Subject: Re: Fire Starting and shooting the breeze!

From: Russell McCrackin <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 2 Apr 1996 19:55:25 -0800

>(Snip)
>>So how do you start fires? The coke I'm using is breeze, made in
>>previous fires, and I find it is harder to ignite than green coal.
>>--
>>Steve Smith
>>[email-masked]
>-------------------------------------------------->
>        The soft coal we have must be easier to light because it burns very
>easily when started with a small wood/paper fire, and using the blast
>ocasionaly. Must be all that sulphur in it. :)
>
>(Snip)   
>  A bit off the subject:
>        Historically speaking, to light a fire, I believe people used tinder
>boxes...flint,oily rag and a flint striker, or the nearest candle. Of course
>the smiths fire was probally always going with a chunk of (cherry
>best?)wood, buried in ashes!
>
>Any comments...or corrections welcomed!!
>
>-->Thomas B.
>-->N.S. Can.
>-->[email-masked]
>
I have been going to the mountain man rendezvous in Washington, Oregon, and
California.  The coal I burn is shipped out from Kentucky.  At the rendezvous
evrything used out in the open is supposed to be what would have been available
in 1840 or earlier.  So I start my forge with flint and steel.  A good steel,
struck by flint, or even jasper, will put out good hot sparks that will start
tinder made from cotton cloth.  Once you have a flame, small splinters lead
to pieces of dry wood the size of a pencil, only about 2 to 3 inches long, then
to coal or left over breeze.

Takes too long, you say?  Well, we have flint and steel fire start contests, and
I have been timed at 1.8 seconds from the first strike to the flame.  And the
timer with the stopwatch, said "Oh, fire!" before stopping the watch.  I was
even
accused of using gasoline, and had to prove I hadn't.

If any of you are interested, I can describe how to properly temper the steel,
and how to make good char cloth.  But if I tell you, you have to promise not
to beat me in a contest!!!!!

Rusty

at Rusty Forge

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 [email-masked]

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From: Page Thomas <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1996 08:29:49 -0600 (CST)

Why did the "old time smiths" carry a sharp knife?  To whittle small 
splinters to start their fire.