Many times I'll close my eyes altogether before impact. Timing.

I’ve heard the new files made in Mexico don’t cut or last well. If you find that to be true, modify a new old file of Nicholson’s from a flea market. Even on the worn out files like I modify for steels, that base section that I use still has a lot of bite. I have filed with my steels before.

Thanks CJ!

Flint and steel is a favorite of mine too. Thank you!

Thanks friend.

Thanks Michael.

It's all about the metal and it's hardness.

Sparkier than I thought it would be.

Thanks Starling!

Thanks Dave!

This one still cuts, but usually they're completely worn out.

Wait till you so advanced, that just staring at tinder will set it ablaze!

Thank you friend!

$1 file into a sparky steel.

Sparky!!!

Fun project.

That's cool! TY!

No, sounds cool. We'll get around to raking it out and seeding it, someday.

I've done that, but ground one side down on a cinder block. See my making a steel playlist.

Those sparks are cooler than you think, but will ignite char material.

I didn't like it when I tried. I think it catches the sharp edges of the chert and promotes bounce off instead of a scraping slide down the steel.

No.

Yes. Please see my char playlist.

Yeah, but are they Nicholson or Black Diamond. Just any file won't work. See my steel build playlist in the Description.

@@DavidWestBgood2ppl thanks for answering...I have purchased a Nicholson Black Diamond what type of drill bit will drill through the steel with a hand drill? I will check it for sparseness first. Thanks for the videos. I have made fires with char cloth I made, fatwood scrapings, etc..

The tang drills well with a regular drill bit. The body of the file is too hard to drill through without specialty drill bits or going through the trouble of annealing and rehardening.

I'm glad you made it how you thought best. Everything I post can be duplicated or customized and still work perfectly.

@@DavidWestBgood2ppl I can always make it shorter but don't have the welding machine to add more.😆

LOL!

Might not be enough mass in the file to see if it's sparky. It has to be heavy enough for the chert to bite and scrape instead of just bounce off.

@@DavidWestBgood2ppl after a few scrapes and roughing up the metal a bit. Got a few tiny sparks, not sufficient enough lol. When I find and old file I shall try again

Chert, but Flint and Quartz work also.

Flint and steel will work with Quartz, Flint, or Chert.

@@DavidWestBgood2ppl So the old file blade is the striker and the Flint Steel is the round bar of steel and magnesium alloy that you use to scrape the striker to drag off the hot sparks. The tinder is held close to the striker to catch the sparks produced from the Flint Steel. Now I am beginning to understand the fully process. I will check out the Flint Steel supply.

No, but it wood work.

Flea Markets.

@@DavidWestBgood2pplThx👍🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸

I always wear glasses, but grinding dics will split or a part of the edge will disintegrate . I've only ever felt particles impact my arm, but not break the skin.

I’ve got a scar from a grinding disc exploding, it cut into my artery and was a frantic rush to the ER to get stitches. It’s the reason I use a guard.

So, I had to do some grinding on a job where all that gear was required... safety glasses, goggles, face shield, hard hat. I had to reach through some hand rails and grind for an extended period of time. When done, I went to remove my hard hat, then goggles, as I pulled the goggles away a big pile of grindings poured off the top of the googles, and fell at just the right angle to miss my safety glasses and go right into my eye... 100s of grindings. Not wanting to blink, I kept that eye closed, stood at the handrail, head hanging down, as I pondered, where's the eyewash station, how will I get to the Dr, how much time off from work. All the time my eye was just pouring tears. Right here is where the Lord stepped in!!! When I opened that eye back up, apparently the tears had been viscous enough to make all the grindings stick together... and every single particle came out at one time in a clump. I didn't even have to use the eyewash. How's that for a loving and merciful Father?