Coil spring flint strikers

[Maillemaker]

Alright, I'm convinced that my stock is either cursed or bipolar.

So I'm at the Antigo gun show on friday, and I notice a vendor had some flint arrowheads and some beeswax. So I bartered eight arrowheads and a stick of wax for a striker. So later that afternoon, I cut up some coil spring, and went to work. First striker I ever made, and it worked great. Both the vendor and I were able to strike good sparks, and it was the way I tested the flints.

So I thinks to myself, "Self, I want a striker of my own. I'll forge one for myself tonight."

Same stock, same quenchant (water), and I was sure to heat to above critical before quenching for both of them. Heck, the pieces I cut were right next to each other.

The first one threw sparks like fireworks, and the second can't hardly throw any. What gives? The only things I did differently were to grind the face on the first one more, and the first one was larger. Should this matter? Isn't the carbon content the same throughout the stock?

I'm trying to control all the variables, and I'm trying to understand what could else could change.

Also, what is the best color/temp to quench at? Unless I am incorrect, the hotter the steel is when quenched, the larger the crystal structures are, and the more brittle the stock becomes. Are large crystals better than small ones? Or vise-versa?

[son_of_bluegrass]

Grinding the striking surface may have made all the difference in the world. The surface of the steel can lose carbon at forging temperatures, depending on the conditions of the forge. If the spring was recycled it may have different compositions right next to each other. Taking a moment too long getting to piece cool during the quench can make a difference. Quenchant temperature can make a difference. Even though you tried to control the variables, very small variations can make a big difference when heat treating steel.

As for grain size, generally smaller is better but I hear that for flint strikers big is good. Supposedly larger grain throws sparks better.

ron

[ThomasPowers]

Sounds like a decarb layer to me too and yes large grains are supposed to spark better.

Or to put it simpler: Son_of_bluegrass ++

[mcostello]

Anyone have any pictures?

[Maillemaker]

I think I figured out what I was doing wrong. With the first, larger striker, the extra mass made me strike with a bit more vigor. I wasn't striking hard or fast enough! I practiced most of last afternoon and evening, and I was able to strike good sparks. Operator error, not equipment failure.