There has been much debate over recent years over which is the best firesteel for reliable and easy fire making. Before the advent of magnesium-containing firesteels and the like, our Iron Age ancestors relied upon the trusty flint and steel approach. While technological advancement is no bad thing, sometimes it really is best to rely on the tried and tested approaches that our forebears perfected over many generations. Given the claims made by manufacturers of so-called modern firesteels it might be difficult to believe that the humble flint and steel remains the best firesteel to this very day, so read on and find out more.
What Makes Flint and Steel the Best Firesteel Option
Whereas modern firesteels are well-known for the great quantity of extremely high temperature sparks that they produce, this approach is often something of a brute force approach with no guarantee of success without practice. Although many people initially consider these tools to be the best firesteels, they soon find that throwing huge amounts of sparks at kindling without an intermediary substance like char cloth tinder to create an ember can make things somewhat hit and miss. Flint and steel makes for the best firesteel as the process involves the direct production of an ember on char cloth or birch bark tinder fungus. Such natural materials hold an ember even in extreme conditions, leaving you able to calmly place the ember within your bundle of kindling and thus make fire.
Where Can I Find the Best Firesteel?
The best place to purchase any product made of iron or steel is at a blacksmith's forge. The few blacksmiths left plying their trade in the modern era have retained the knowledge of countless generations of skilled craftsmen. In particular, when you buy a steel striker as part of a flint and steel kit for fire making you'll be sure to have purchased the best firesteel available. The very best blacksmiths rely upon natural materials and methods to produce their wares, focusing on forging and quenching high carbon steel over a charcoal flame. Fortunately, many blacksmiths have begun to demonstrate and offer their products online, leaving you free to choose the best firesteel to be delivered directly to your door.