How to Make Fire with Flint and Steel

As Shown by Carlton Talley III - age 7

This is a tinderbox made from an old pipe tobacco tin (has a waterproof seal). Inside is kept 4-5 pieces of manila rope cut to 6-8 inches, a hunk of flint, a striker made from a re-tempered old file, and char cloth, which in this case is made of monk’s cloth converted via pyrolysis (Goggle it…). –> A little prep is necessary there: You can get monk’s cloth from any fabric store, but loose weave linen or burlap will do in a pinch. You cut the fabric into strips and place the strips into a tin box with a tight lid – leave a little room and don’t pack it too full. As a fire burns down to the coals, scoop out a little depression in the middle of the coals and put the cloth filled tin box in it. Heap the coals around and on top of it. Leave it in the hot coals until morning and it should be fragile enough to tear apart with just your fingers. If it crumbles and falls apart at the first touch, your box wasn’t sealed well or you put the box into a raging fire.

Untwist you pieces of untreated manila rope and lay the individual strands out all running the same way. You don’t want the bundle to be too loose.

There are a couple of ways to strike the steel. One is to strike the flint down onto the steel and shower the char cloth below with sparks – Like Carlton is doing here. One can also place cloth on the flint and strike the steel down onto the flint. This is my preferred method as I find the it produces more spark, but it takes a bit to get the hang of it and it is real easy to accidentally slice a finger or knuckle on the sharp flint. It is for a more practiced hand.

Notice the angle of the flint in Carlton’s right hand. You want a good angel: 45 degrees+ and a sharp edge to contact the flint because the spark is caused from the harder flint shaving off a section of the steel. You can also see that a spark has landed on the char cloth.

Pay attention and blow SOFTLY on it until the burning area is the size of a BB.

Put your flint and steel carefully down and nurse that burning cloth with a little more oxygen.

Wrap you rope fiber into a deep spoon shape or “birds nest”. You want the fibers to envelope the char cloth and to touch it. Some people when first learning allow too much room and it is harder to produce a flame.

Place the char cloth inside the bowl of the spoon and keep blowing gently as you raise it carefully up in front of you so that the flame catches on the rope fiber and burns upwards, blowing harder on it until it produces a good flame.

Have your tinder ready and build upon your now burning rope fibers for a proper campfire.