I’ve done the old one stick fire a time or two... Never heard of percussion fire with two pieces of flint/chert. I’d like to see that done. It seemingly defies my understanding of how flint and steel firemaking works.
Btw the only non-charred material I’ve ever been able to catch a spark from flint and steel with was Milkweed ovum. I’ve heard Mullein pith works but I’ve never been successful with that. And of course chaga is meant to be good but I don’t find that around here lol. Igniting wood shavings with flint and steel is something I would love to see. What say you Hkindiana? Video or it didn’t happen?
Milkweed does work great. I usually carry some, along with pine needles and charcloth. I think it would be very difficult to ignite "wood shavings" with flint and steel. It is more like "wood dust" - very FINE dust. It takes WAY LONGER to ignite wood dust than charcloth because the initial sparks are actually charring the dust so that later sparks can the ignite it. With charcloth, I can usually get it to light in two or three strikes with flint and steel. Wood dust can take so many strikes that your hands will get sore. It is definately not my favorite fire method, but it is nice to practice AND have the knowledge of how to do it if the need ever arises. Chaga is one of my favorites for the fire piston. Flint on flint WILL throw sparks, but not nearly as many as flint and steel. Hit two geodes together in the dark, and if you don't smash your fingers too badly, you will get sparks. I have ignited charcloth with flint on flint, but I have never attempted to ignite wood dust that way. I'm sure it would be painfully slow (as in possible hours), but if my life depended on it, I THINK I could do it. Now I am tempted to try it. Fire making videos DO sound like a good idea.
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