Using Flint and Steel Fire Starters

Flint and steel fire starters are pretty easy to use -- if you know how -- and if you use the right tinder.   However, in order to be proficient at using them, you need a little practice.   You don't want to spend precious time learning what to do or figuring out how to prepare tinder when you're in a survival situation and need a fire NOW.  Using flint and steel every time you start your camp fire is a good habit to develop.

First of all, they sometimes have to be broken in before they will work right.   The tool often comes with a factory coating to protect it, and until that coating is scraped away you won't get good sparks.  Some flint and steel systems include a magnesium bar that is intended to be shaved off to be used as the tinder to catch your sparks.  You'll usually need a sharp pocket knife for this.   Create a little pile at least the size of a dime (the size of a quarter is even better) so you'll have a good target for the sparks and enough fuel to give you time to light your fire.  Some folks recommend making a pile about the size of a quarter so you have more time to transplant it to get your fire going, but if you have everything ready and can transfer the burning magnesium to your tinder quickly a dime size pile should be sufficient.  Magnesium burns very hot and very bright (it is what makes old fashioned flashbulbs so bright) and will burn even when it is wet so it is an excellent way to get a fire going even in wet weather.

One of the first things you should do when you buy a flint and steel fire starter is practice with it. This will let you scrape off the protective coatings and learn the right pressure, speed, and angle to create good sparks and to see where the sparks are going to go so you'll know where to put your tinder.  Be patient.  It may take a number of strokes before the coating is gone and you get a good feel for how to create and control the sparks.  Different styles of fire starters have different intensity and patterns of sparks.  I've seen some that throw intense sparks 2-3 feet! Other may only travel a few inches.  You will want to experiment to find out what pressure and speed works best for you using the equipment you have.

One of the main keys to success using flint and steel is having the right tinder.  As mentioned above, the magnesium shavings from commercial flint and steel systems work very well.  Another excellent tinder is 100% cotton balls, with or without added Vaseline.   Added Vaseline will make them burn longer, giving you more time to get your fire going, but just plain cotton balls usually ignite faster.  DO NOT use synthetic "cosmetic puffs".  They look the same as cotton balls, but the sparks will usually just melt through the synthetic fibers instead of igniting them.  You'll see a lot of folks recommending dryer lint as tinder.  If it is from cotton towels or underwear or denim it will probably work pretty well.  If it has a high synthetic content (nylon, rayon, polyester), it will most likely just melt.   In the wild, the fluff from mature cattails or milkweed works really well.   Or create some shavings from dry tree bark or punky wood.  Or crush some dry grass or weeds in your hands.  The drier and finer your tinder, the easier it will accept a spark and ignite.  Often all you will get is a glowing ember you will need to fan into life to ignite your fire.

It is usually easier to use your flint and steel outside of your fire, then transfer the tinder to the fire.  Trying to work inside a pile of fire wood can be frustrating and sometimes even dangerous.  Make a little pile of properly prepared tinder on a convenient rock or stump and light it with your flint and steel. 

The next critical step is transferring your tinder into your fire.   The key to this step is preparation.   Put your tinder into some kind of container you will be able to move without burning yourself.  Old time mountain men often used a piece of leather for this purpose.   You might substitute thick green leaves (green so they don't easily catch fire in your hands) or a small piece of flat wood or stone -- or a flattened old tin can.  Have your fire ready to go so all you have to do is place your burning tinder in place below the kindling.  One neat trick is to prepare a tinder nest to receive your initial embers and use that to ignite your actual fire by putting the whole nest into the prepared fire pile.  Sometimes you can actually use an old bird's nest for this purpose.  Another handy technique is to cut some shavings and leave them attached to the end of the stick, giving it a brush-like appearance.  Use your initial flame to ignite the shavings and the shavings stick will burn long enough for you to use it to light your fire.
 
An alternative method is to build your fire around your tinder start.   Here again, the key is preparation.   Have your fire pit prepared and all your fuel, especially kindling, sorted, stacked, and ready to go.  Place the burning tinder in the center of your prepared fire pit, then gently add kindling, starting with very small sticks (diameter less than that of a pencil) and working your way up until you can add larger and larger pieces, eventually nice big logs.   You might try adding dry grass or weeds before attempting to add wood.   Don't put on too much at a time or you'll smother your fire.  Wait until the pieces you add begin to burn well and flame up before adding more.  As the small kindling begins to burn add larger pieces, say the diameter of your thumb, then, when those are burning well, add some about 1" - 2" or so across, then 4", then 6" etc until you have the size of fire you need.

Light 'em up!