Real flint... cherts from America, and quartz work. I get Chert from all over the place, and buy flint from rock dealers, find old ship carrening sights, sand paper mills from days gone by, and at historical re-enactment.<br><br>I do historical re-enactment for fun and for pay depending on what is wanted...<br><br>I also use a bow drill for fire and even drilling. making fire is no prob. takes 2 minutes for about a 3 books of matches blaze. Drilling sea shells with a bow drilland flint tipped drill is far harder and takes a long time drilling in a pan of water so no dust is created... The shells can be used for decoration or lures for fishing...... The steel stikers can be bought at events, or you can make one from an old file.<br><br>To make one from a file: find an old 1/4"x1/4" file and smooth off one side with a grinding wheel, but never let the metal get hot! Dip in water as you feel heat build up....<br><br>A bit better striker is a "C" shape use the same type of file, or you will really work.... I use common flat files, but I heat the files bright red hot, and cut with a "Hot Chisel" closer to the size I want. The heating ruins the temper for the time being, but I then heat and pound the cuts to blend them, and turn the ends to be what ever shape I want,,, dragon heads, birds heads, that sorta thing, but these turn to be a "C" shape.<br><br>After I am satisfied I re-heat and quench in oil. Then the steel is "glass hard" too hard to use. I then again re-heat in bright light, from the ends of the "C" shape..you want the ends softer with a hard center. And quench again.... mirror polish the steel, but just smooth is fine, as it gets hacked up by flint which is the harder part.......<br><br>What burns is the steel, and not the rock...... Mac thxs for complement.......I'll try to not let it go to my head ;-)