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Author Topic: Does it spark ?  (Read 6219 times)

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Offline bendobebaby

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Does it spark ?
« on: April 20, 2013, 02:08:32 PM »
I did a little "sparking" test with three different steels.
Several guys told me ...I don't want this or that steel because I can't use my fire steel with it.
I used some knife blanks.
You can get lot bigger sparks......depends on your technique., but definitely can start your fire with any of these steels.
I also leave the spine "square"...(I don't round it)...for fire starting purposes. They "bite" into the fire steel nice

O1 steel




440C stainless steel



CPM 3V steel

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Offline Bearhunter

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Does it spark ?
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2013, 02:27:59 PM »
Very interesting!
I know that my Benchmade Persidio with 154CM doesn't spark very well, nor does my laminated Mora ???
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Offline greyhound352

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Re: Does it spark ?
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2013, 05:14:26 PM »
Looks like they all sparked quite well. Thanks for your steel test.

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Offline wolfy

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Re: Does it spark ?
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2013, 05:24:08 PM »
I don't use a ferro rod too much, but I was under the assumption that it was just a mechanical thing & they'd spark with anything, as long as you had a good sharp square edge to strip some material off of the rod. :shrug:
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Offline Bryan Breeden

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Re: Does it spark ?
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2013, 05:25:58 PM »
I will be able to tell you as soon as my eyes recover the blinding flashes  lol.

Bryan
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Offline PetrifiedWood

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Re: Does it spark ?
« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2013, 06:00:55 PM »
I think the complaints most have with knife steels not "sparking" is in reference to their use with a flint, and not a ferro rod.

For example, you can use stainless steel to strike a ferro rod effectively, but it is difficult or impossible to strike sparks from a stainless blade using a flint.

Some people have successfully struck sparks from carbon steel axes and knives with flint, but the optimum hardness for a tough and durable blade is softer than the optimum hardness for a steel striker. So a properly heat treated blade will never spark as well as a properly heat treated striker made from similar steel.
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Offline MnSportsman

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Re: Does it spark ?
« Reply #6 on: April 20, 2013, 06:17:54 PM »

Nice demos & pics! Good show of the different sparks thrown from different metals!
 :thumbsup:

Quote from: wolfy on April 20, 2013, 05:24:08 PM
I don't use a ferro rod too much, but I was under the assumption that it was just a mechanical thing & they'd spark with anything, as long as you had a good sharp square edge to strip some material off of the rod. :shrug:


Wolfy, you are correct.
 ;)


Not to start an argument, but a sharp edge on something harder than the ferrocium /misch metal rod, is all that is needed to strike a light from a ferrocium/misch metal rod. A sharp edged rock, a piece of glass from a beer, or soda pop bottle for example, is enough.

:)


Good topic!
:D


Edit: surgery.

« Last Edit: April 20, 2013, 06:40:26 PM by MnSportsman »
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Offline wgiles

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Re: Does it spark ?
« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2013, 06:49:49 PM »
It would be interesting to try a piece of glass. I have some tungsten carbide strikers and they work quite well. Hardness and sharpness are probably the keys with ferro rods.
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Offline Trekster

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Re: Does it spark ?
« Reply #8 on: April 20, 2013, 07:24:02 PM »
Yeah, there seems to be some confusion about the difference between "firesteels" and "flint and steels."

Since some people call the old-fashioned strikealight kits "firesteels" and others call ferrocerium rods "firesteels" as well, new forum readers (or old ones, dunno?) often assume that ferro rods don't work with some steels, which of course is a complete falsehood. Haha.

I've even used old hacksaw blades, tin can lids, broken glass, and various flinty/cherty rocks to strike my ferro rod.

All you need is a sharp edge harder than the rod:)

PMZ
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Offline bendobebaby

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Re: Does it spark ?
« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2013, 08:41:55 PM »
When  wgiles   mentioned the piece of glass, I went out to my garage and tried it. I was getting nice sparks.....probably 1/3 of the amount you see on the second picture.
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