Choosing the right steel for flint striker fires
Finding the right steel for flint striker use is basically the difference between getting a fire going in five seconds or shivering in the dark for an hour. If you've ever tried to strike a spark using a random piece of stainless steel or a cheap tent stake, you already know the frustration. It just doesn't work. The physics behind it are pretty simple, but the specific type of metal you choose changes everything. You aren't actually looking for a "spark" from the rock; you're looking for the rock to shave off tiny, microscopic bits of metal that ignite when they hit the air. ...