Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

If you enjoy the Aussie bush and like living off what it has to offer, then you will find some great information here! Camping, Hiking, Bush Bumming and old world skills.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
gundy
Posts: 1602
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:10 pm
Location: VIC

Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#1 Post by gundy » Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:08 pm

Some of you may have read Steve J's excellent article in the latest Stikbow eMag about lighting fires with a fire steel or ferro rod.

This is a short vid from Andrew Price (A-Z Bushcraft), a guy in the UK who does a series of bushcraft videos. If you have kids, then these vids are great as they are simple to follow and well presented.


User avatar
clinton miller
Posts: 889
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 2:51 pm
Location: in the hills south of Stanthorpe, Qld.

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#2 Post by clinton miller » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:40 pm

what natural tinder do you use with your firesteel? in canada the best stuff i've found is aboreal lichen or 'witches hair, old man's beard'. one spark and you have a ball of fire. i've used dry grass also.

i'm suspecting that stringy bark will work good. i'll try it when i get home to oz early next month.
The degree of satisfaction gained from the accomplishment of a goal is directly proportional to the hardships and challenges overcome in order to achieve it.

border black douglas recurve 70# & 58# HEX6-H BB2 limbs
brigalow selfbow with rawhide string

User avatar
gundy
Posts: 1602
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:10 pm
Location: VIC

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#3 Post by gundy » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:05 pm

I have never gone for anything exotic. I have always just 'scraped' (what I call) dust from deadfall. You can get a lot of it relatively quickly too.

I am keen to try a mix of this dust with fatwood (or sap) as I think it should go well.

Ill play around and do some experimenting next time I am out bush.

User avatar
Steven J
Posts: 797
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2007 10:13 pm
Location: away for a while...
Contact:

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#4 Post by Steven J » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:25 pm

Guy,

As far as I am aware, the only sap that is flammable is from pines. I have mucked about with fatwood and found that it is a great firelighter if you don't mind a really sooty flame. I 'stole' my piece from a 150mm branch that had been cut off to a length of about 500mm. The tree was on the edge of a quiet country road. I still felt like a thief taking it when ever a car drove past :oops:

Steve
http://www.stevenjawerth.weebly.com

On Christ the solid rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand. Edward Mote, 1797-1874

User avatar
gundy
Posts: 1602
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:10 pm
Location: VIC

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#5 Post by gundy » Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:31 pm

LOL!

Guilty! :D Been there done that Steve...

User avatar
losty
Posts: 232
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:57 pm
Location: Newcastle

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#6 Post by losty » Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:33 am

I should make some of that char cloth. I'd like to see that dudes vid on fire by friction if he has one.
There's no adventure in knowing where you are.

User avatar
gundy
Posts: 1602
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:10 pm
Location: VIC

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#7 Post by gundy » Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:44 am

Sure does.



Here is Andrew's website for additional vids. Easier than sifting through youtube hits!

http://www.azbushcraft.com/

User avatar
losty
Posts: 232
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:57 pm
Location: Newcastle

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#8 Post by losty » Sun Jun 14, 2009 6:47 pm

Very nice! I'd love to be able to do that. To me thated have to be the most important skill you could have if your caught out in the middle of nowhere with practically nothing. When i was lost, i lit a fire with a match as i had some and i lit i just cause i could as i was warm enough but it ended up being a good signal (beacon) for those who had to find me. So yeah fire has even more uses then you sometimes realise.
There's no adventure in knowing where you are.

User avatar
Sparra
Posts: 470
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 7:18 am
Location: BATEMANS BAY

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#9 Post by Sparra » Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:26 pm

I actually tried this today...Got plenty of smoke but no fire...After watching his video I now see I was missing the notch out of the side to direct the coals...I'll try again tomorrow and see if it makes a difference...
Cheers...Sparra

There is always someone doing it tougher than you...

User avatar
losty
Posts: 232
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:57 pm
Location: Newcastle

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#10 Post by losty » Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:04 pm

What woods did you use? If your getting smoke your getting pretty close to getting a fire.
There's no adventure in knowing where you are.

User avatar
Steven J
Posts: 797
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2007 10:13 pm
Location: away for a while...
Contact:

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#11 Post by Steven J » Sun Jun 14, 2009 10:38 pm

Losty,

I will confess that I have not got a flame yet, but I have managed to get a glowing coal each time that I tried. My mistake that I was being too rough with the coal and I think that I should try to grow it somewhat into the brown/black swarf that is generated, before I transfer it to the grass bundle. It was made a little harder that I was playing in the drizzly rain :) My wife kicked me out for an hour or so because I was getting cranky with the kids. I had my PSK (Useful items - cord and chapstick) and my knife.

The timbers that I used were poplar from a tree that the council had trimmed. There are heaps of them in the area. I have no doubt that willow would work also as it is very similar in consistency to the poplar. I like to carve spoons and other toys from the poplar and took a detour via the smithy where I have some timber stored before going on my wander to cool off.

By the time I drilled into the hearth to get the coal, I had a hole about 1/2 an inch or more deep. Probably only took 20-30 seconds. I lubricated the bearing block with a swipe of chapstick so I would not set fire to my hand :lol:

Before I lubricated the bearing block, I burnt in a depression that mated well with the stick. This made the whole set up run more smoothly.

I think I will have another go during the week.

Steve
http://www.stevenjawerth.weebly.com

On Christ the solid rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand. Edward Mote, 1797-1874

User avatar
Sparra
Posts: 470
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 7:18 am
Location: BATEMANS BAY

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#12 Post by Sparra » Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:11 am

I was using a piece of vic ash arrow shaft onto a piece of pine framing timber...I would think if I have the groove out the side to direct the coal it will be a goer...
Cheers...Sparra

There is always someone doing it tougher than you...

User avatar
losty
Posts: 232
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:57 pm
Location: Newcastle

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#13 Post by losty » Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:15 pm

I would have thought an arrow shaft would be too thin in diameter to get the required amount of friction, but its good that its giving off smoke. I should have a go of that myself.
There's no adventure in knowing where you are.

User avatar
losty
Posts: 232
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:57 pm
Location: Newcastle

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#14 Post by losty » Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:36 pm

Steve you sound like your doing alright. Would trying some of that char cloth with the glowing coal be a good idea?
There's no adventure in knowing where you are.

User avatar
Steven J
Posts: 797
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2007 10:13 pm
Location: away for a while...
Contact:

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#15 Post by Steven J » Mon Jun 15, 2009 6:21 pm

Losty,

My spindle was about 20mm thick, so I also think that an arrow would be to narrow.

Char cloth would certainly make life easier, but I would like to get to the stage of using only found materials.

Getting a coal was not hard, I was just in too much of a hurry to dump it into a clump of grass tinder.

Steve
http://www.stevenjawerth.weebly.com

On Christ the solid rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand. Edward Mote, 1797-1874

User avatar
losty
Posts: 232
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:57 pm
Location: Newcastle

Re: Ferro rod use - Fire by FLINT

#16 Post by losty » Tue Jun 16, 2009 4:34 pm

Yeah, from what i can gather, a spindle of 20-25mm is ideal as it allows for quite a bit of friction with the hearth board.
There's no adventure in knowing where you are.

Post Reply