Since getting my forge back up and running, I've really found that I enjoy forging flint strikers.
A lot of folks go for that C-shaped traditional, but I wanted to go a different direction. One thing I've noticed with all the photos here on the Blade Forums is that a lot of people are attaching ferro rods to their sheaths. This got me to thinking --> why can't you do the same thing with a striker?
With the more traditional style of strikers, you're really limited in how you carry them because they are, generally, rather large and ugly. Having been large and ugly my whole life, I kinda thought that wasn't a good direction to go, so I started experimenting with smaller strikers that had, I think, more flair and style than you typically see.
I forge organically and don't follow any patterns. Some times, I start with a bit of oddly-shaped scrap that was cut of of something else. Other times I just go with the flow and shape the steel how it wants to be shaped. The goal is to come up with something that's small and attractive, but big enough to get your mitts on without running your fingers into the flint's edge. Something you could wear as a pendant, fasten to a knife sheath, make into a zipper pull.... and not be embarrassed to do it. And it's got to throw a good spark.
I mostly use 1080 for them and have found that a thin edge works far better than some thick contraption because you get more "umph" over less surface area.
What kind of flint strikers are you using?
Anyone had any success striking sparks with obsidian? Had a fella tell me that it works, but I haven't been able to get a single spark from the stuff.
I'll have to order some flint in the near future because I'm about out of the stuff. Any good suppliers of chert, chalcedony, flint, etc?
A lot of folks go for that C-shaped traditional, but I wanted to go a different direction. One thing I've noticed with all the photos here on the Blade Forums is that a lot of people are attaching ferro rods to their sheaths. This got me to thinking --> why can't you do the same thing with a striker?
With the more traditional style of strikers, you're really limited in how you carry them because they are, generally, rather large and ugly. Having been large and ugly my whole life, I kinda thought that wasn't a good direction to go, so I started experimenting with smaller strikers that had, I think, more flair and style than you typically see.
I forge organically and don't follow any patterns. Some times, I start with a bit of oddly-shaped scrap that was cut of of something else. Other times I just go with the flow and shape the steel how it wants to be shaped. The goal is to come up with something that's small and attractive, but big enough to get your mitts on without running your fingers into the flint's edge. Something you could wear as a pendant, fasten to a knife sheath, make into a zipper pull.... and not be embarrassed to do it. And it's got to throw a good spark.
I mostly use 1080 for them and have found that a thin edge works far better than some thick contraption because you get more "umph" over less surface area.
What kind of flint strikers are you using?
Anyone had any success striking sparks with obsidian? Had a fella tell me that it works, but I haven't been able to get a single spark from the stuff.
I'll have to order some flint in the near future because I'm about out of the stuff. Any good suppliers of chert, chalcedony, flint, etc?
).
