I'm a newbie and yesterday I was annealing some old files for stock and did not realize it till the next day that somehow my flint striker was tossed in to the charcoal. after removing the scale the I assumed it would now be to soft to throw sparks and sure enough it didn't spark a bit so I heated it up to beyond non-magnetic and quenched it in motor oil cleaned it up and still no spark. I then tempered it so the face was a nice even straw still no spark. I then took the three knives I have made two are 5160 one was made of 1035 and I could not get any of them to spark. Now I have been using a flint and steel for years and know what I am doing, so I am wondering if annealing or normalizing has negatively affected carbon content or what my problem is. Also I will be introducing my self as soon as I get a chance . Thanks.


Vilkas

Heat treat often can leave a decarburized layer on the surface of a striker. Hit it a lick on a grinder and try again.