What type of rock for flint?

B

Big K

Joined
Aug 2, 2007
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Hey guys I was wondering what type of rock makes the best flint. I need to find some for my new firesteel I had made.

Thanks

Kevin
 
Flint is a type of rock. As far as I know, its type of rock from the other side of the planet. The stuff on this side of the pond is called Chert.
 
Big K said:
Hey guys I was wondering what type of rock makes the best flint. I need to find some for my new firesteel I had made.

Thanks

Kevin
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Uh... sparky rocks?:D

Actually, flint and chert are basically the same thing. You say potato, I say pohtato...
 
flint and chert are close, but not quite the same.
If all you have available is chert, try putting some pieces in the bottom of your campfire and dig them out of the ashes the next day when they're cool to the touch - they should spark better.
Agate also makes pretty decent sparks.
 
Actually, technically, there is a minor difference, but they're basically the same thing. Also, all flint type stone will benefit from heat treatment. Not only will it spark better, but it's then more useful for the knapping of blades and other tools (which is my most common usage).

Here's a quick read for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chert

Do a search on Google, and you'll find much more than you ever wanted to know.
 
Big K said:
I thought you could use quartz, jasper, chalcedony ect. for flint?

I found a good website that answered my question....http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-flint.htm
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You can, but some are better than others. Chalcedony covers a lot of territory, loosely including flint/chert, agate, quartz, etc. The mineral people are a little stricter in their definitions, nowadays, but basically any of the ones you've listed will produce a spark. The harder ones, such as flint/chert work best.
 
Dannyboy Leather said:
I am both a flintknapper and a historical reenactor (we live with flint 'n steel) and work with a LOT of stone.

Experiment with all "glass-like" stone. I live almost smack on top of one of the largest obsidian flows in North America and even rock from the same flow or location can vary in its quality for sparking (how it cuts the steel).

One can use (from my handout) Agate, Andasite, Basalt, Chalcedony, Chert, Flint, Fused Shale, Ignimbrite, Jasper, Novaculite, Obsidian, Opal, Opalite, Petrified Wood (yes, this works), Quartz Crystal, Quartzite, Rhyolite, and there are a few others, I'm sure. I primarily use Obsidian (we have tons of it), and Chert. I also like English and German Flint for its quality.
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I would love to have good stuff like that lying around. Around here we have basic sedimentary crud, with the occasional lump of igneous junk thrown in.

Actually, there are some good rocks to the east (near the desert), but the truck is broken, so i can't get there. As soon as I can get the head-gasket fixed, though, I'll be out there.

When I was a kid, my grandfather had his walk lined with some really nice obsidian. Being a small child, I thought it was pretty, but that was all. Love to have it now.:)
 
Thanks dannyboy and dawsonbob, I knew I could use a bunch of material like dannyboy pointed out!!!

Any glass like rock is a good tip!!! I have some low quality Obsidian (lots of holes in it) lying around the house I'm gonna give it a try.
 
Big K said:
Thanks dannyboy and dawsonbob, I knew I could use a bunch of material like dannyboy pointed out!!!

Any glass like rock is a good tip!!! I have some low quality Obsidian (lots of holes in it) lying around the house I'm gonna give it a try.
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I will defer to Dannyboy Leather on this subject, since he's more knowledgeable than I, but I don't think you'll be able to get sparks off of obsidian. It makes really nice blades — almost impossibly sharp — but I don't think it will spark.

Just about all the others that he mentioned will spark, though (some better than others).
 
As Dannyboy pointed out, ANYTHING with high glass content. One of the best ways to check is bang a couple rocks together. The higher the sound pitch, the more glass content. When you find one with the high pitch, bust it open on another rock and look for a flake.

You don't even need a fire steel to make sparks, here is one way of using a knife...



 
abo4ster said:
As Dannyboy pointed out, ANYTHING with high glass content. One of the best ways to check is bang a couple rocks together. The higher the sound pitch, the more glass content. When you find one with the high pitch, bust it open on another rock and look for a flake.

You don't even need a fire steel to make sparks, here is one way of using a knife...
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For all those who have never tried getting a spark, or knapping, I think we need to make a distinction between glass-like rock (flint, chert, etc.), and actual glass. Yes, glass can be knapped (good practice material for beginners), but i don't think it will throw a spark. It — at least in my experience — doesn't have the correct hardness to pop off a piece of steel to catch in your char cloth. Same with obsidian, I believe.

The OP was looking for something to use to make sparks, not for knapping.
 
All good comments. If all else fails, take you steel with you on a hike and start testing it out on rocks. Glass-like is a good thing to look for as mentioned, quartz works well too. Just make sure the stone has a nice sharp edge, if not break it up so it does.
 
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I have a yard full of flint.
 
Many rocks will work. Best thing to do is glance them across your steel and see what sparks. When I am bored and just walking around, I often pull out my steel and just play with the rocks at hand. Its seems about as productive of the other activity, where you wipe rocks as far as you can into the water until your arm starts to hurt.

P.S. the knife spine of a carbon blade will work, but it is hard on the spine and produces noticeably deep gouges that are hard to sand out. So in otherwords, the perfect activity for a mora.
 
Dannyboy Leather said:
Bob,

The quality (it was traded for thousands of years from here) obsidian in my area will spark just fine providing that it is sharp and the steel is properly made (hard enough). Yes, though obsidian is one of my favorite flavors for knapping out points and blades, it is not my favorite for spark making.

For making sparks with my steel; a fella from Arkansas sent me a bunch of their Arkansas Chert. Really some superior spark making stone. I use English Flint in my flintlock muzzleloaders (makes great sparks on the hardened frizzen). The German Flint I have works great with a steel too, though I don't use it in my flintlocks since it is so aggressive on the frizzens (premature wear).

Some glass-like stone (depending on where it is found) will have a mixture of unique attributes and characteristics for making sparks that may or may not be desirable with your steel. I encourage folks to "experiment" with what can be found in their area before sending off for some (sort of like the questions I get about "favorite" woods for primitive bows).

I wasn't exaggerating about having access to obsidian by the ton. One of my favorite little rocks (this one is little compared to many up the hill) with a Nessmuk knife out catching some sun. This obsidian throws some decent sparks off my steel and plenty for the many fires I have made with it (still not my "favorite.") :)
obsidian1.jpg
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Live and learn. The obsidian my grandfather had looked more like glass, like someone had melted a hundred Coke bottles together, and thrown in some black dye. That chunk in your photo is different, but gorgeous. I like the striations running through it. There's nothing like that around here (San Diego — not exactly a volcanic area).

I haven't had any obsidian to play with, but I was under the impression that it wouldn't spark: I stand corrected.

A fellow from Tennessee sent me some chert awhile back that sparks really well, but it's a small piece, so I'm being careful with it. I'll have to get some more at some point, because i haven't knapped anything in a long time. Knapping was something I always had fun with, so I'll have to get back into it.

I sometimes find chert/flint in this area out in the Anza Borrego desert: I feel a road trip coming on when the truck gets fixed.

Thanks for setting me right on obsidian's sparking ability. now I'm going to have to try it.
 
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