@Dalenra3013 You're very kind and generous, Sweetie. It's a snoozefest. haha 😘

@@BwHorH Ah... Thank you, Vanya. That's very encouraging news, and I'm glad you found it enlightening. 👍👍

@@atrocious_pr0xy Thanks for stopping by (and enduring my rambling), my friend. 👍👍

@@Lauryncarnley93 I guess everyone can benefit from a few new ways to play with fire, eh? 😅 Thanks for watching, sister! 👍👍

@@TheShurikenZone I hope no one burns down the house 💀

@@Lauryncarnley93 Me too. 8-/

@@danielwilliamson704 Hah... Thanks, buddy. Though I doubt I'll ever master anything in life, carefully playing with fire is always fun. 😁

@ARAW-__- Thank you for the excellent suggestion, my friend! And for this wonderful addendum to the information included in the video! I mean to include information about what natural material could be used for the element of the donohi, but it, uh... it slipped my mind. 8-/ Ah, but as for that firesteel... A while back, I was trying to research Japanese fire steels, and found a picture of one, obviously a relic, that really caught my eye. It looked like it was likely a reworked, worn-out razor... or possibly a friction folder. Anyway, after much searching, it became clear that the fire steel in question was what the Ainu used. I found a few more examples, and read about an Ainu fire kit in the possession of the British Museum. There was no picture available, but I read the description by the anthropologist who collected it; also included was a very detailed drawing of everything, including the fire steel. Mine is largely based on that striker, which I suspect may have been shaped to resemble a whale. Mine is slightly larger than the original, as I wanted it to be more multi-purpose. Fire striker, yes, but in time of need, it could also be a climbing piton... possibly a step, when tied into a rope... a torinawa fundo for hojojutsu... or, of course, a handy fistload we@pon. 😁👍👍

@TheShurikenZone I was thinking about the kubotan... Looks to me like you're kind of ssving some cultural artifact here... that's amazing ! I like the shape, I'll make one like that eventually. With a twist 😉🫡

@ARAW-__- I was hoping you'd be interested in making one of these, as it's a really wonderful striker. This one, and my Highland Scottish one, shaped like a ram's head, are the two favorite strikers that I've ever used. The Scottish style one was made by a swordsmith friend of mine, from part of an old file; he actually made a whole handful of them, for our living history group, out of the kindness of his heart. I got first dibs. haha And I was very happy to make him a particularly cool kolrosed spoon (of two-toned crabapple), by way of a thank you. 😁 Sorry for the digression, but... it's cool to have fire strikers with stories... and historically, they've been made in all manner of ways, with all manner of personal touches, all over the world. A couple hundred years ago, you could always tell about where a man was from, based on the design of his striker. 👍👍

@TheShurikenZone Tools with a story are something else. When you see survival stories, they desperately hang on to a relica of their loved ones. That's why I prefer functional, everyday life gifts... They are carried every day so if one's in a very bad spot, he'll have better chances to carry a relica. That can be a tether to life, as you hold on for one more day. Never been in that kind of ordeal, btw 😁

@ARAW-__- Aye, that's an excellent point to make, brother. And I'm the same way, myself. The knife I carry every day... a 4" fixed blade in O1, with dark red G10 handle scales... was won in a pumpkin carving contest, almost ten years ago. Mack and I won it together, so... I dunno... it's sentimental to me. In a survival situation, it would have tremendous value, both intrinsic and emotional.

@@BwHorH Hahaha... Right you are, Vanya! Actually, from a technical standpoint, its purpose is to taste the tea before I do, to make sure it hasn't been poisoned by one of my en€mies!

@@DarthImagnus0790 Ah, thank you, my friend! Yeah, I knew that tea sip had to be perfect, even if I messed up everything else. haha

@TheShurikenZone it always is haha every time I hear it, I'm like, perfection 😂

@@DarthImagnus0790 Hahahaha...

@TheShurikenZone do you want to try setting up Discord today? I can help. I know we're older, but we got this! 🤣

@DarthImagnus0790 I'll get Mack to help me, tomorrow. haha Geezer that I am. Now, If you'll excuse me... I have to go chase some kids off of my lawn...

@@Throwsessive 😄👍👍 Say- Have you ever forged a fire steel?

I have not,but I could try

@Throwsessive Oh, you should give it a go, brother. You can find all sorts of info on historical shapes, and make them out of scraps, in a lot of cases. Just take a good piece of high carbon steel... the one in the video is O1... get it into shape, harden the working face fairly aggressively, and temper it lightly. Then just find yourself some flint or chert, make a little char cloth in an Altoids tim, from a worn out 100% cotton tshirt, and off you go! 👍👍

I'll see what I can come up with. I have made several scribes out of scraps for marking steel. Also I have made punches and custom chisels for various wood working needs. My favorite one is a draw knife made of speed steel for my bow making projects. It's handles are purple heart

@Throwsessive Ooo, but those all sound really nice. Yeah, I have no doubt that you'll make quick work of any given fire steel. My two favorite fire steels- this one, and a Highland Scottish style one, in the shape of a ram's head- were both made by people who specialize in making we@pons, and rarely if ever make fire steels.

@FosterMinotaur2 Find Iga Tengu, on that most ubiquitous of social platforms; he'll make you some. Ask for kunai-gata shuriken.