Before Making A Steel From A File, Check It For Sparkiness!

I bought 2 files at the Flea Market today for $1 each. Before I go through all the trouble of making a Flint And Steel, Steel out of them, let's check their sparkiness.
Ahhh! The good old tried and true and always sparky Black Diamond cast twice as many sparks as the off brand Montford file. Black Diamond was bought by Nicholson Files in the 1930s. They both are good names to look for when searching for inexpensive and sparky worn out files at the Flea Market. Unusually though, this particular Black Diamond is not completely worn out.
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[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

I bought 2 files at the Flea Market today for $1 each. Before I go through all the trouble of making a Flint And Steel, Steel out of them, let's check their sparkiness. Ahhh! The good old tried and true and always sparky Black Diamond cast twice as many sparks as the off brand Montford file. Black Diamond was bought by Nicholson Files in the 1930s. They both are good names to look for when searching for inexpensive and sparky worn out files at the Flea Market. Unusually though, this particular Black Diamond is not completely worn out. Please follow the LINKS below and SUBSCRIBE. Thank You! Make A Steel Out Of A File Playlist kzbin.info/aero/PLkoXX8XsMW3n39s_OA1Y3ib73n2Ee57Ed Flint And Steel Playlist kzbin.info/aero/PLkoXX8XsMW3mFf5FgLtam1aDmXmqQQice

[@udawg1964]

Nice video as usual David! Even your Plumb hammer is a good choice. From one carpenter to another...lol

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

When I got out of Carpentry class from Tec, I bought an Estwing 28oz straight claw hammer and went to work with a Frame Crew. Thanks friend!

[@starlingblack814]

Good to know David; as I previously thought that all files were probably pretty much equal. Guess not. Thanks for the information.

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

This is the first actual proof for me too.

[@ianbruce6515]

I saw a warning in a knife making book--that some cheap files were only case hardened and that the high carbon portion was very thin.

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Some files will only barely spark.

[@jeffersonthomason-ry5di]

So I'm glad I watched this video . I watch Dan on Coalcracker ...he had a short clip where you buy a old file and bust it ....get some flint and VOILA ! Homemade flint n steel . I just went to the swapmeet and bought a big ol' file with smooth edges and I was gonna bust it up in the back yard . Ima gonna hold up and get me some viable flint and see if this $4.00 file is "Sparky" enough .

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Yes, Flint, Chert, Or Quarts. See my steel builds playlist.

[@johnnyrebel5458]

I don’t comment much but I love you channel. When I saw those files I saw knife blades not fire. Sorry just the blacksmith in me. Other wise heck yes,great vid!

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

I guess there would be no way to make a knife out of a Nicholson File and also keep the logo in tact?

[@johnnyrebel5458]

@@DavidWestBgood2ppl absolutely,use the handle of the file for the tang of the knife. You can weld an extra piece of metal to it but there is no point. The file handle is strong enough.

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

That would be a great knife if you could keep the logo and possibly the shoulders so there'd be no doubt that it used to be a file.

[@johnnyrebel5458]

@@DavidWestBgood2ppl I’ve also taken the logo section of the same file I used for the blade and made it the hand guard.

[@cellerfeller1474]

Good point! Definitely a good idea getting a file from a flea market to get old stock. Seems to me the new Nicholsons are made in Brazil and Mexico. There was a big problem with the Mexican files being really soft. I have fold a lot of old files metal detecting and I will use them for strikers. I just hit the metal with the grinder in the shop and look for a long aggressive steam of sparks.

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

I’ve heard that a lot.

[@dick7540]

Years ago I came across a description of making fire with a child's button and string toy. I's also called a thread spinner or a button spinner. You replace the ordinary button with another one made of a high carbon steel that has been drilled and hardened. You make it work by getting is spinning back and forth by pumping the string and touching the spinning button to a piece of flint. There are some videos on KZbin. . You might need the help of a machinist to make the button. A challenging and interesting project

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

I like a more natural technique personally, but it sounds interesting!

[@jackpmeadows]

Love your close ups. Great video. Thanks.

[@wctyre49]

I've enjoyed hour's of watching you make fire David , I think we all have a little Pyro maniac in our genes.thanks.

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

You easily can pick us out. Just notice when sitting around a campfire who's staring at the fire... that would be most people.

[@jerrycollins4893]

Well made point..

[@stevenkeithley4336]

Great advice and video bud keep'em coming. Wishing you and your family the best. Stay safe and be well brother. 👊😎🤙🍻🇺🇸

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Thanks, you too!

[@MrMigido]

"I can smell ignition" 👍

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

I've got 4 ways to identify an ignition... smell it, hear it, see it, and feel it. I have no plans to taste potassium metal.

[@zeballgood571]

Very informative David thank you.

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Thanks friend!

[@jeffssouthcarolinalawncare6278]

I got my dad to pick up a couple old files from the Anderson jockey lot a few weeks back. Can’t beat those old ones

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

That's where I got the 14" Black Diamond file that my favorite steel is made out of... $3.

[@jeffssouthcarolinalawncare6278]

@@DavidWestBgood2ppl he got me 2 old Nicholson for $2 each. Both throw showers of sparks from any quartz rock I pick up

[@hughbrackett343]

I keep finding files that are too good. I thought I'd found a perfect one. It was about 6", mostly smooth. After I cleaned some crud off the end, I discovered that someone had made a really nice scraper out of it. It was way too good to turn into a firesteel.

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

That's kind of what I was concerned about when I felt how much "bite" was left on that Black Diamond. LOL. The nail test showed me it was half worn out though. Good!

[@terencegalati970]

Soak in vinegar for a few days to clean out the teeth. Then sell for $2!

[@superdave1263]

David West...... The legend!

[@thankmelater1254]

A font of wisdom, you are, man!

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

It's later than you think, so... Thanks TML!

[@maineiacts]

Awesome!! Thanks Dave!

[@MichaelR58]

David , good video and tips , thanks for sharing ,God bless !

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Very welcome!

[@chrisdouglass5736]

David. I could hear a higher pitched sound on the Good sparking file. The low sparking file sounded dull. Nice video!

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Good ear. It's probably not 6.5 in hardness like the Black Diamond. The softer it is the less it will spark.

[@Plain-Ole-Chuck]

I'll have to go through my file bucket.. I need to make a couple more small strikers for my fire kits

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

These were 10" files. I like the 12 and 14 inch files better.

[@2townsdown208]

I love flea markets!!

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

It used to be a weekly ritual for me along with a weekly auction too.

[@2townsdown208]

Fort Payne AL has the biggest flea market known! 40 miles of market! Have you ever been?

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Wow! No.

[@ChuckisOutside]

Love it. Great method.

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Thanks C!

[@gator83261]

Very cool.

[@MLFranklin]

Is it the hardness or the carbon content that makes better sparks?

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Both.

[@dennishein2812]

You could always harden that soft file.

[@shelbyburgey884]

What was in the jar? Thanks for the video!

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Charred punk wood.

[@jesuschristismylordandsavi6108]

I live in N. Texas 1 mile from the Red river. Only stones I can find are sand stones. Quartz Mountains are about 40 miles away. I know the file but what striker do you use?

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

I have used Flint, Chert, and Quartz. They can all be bought online.

[@jesuschristismylordandsavi6108]

@@DavidWestBgood2ppl ----Thank you for your prompt and kind reply. We live in the last days. War is coming and America will be utterly destroyed in a single hour. Only Jesus can save us. Lord bless and be with you.

[@macdaddykwm1]

FYI Dollar Tree has 9.5*6.5 fresnel lens for $1.25

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

That's a good deal!!! TY!

[@Noniinthebush]

Hi, what was in the jar that you used to ignite the fire? Also, what were you using to strike the spark? Did you say chalk? Cheers

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Charred punk wood in jar. See my flint and steel playlist.

[@kathyarmstrong649]

I have a steel from a Simonds file that works well.

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

I'll definitely grab one up if I find one.

[@billfaubion6295]

@@DavidWestBgood2ppl My striker is a Simonds also --- very sparky

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

I'll be looking out for one... for sure.

[@rustyrobinson8027]

What is the stuff in the glass jar

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Charred Punk Wood.

[@rustyrobinson8027]

@@DavidWestBgood2ppl thanks David

[@goingroguenow]

What quality makes one spark nd another not?

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

The ones made out of 1095 Steel and, I think, that are hardened to about a 6.5 hardness. The Flint, Chert, and Quartz that we use to strike the steel is a 7 on the Mohs hardness scale.

[@manhalhassan8483]

In my country it’s hard to find good files for flint striking Some are really nicholson but in the forge language they called case hardened so they aren’t made from high carbon steel and they won’t give any spark

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Try hacksaw blades, stainless steel utility knife blades, Carbon Steel Mora Companions.