an ember after 2 or 3 strikes the first time I used it. I enjoy using the F/S method so much I now use it to start the fire in my woodstove.
Thanks for the demo, I had a rudimentary understanding but would take a hundred strikes to luck into a usable spark. After watching your explanation I have a full on flame in under a minute.
yeah man, good one. I have lit a few fires with flint and steel but it was more by dumb luck than skill, now I have a better understanding of the movement needed, thanks.
I have this uncanny knack for learning random skills and facts right before I end up needing them. I'm...concerned about why I'm going to need this skill.
Your tip striking the rock with the striker in a semi circular motion really did the trick! I'm getting sparks consistently, albeit small ones. It's all about the rock, like you said! 👍🙂
Nice basic intro. Agree on starting there with newbies. Percussion Fire Ignition (PFI) aka Flint (the rock) and (high carbon) Steel aka F&S is an amazing skill to learn. I point out PFI not only to differentiate between ferrocerium but also because merely using flint and steel is just scratching the surface. Iron pyrites, titanium, carbide steel, fish hooks, sharpening stones, bamboo, shovels, hundreds of types of quartzite rocks, saw blades, etc can all be used instead of, or with, flint and steel. Hundreds of plants and fungi can be charred for catching sparks. There are at least two dozen flora and fungi that will catch sparks in their uncharred state. If we pursue PFI beyond the basics we can learn hundreds of species of plants and trees, dozens of fungi, hundreds of types of rocks, dozens of types of metal and dozens of ordinary objects that can be used as improvised strikers... Amazingly each of these can be used successfully for F&S with knowledge and experience. Love your vids. Cheers!
I bought one of these yesterday at Daniel Boones fort in Boonesborough Kentucky. That place was really cool to visit, and chat with the blacksmith that makes these things the old way. Anyway thanks for this video! Helped me absolutely 👍🏻
depending on the size of your piece of "rock", if you lose the sharp edge it might be possible to chip off a small fracture and resharpen your rock. just be careful not to chip off too much
@@williamwhite9481 Sometimes it will Sometimes it won't. It depends on the structure of the stone. Especially when you have to use quartz with a bit of a grainy structure you'll loose the edge pretty fast. I often have to knapp a sharp edge on my stones, because the striker is dulling it out. I use the softer, not hardened end of the old broken file I use as a striker to knapp another sharp edge.
@@kongandbasses8732 yeah, you're right about that Is it okay to use the hardened side if a striker to Knapp a new edge? That's what I have been doing, it hasn't messed up the striker but that doesn't mean it wont mess it up over time. Do you know if its okay to do that?
@@williamwhite9481 I think it's ok to use the hardened part of the striker. It's just that I have the feel that the not hardened side does not slide off the stone blade that much, as the stone bites into the metal quite a bit. On the hardened part of the file the stone literally glides over the striker. So I just feel I have more control when knapping, using the non hardened part. Its the same with copper headed tools people use for knapping. Copper is even softer than the not hardened tang of my file. Its just me, just check out what's the best for you.
I tried this technique for fire lighting just last night with a friend just for fun, we wrapped some char cloth around the flint and like you said aimed for a sharp edge and the both of us were successful in producing flames within a minute and a half,, I expected it to be far more difficult
Thanks for the video. We got a flint and steel kit from a blacksmith and my 9 year old has been at it for about 10 minutes. He got some sparks but has no idea how he did it lol
Awesome! By far the best and clearest instruction on using the flint and steel process. I have seen several videos by "experts" on the subject, yet they were not as informative as this video. BTW, none of the "experts" produced as many sparks as frequently as you did. One question that I have; when using the flint and steel method can charred camp fire wood be used in lieu of char cloth, chaga, lantern wick, or any other source?
Leftover wood from campfires can work. Most won't. Yet some has and does. Dan is on the right track in that most leftover wood will be over or under charred. Those won't work. One thing to look for is the solid type of charcoal very rarely works in my experience. Some of that is even tough to generate an ember in with a ferro! Most accidentally charred wood from old campfires will not catch sparks with F&S. What we are looking for in leftover campfire wood for use with F&S is the fine feathery type of charcoal. Often there is charcoal dust on the "feathers" (the dust catches sparks the best) so handle with care. Not every old campfire will have that. Intentionally charring always produces better results. However if we are caught without any useful char and can't locate or don't know any of the uncharred materials that will catch sparks in their uncharred state, a campfire is another place to look. As a side note, we can char by many methods using tins, non metal containers or even no container at all. Happy Trails!
Gent's, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences with me. In case you haven't caught on yet, I am new to bush crafting/survival techniques, even new to camping. My question derived from thinking "what if" and "where to" in the event i didn't have my ferro rods, steel and flint, char cloth, birch bark, jute twine, or any other natural or man made tinder. I'm just thinking and wish to be prepared. Again, thanks much!
Learnt more in leads time than the kettle took to boil than I did off the last 20 clips I watched prior. Thank you for your direct and honest coaching buddy
Ive noticed a lot of tutorials show to strike straight down on the rocks edge with the steel... And the old method of striking the rock against the steel which works better. But you Sir have the best results and method. Thanks foe the video... I wonder what type of metal works best for spark, titanium is expensive and doesnt show much spark compared to the Steel versions.
to preserve the sharp edge on my rocks I prefer a 90 degree angle and a very delicate strike, I have also learned that you don't need to go hard on the stone and if you do go hard all you do is end up blunting the edge of your rocks. Plus slow down, going a bull at a gate doesn't solve anything.
I got this awesome new striker/belt buckle today. And I got my flint that came with it and this really good information just popped up. Coincidence, I think not.
Dan - could you show us how you shape the edge of the flint? I live on the eastern shore of Maryland and I find quartz and chert. Most pieces are pretty round from being in there in the bay. Also what's the smallest peace you can work with? Thanks for all the time and effort you put into your videos it is appreciated.
The smallest piece of flint I have been successful with was half the size of a dime and so thin it was translucent. The charred cloth was barely larger than the flint. The steel was a 1/2" long piece of old hacksaw blade. That was just for kicks to show people what can be done. For everyday use, larger everything is easier. Same hereabouts on the rocks. In the Upper MidWest they have been glaciated and through countless freeze cycles. Most are golfball sized or smaller. Remember that any high quartz content rock can work. We are not limited to only cherts and flints. Rocks such as sandstone, dolomite, jasper, agate, onyx, granite, pyrites, etc.
I actually have the ability To light cigarettes with just the spark of a dead lighter By catching a spark onto the paper and puffing. I just did it so I assume that I could easily use the spark from dead lighters to catch sparks on charcloth To build a fire, or else the spark to light a cigarette to light the charcloth?
7 years I've been wondering why flint and steel looks the way it does in Minecraft. Now I know! What a cool skill - and thank you for such a clear and succinct video! :)
This is the clearest explanation of flint & steel technique I've seen on TH-cam. Many thanks.
thank you for taking us to school, Prof. Coalcracker. 3 minutes to 'splain what others cant or wont in 20+ minutes. ♡♡♡
Thank you. I picked up a kit just yesterday and was moving the flint. Had a few sparks. Just watched you video and used your technique and am making spark showers now. Great video.
Great to hear!!
I've been watching bushcraft videos lately. I haven't done a lot of camping in my day but enough that I've gotten the taste for it. On a whim, I bought a flint and steel, and it arrived today. I just started chopping at it and watching the sparks fly, but then started searching on TH-cam for an explainer video. This was very well explained, thank you
Really good tutorial explaining the process. Thanks, I’ve struggled for a while. I also wasn’t aware quartz worked which is useful to know depending on your location. I’ve finally managed to light a fire with flint and char cloth thanks to this.
when i started this technique i was amazed how simple it is. many types of stones will work but chert and flint are the best. you should warn a beginner how easy it easy to lay open your hand on the flint.
Thanks alot for this video, really helped me on finishing up my home made portal to hell, really cool stuff!
This is the best technique tutorial I have ever seen on this subject. Awesome video thanks!
Nicely done! Best, simplest explanation I've seen yet.
Maybe next video.. finding/locating your flint, chert, quartz.. sizing it down.. putting sharp edges on them. :-)
Finding rocks here that are harder than steel is is really difficult. If you do find one it's usually a transplant.
Thanks for the video..
“It’s so easy.. even a caveman can do it” lol awesome lesson today Dan
No
@macarioangel4749 shut up bro
I bought a F/S kit after watching this. I couldn't believe how friggin easy it is. I was able to get an ember after 2 or 3 strikes the first time I used it. I enjoy using the F/S method so much I now use it to start the fire in my woodstove.
The best description of Flint and steel I have ever seen.
Thanks for the demo, I had a rudimentary understanding but would take a hundred strikes to luck into a usable spark. After watching your explanation I have a full on flame in under a minute.
Dan that is an excellent explanation on striking flint. I'm gonna make a striker...you have me fired up about this, pun intended!
yeah man, good one. I have lit a few fires with flint and steel but it was more by dumb luck than skill, now I have a better understanding of the movement needed, thanks.
I have this uncanny knack for learning random skills and facts right before I end up needing them.
I'm...concerned about why I'm going to need this skill.
Updated Request: were you stranded on a forest, or did you go to a medieval fair?
Your tip striking the rock with the striker in a semi circular motion really did the trick! I'm getting sparks consistently, albeit small ones. It's all about the rock, like you said! 👍🙂
When your friend asks you how to make fire in minecraft.
My nephew sent me here.
LMAO
Thank you! Clear directions. Plus, the explanation of why and how this works is super helpful. Many thanks!
Hah, easy, just right-click.
LOL
@@Olga-pu6lw ...okay?
@@idonotusethisaccount.9958 oh shit i changed my name
@@idonotusethisaccount.9958 i shall DELETE my comment!
Hahaha😂😂
grate way to explain that !
I see that
???
Yeh :)
Was that a pun?
Nice basic intro. Agree on starting there with newbies.
Percussion Fire Ignition (PFI) aka Flint (the rock) and (high carbon) Steel aka F&S is an amazing skill to learn. I point out PFI not only to differentiate between ferrocerium but also because merely using flint and steel is just scratching the surface.
Iron pyrites, titanium, carbide steel, fish hooks, sharpening stones, bamboo, shovels, hundreds of types of quartzite rocks, saw blades, etc can all be used instead of, or with, flint and steel. Hundreds of plants and fungi can be charred for catching sparks. There are at least two dozen flora and fungi that will catch sparks in their uncharred state.
If we pursue PFI beyond the basics we can learn hundreds of species of plants and trees, dozens of fungi, hundreds of types of rocks, dozens of types of metal and dozens of ordinary objects that can be used as improvised strikers... Amazingly each of these can be used successfully for F&S with knowledge and experience.
Love your vids. Cheers!
My brain ugh
I bought one of these yesterday at Daniel Boones fort in Boonesborough Kentucky. That place was really cool to visit, and chat with the blacksmith that makes these things the old way.
Anyway thanks for this video! Helped me absolutely 👍🏻
Ive been there
Such a simple to the point video.
Thanks 👍🏻
Wow! You've got excellent teaching skills. Thank you!
depending on the size of your piece of "rock", if you lose the sharp edge it might be possible to chip off a small fracture and resharpen your rock. just be careful not to chip off too much
If its thin I think the striker will actually keep it sharp as its breaking the flakes.
@@williamwhite9481
Sometimes it will
Sometimes it won't.
It depends on the structure of the stone. Especially when you have to use quartz with a bit of a grainy structure you'll loose the edge pretty fast.
I often have to knapp a sharp edge on my stones, because the striker is dulling it out.
I use the softer, not hardened end of the old broken file I use as a striker to knapp another sharp edge.
@@kongandbasses8732 yeah, you're right about that
Is it okay to use the hardened side if a striker to Knapp a new edge? That's what I have been doing, it hasn't messed up the striker but that doesn't mean it wont mess it up over time. Do you know if its okay to do that?
@@williamwhite9481
I think it's ok to use the hardened part of the striker.
It's just that I have the feel that the not hardened side does not slide off the stone blade that much, as the stone bites into the metal quite a bit. On the hardened part of the file the stone literally glides over the striker. So I just feel I have more control when knapping, using the non hardened part.
Its the same with copper headed tools people use for knapping. Copper is even softer than the not hardened tang of my file.
Its just me, just check out what's the best for you.
Best explanation I’ve EVER heard!!! Thanks Dan!
Started playing D and D and had to figure out how to start a fire. Thank you! I will share it with the crew.
I tried this technique for fire lighting just last night with a friend just for fun, we wrapped some char cloth around the flint and like you said aimed for a sharp edge and the both of us were successful in producing flames within a minute and a half,, I expected it to be far more difficult
I just got a flint and steel kit so that was super helpful. Thanks
This helped me understand why the angle of the frizzen is such in a flintlock gun, awesome.
Oh, now I see why the steel looks like a hook in minecraft
Yeh me to I always wondered why LolXD :)
I thought that hook a telephone
Lol
Lol that's literally why I came here. I thought the "C" shape was weird, but it makes sense in practice
@@jamesmorgan6831 I’m still wondering how you get a steel striker from crafting an iron ingot
how steve do this with 1 hand?
Lukas Gabriel he’s a pro hunter
That would be the third leg technique, not advised for beginners.
Do not question the sacred one.
finger strength
That worked amazing for me. The 45° angle was the trick.Thanks again.
Hey friend!!!!excellent advice there!!!!..I hand made my kit and it works great!!!keep the videos coming!!!!
Thank you very much Sir! I just got my Hudson bay steel, didn't know the proper strike technique. Know I got sparks.
Great video! Just getting into flint and steel, and I appreciate the video. Thank you!
Fantastic information and demonstration. Thank you!
Thanks for the video. We got a flint and steel kit from a blacksmith and my 9 year old has been at it for about 10 minutes. He got some sparks but has no idea how he did it lol
Good information and technique for flint and steel fire making.
I really enjoy your videos. I'm gonna order a flint and steel kit.
Awesome! By far the best and clearest instruction on using the flint and steel process. I have seen several videos by "experts" on the subject, yet they were not as informative as this video. BTW, none of the "experts" produced as many sparks as frequently as you did.
One question that I have; when using the flint and steel method can charred camp fire wood be used in lieu of char cloth, chaga, lantern wick, or any other source?
Charred Camp firewood is charcoal and it won’t work. You can make natural char from sometime called punk wood
Leftover wood from campfires can work. Most won't. Yet some has and does.
Dan is on the right track in that most leftover wood will be over or under charred. Those won't work. One thing to look for is the solid type of charcoal very rarely works in my experience. Some of that is even tough to generate an ember in with a ferro! Most accidentally charred wood from old campfires will not catch sparks with F&S.
What we are looking for in leftover campfire wood for use with F&S is the fine feathery type of charcoal. Often there is charcoal dust on the "feathers" (the dust catches sparks the best) so handle with care. Not every old campfire will have that.
Intentionally charring always produces better results. However if we are caught without any useful char and can't locate or don't know any of the uncharred materials that will catch sparks in their uncharred state, a campfire is another place to look. As a side note, we can char by many methods using tins, non metal containers or even no container at all.
Happy Trails!
Gent's, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences with me. In case you haven't caught on yet, I am new to bush crafting/survival techniques, even new to camping. My question derived from thinking "what if" and "where to" in the event i didn't have my ferro rods, steel and flint, char cloth, birch bark, jute twine, or any other natural or man made tinder. I'm just thinking and wish to be prepared. Again, thanks much!
1000 videos on flint striking, & this one beats them all in 3½ minutes.
Learnt more in leads time than the kettle took to boil than I did off the last 20 clips I watched prior. Thank you for your direct and honest coaching buddy
thanks for the lesson Dan very awesome video
Thank you Dan, very well done 👍. Got it!
Excellent lesson! Well presented!
Best flint and steel tutorial ever.
Ive noticed a lot of tutorials show to strike straight down on the rocks edge with the steel... And the old method of striking the rock against the steel which works better. But you Sir have the best results and method. Thanks foe the video... I wonder what type of metal works best for spark, titanium is expensive and doesnt show much spark compared to the Steel versions.
Great explanation, thanks
thats really interesting and educational, thank you
Thanks for the simplified explanation! Now I know why I've been breaking the flint.
Newbie here, thanks for the education!
Great explanation.
Thanks for the tips on the angle.
Another question, would it help to dress the steel edge every once in a while ?
I never do anything with my steels
Thanks that was informative!! I need to try this style some more!
This is a really great tutorial. Thank you!
got me a couple tiny sparks straight away with this technique! ❤
Great info thanks for posting 👍
Beautifully explained, nice video!
Newbie here. Good video. Very helpful.
Thanks. While I have never done this I thought it was the flint rock being chipped that caused the ember and not the striker. Interesting.
Dave
Excellent tutorial!
Well done Dan!
I’m a blacksmith and I’ve made flint strikers but my techniques sucked haha. This helped a ton
Best explanation on here thank you!!! 🙏
Or make your own steel from an old file. On and don’t forget the char cloth. Great job as always!
Beautiful video, watch and learn kids!
Very helpful! ❤thank you for doing this!
Awesome video as always my friend 😇
to preserve the sharp edge on my rocks I prefer a 90 degree angle and a very delicate strike, I have also learned that you don't need to go hard on the stone and if you do go hard all you do is end up blunting the edge of your rocks.
Plus slow down, going a bull at a gate doesn't solve anything.
Thanks for the tips, now I feel prepared to beat up some ghasts and blazes! ❤️
I got this awesome new striker/belt buckle today. And I got my flint that came with it and this really good information just popped up. Coincidence, I think not.
finaly someone who teaches good stuff
Holy moly that helps a whole bunch thank you so much
Great video!
Excellent job
Most spark by far
Simply brilliant (again) ATB
Only a flint will work? If this stone is not abundant on my country, may I substitute with another thing? If yes, what would work????
Honest question: why not hold the steel steady and strike down with the flint - like with a flintlock musket or pistol?
Thanks for the physics lesson. I had been wondering how the sparks got directed into the char cloth on top of the flint. Again thanks.
Spot on man. Great video.
Dan - could you show us how you shape the edge of the flint? I live on the eastern shore of Maryland and I find quartz and chert. Most pieces are pretty round from being in there in the bay. Also what's the smallest peace you can work with? Thanks for all the time and effort you put into your videos it is appreciated.
same here in Delaware.
Yea I’ll do a video next week for everyone
The smallest piece of flint I have been successful with was half the size of a dime and so thin it was translucent. The charred cloth was barely larger than the flint. The steel was a 1/2" long piece of old hacksaw blade. That was just for kicks to show people what can be done.
For everyday use, larger everything is easier.
Same hereabouts on the rocks. In the Upper MidWest they have been glaciated and through countless freeze cycles. Most are golfball sized or smaller. Remember that any high quartz content rock can work. We are not limited to only cherts and flints. Rocks such as sandstone, dolomite, jasper, agate, onyx, granite, pyrites, etc.
Excellent video - thanks
Thanks man amazing video
Very helpful! Thanks!👍
How do you go about getting a sharp edge with the chunky piece of flint you're stuck in the woods with
Thanks for the video!
You know we’ve failed as a species when the only reason I’m watching this video is to get reference for minecraft manhunt fan art
OMG IM USING THIS TO ANIMATE NIKKI
@@Drown_theclown dude I’d love to see that, is it gonna be on your channel or do you have a Twitter I can follow?
Question? Does the have to be high carbon or can u use stainless as well
Thank you for this man!
I actually have the ability
To light cigarettes
with just the spark of a dead lighter
By catching a spark
onto the paper and puffing.
I just did it so I assume that
I could easily use the spark from dead lighters to catch sparks on charcloth
To build a fire, or else the spark to light a cigarette to light the charcloth?
could you pleace tell best substitutes for flint. Here where I live flint is not available naturally.
Thanks! Hoping Santa brings me a striker in my stocking😊
Outstanding!!!!!!
Really helpful!!
Is it possible to fashion a steel out of some scrap tools, say a shovel, or similar?
how about a tutorial on how to sharpen your stone? Thanks a great lesson.
I’ll get one for you next week
bro you can just tell to right click, why you did this much of hard work on making this video. :D