Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Flintknapping => Topic started by: Ncsnipe on January 25, 2010, 10:28:12 am

Title: Somewhat off topic question about flint and chert.
Post by: Ncsnipe on January 25, 2010, 10:28:12 am

Will all the flints and cherts spark when struck against steel? The reason I'm asking is that I like to share primative knowledge with a group of kids I work with at church. This is one of the reasons I want to learn knapping. Thanks for any info offered.

Title: Re: Somewhat off topic question about flint and chert.
Post by: jamie on January 25, 2010, 10:29:55 am

quick answer is no. dont know why.

Title: Re: Somewhat off topic question about flint and chert.
Post by: aaron on January 25, 2010, 01:04:52 pm

i think most do, but some better than others- harder ones work better than softer ones. flint must cut the steel to make a spark, so softer ones don't spark much and the rock gets dull quick. you need a nice sharp and squarish edge. Getting the right steel helps too.

Title: Re: Somewhat off topic question about flint and chert.
Post by: DanaM on January 25, 2010, 01:08:26 pm

Quartzite will strike a nice spark

Title: Re: Somewhat off topic question about flint and chert.
Post by: caveman2533 on February 07, 2010, 07:57:40 pm

Obsidian will throw a spark but will not hold an edge for long.
steve

Title: Re: Somewhat off topic question about flint and chert.
Post by: billy on February 10, 2010, 06:58:52 am

yes, flint, quartz, and obsidian will ALL throw sparks from steel, as they are all rocks with high silica content. I have done it.   However, you must have the right kind of steel.  Hard, tool-grade modern steel is too hard for most attempts at making sparks for a flint/steel fire.  You must have a softer steel so the flint can shave off minute particles of metal when the two are struck together.  These softer metals also have a lower "flash point", which means the sparks will flash at a lower temperature (the same way soft woods burn at lower temperatures than hard woods).  If you already have the steel strikers made specifically for flint/steel fire-making, then just take any flint/quartz you can get your hands on and start making sparks. 

Title: Re: Somewhat off topic question about flint and chert.
Post by: Swamp Bow on February 10, 2010, 11:26:04 am

Easy way to tell about the steel is to hold it to a grinder.  If you get only a few short, orange colored sparks then it is not ideal.  How ever if you get many long, forking, bright yellow or white sparks it is a nice high carbon steel.  Now a question about heat treatment for strikers.  Is it better to have the steel hardened or annealed?

Swamp

Title: Re: Somewhat off topic question about flint and chert.
Post by: billy on February 10, 2010, 01:19:25 pm

i believe annealed is better...it's softer and works better for flint and steel fire lighting.

Title: Re: Somewhat off topic question about flint and chert.
Post by: Swamp Bow on February 10, 2010, 04:29:25 pm

That's what my intuition said.

Swamp

Title: Re: Somewhat off topic question about flint and chert.
Post by: II BYRDS on February 12, 2010, 05:00:35 pm

I shoot flintlock smoke poles and the hardness of the frizzen well will determine what kind of spark you will get. so like fire starters used for starting fires, diffrent strikers through diffrent amounts of sparks. to answer your question is yes, depending hardness of the striker on what kind of spark you get.