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I Forge Iron

Fancy forge welded three-piece fire steel


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I made this fire steel today, based on an original artifact, possibly Kievan Rus.  The original was on eBay without much info, but I liked the look and wanted to try it.  The frame and pile are mild steel, the base is a harrow tine.  The hardest part was actually making the frame.  I used two nails in the vise as a bending jig for the pile.  The original was made with thinner stock and was more slender, something I'll work on for the next one.

 

This turned out to be a very good sparker, too.  5 1/4" long.

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Fire steels were used with a piece of flint to start fires in pre-match days by creating sparks that you direct on tinder. (hence the reference to sparking).

 

That is a fancy one indeed!  (several simple designs are well documented to be in continuous use from early medieval times through the early 1800's!)

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Shame on me then. I know exactly what it is now, I have even used them. I just have never seen one of that shape, most I have seen and used are ovals that you hand fits into. Also, never heard them called by that name, most people I know refer to them merely as Steel. Thanks anyways though, mostly for making me feel dumb ;)

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That is genuinely beautiful.  I think I've seen the one you based it on.  I remember being sat back on my heels by the workmanship in it, taking something rather mundane to the next level.  Like today, the wealthier clientele wanted stuff that was "better" than what non-wealthy folks used and it wasn't uncommon to see strikers that were very ornate and intricate.

 

If I can ever figure out my new forge, I'll certainly have to give something like this a try.

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Many thanks, gents :)  Chichi, it is comfortable to use, you sort of pinch it in the middle so your knuckles stay clear.

 

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Basher, the eBay listing will disappear soon, but here's a post from Oleg Axes (the seller) from Kiev, he always has interesting stuff but is vague on details (all he gave was 'unique early medieval ornamented  Fire Steel'), so unfortunately I don't have any information on the original's origins. 

 

http://axesandotherss.blogspot.com/2013/09/blog-post_4801.html

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You've done it again Nick, that's the prettiest fire steel I've ever seen. I'm thinking the original design is river boat/barge, a sledge wouldn't have three "posts" in the bed. Two at most if it was a timber sledge but even those wouldn't be so prominent. In a sledge that is, a sledge inspired tool or decoration could be whatever of course.

 

The ribbon also reminds me of cargo in bales, maybe under tarps or maybe folded nets.

 

Those are just impressions I get looking at the piece of course, I'll stop flapping my fingers now.

 

Super well done Nick! It makes my day to see a post from you come up in the new posts. You be the eye candyman.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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