Hay rake teeth to flint strikers

[KHalverson]

the yellow rake tooth was purchased from my local tractor supply store for $1.99.
that's a very reasonable cost for almost 3 feet of high carbon steel.

step #1 is to heat the tooth to @ least red hot and uncoil.
repeat as many times as necassary until ya have a fairly straight rod.

[KHalverson]

step #4 is to start forging the tooth flat.
I'm shooting for 5/16-3/8 wide by roughly 1/8th thick.
I like to flatten about 5 inches of stock.

step 5 is to start tapering down the end of the stock.
I shoot for about 2 inches worth of taper.

[KHalverson]

next I mark @ 5 inches over all.
that is where I want my second taper to start.
I taper out to about 6.5 inches.

[Trapper Rob]

Those hay rake teeth make good strikers.

[osage outlaw]

I'm watching. Thanks for posting this.

[chamookman]

Cool - I'm watchin'  ! Thanks - Bob.

[Stoner]

Thanks for sharing, waiting & watching patiently. John

[KHalverson]

next step I use a chisel to hot cut the striker @ about 6.5 inches
I then forge in taper till about 7 inches long.
next i clamp a small ball pein hammer in my leg vise and use it as a mandrel to start my bend.

[Stringman]

Watching

[KHalverson]

I finish the first bend and start the 2nd bend same as the first.
second bend gets finished and then I reheat and place in the vise to align the ears.
next I curl the ears.

[KHalverson]

ears are aligned.
and then curled.

[KHalverson]

I stamp my mark next,
if you put your work in the publics eye it deserves to be maker identified in my opinion.
here the striker is heated till non magnetic( critical temperature).

[KHalverson]

quench only the striking edge in water leaving the ears to cool below red heat above water.
this produces the super hard edge required to strike consistent sparks but allows the ears to stay softer and less brittle.
next we hit the grinder to clean the decarbed  striking edge up.
be  cautious to keep the striker cool.

[KHalverson]

final step is testing,
we have nice sparks on some Michigan quartz.
I use that for my testing cause it doesn't produce  spark as easily as most flints,
if i get good sparks of this  good rock makes it easy.

[KHalverson]

I hope this encourages others to give this a try.
feel free to ask questions and I will answer to the best of my ability,
Kevin