I bought a firesteel at a gun show and it worked ok. After a few uses it doesn't spark anymore. I am using a piece of saw with the back sharpned and nothing.
Which is the best firesteel that produces a lot of sparks and doesn't wear out so soon?
Thank you!

What "does not work" about it? Does it spark at all? Or are the sparks too small/weak to do anything useful.

I've heard that the commonly available Swedish Light-My-Fire (come on baby) are very decent.

That or a BSA Hot Spark.

http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/Item...&item=01167

Most likely it's just oily. Try to dissolve the oil on the rod and on the saw blade with some solvent (acetone, for example, but watch the plastic parts, acetone is very aggressive). Hot water with dish soap may work too (depends on the grease).

Martin:
Both, sometimes I don't get any sparks, and sometimes I get some small and weak sparks.
When I bought it I could light a piece of newspaper with it but not anymore.
I have seen shows on tv (Man vs Wild) and that guy has a flint that looks like the one I bought but that one really puts out a lot of sparks that can light a fire with natural tinder.
Thanks for any help!
Joaquin.

Well, it sounds like the firesteel you got was just coated with sparking material, or it got badly oxidized. PM me your address, I'll send you a REAL firesteel, I still have a few Magfire brand firesteels, they rock, you can have one, you'll see.

Oh, and using a saw blade really kills your firesteel quickly. Use a knife blade (utility knives work great).

joaquin39,

I am no expert or even a journeyman at this.

I hope some of the above suggestions work for you;
sounds like they have not yet helped.

Have you experimented in subdued light, so that you
can see the sparks easily?

Generally, I do not think of a fire-steel as starting
newspaper on fire. If there is such a steel for sale,
please let me know; I will upgrade.
For first spark tinder, I think of char-cloth, cotton
with petroleum jelly, magnesium filings.

For "natural tinder", for the first spark, think in
terms of 1)very dry 2)downy (not real down), like cattail
3)fine like a birds nest 4)charred may help.

Flint and Steel method generally produces less sparks
than a fire-steel. After a demo, it only took me 20
seconds to get char-cloth glowing. Then, gently blow,
on the char-cloth; transfer the char-cloth to a downy nest,
gently blowing the whole time, and woosh. Flames will leap
from the nest, so you better have you small kindling ready.

The way a firesteel works is that small particals of the firesteel alloy shaved off the firesteel. It takes a sharp edge some times. With a hacksaw blade there are two methods, 1) smap the saw blade with a pair of pliers so a jagged edge is formed where the blade breaks. Use this edge to strike against the firesteel. 2) Use the teeth of the hacksaw blade this produces tons of sparks but it will chew up the firesteel and leave it grooved.
I also use an old blade from a SAK using the sharp edge to make sparks.
But I think once you under stand how a firesteel works it is simple to make sparks.
cheers

Hello HIKE:
I don't know what brand was the one I bought at the gun show, but believe me, it did started newspaper and paper napkins.
The problem is that like Martin said, probably it was just a coating of sparking material, and now it doen't sparks anymore, or so weak that it dosn't lights anything.
Thanks for the help.