How is the flint and steel used to make fire?
In less than a minute, starting with everything stored near the stove, flame can be produced. It takes a piece of flint, tinder and a scratcher, which can be a piece of hacksaw blade filed smooth, a knife, or other similar metal blade. One good flint obtained through outdoor recreation outlets can be used to start fires for many years. The tinder is any very light, easily inflamed material such as loose cotton or lint from a clothes drier. Pull apart a small fluff of tinder and place it on a nonflammable surface. Brace the bottom of the flint against the surface at the edge of the tinder and firmly scratch the flint downward several times. It should throw a spark 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. The tinder should burst into flame and burn briefly but long enough to ignite a torn edge of a small roll of paper or very thin piece of wood to use as a “match”. Cotton from a single plant will serve for a very long time. Some loose cotton is available in cotton balls, some is used to package medicines.
