I have a few of these flint strikers

http://www.uen.org/utahlink/tours/loadimg.cgi?p=/tour/14346/14346Striker175x.jpg

I have removed the cup and super-glued the striker to the metal underneath it. Problem is, I just could not make them to ignite anything except alcohol swaps. Even cotton and petroleum jelly, I tried several times without success.

Sparks look OK ( similar to an empty butane lighter), and the striker and sparks are exposed after removing the cup, but still no success.

Any ideas ??

Are you using char cloth? I'm not a flint striker guy but what I do remember is that char cloth was central to success with a flint striker.

No, I tried some tree bark ( fluffed up as much as I could ) , no success. And makeup circular pads ( inside out, fluffed up, then w/petroleum jelly) no luck.

A few weeks ago, I tried the same pads with alcohol swap and used a real ferrocium rod. It ignited. Seems the firesteel rod gives more potent sparks. But these strikers give smaller sparks .

The only thing I've ever had luck with igniting with sparkers like that are char cloth and steel wool. No natural tinders have ever worked.
-Blast

Chisel... couple of years ago I looked into something similar for a keyring striker.. used a machine screw (it is an oddball thread pitch IIRC) and ring terminal... with a sharp bladed knife and pressing down into a petroleum jelly cotton ball you can rip the striker away and ignite the cotton ball... hard on the blade edge, but in an emergency not a problem...

Never had much muck with them, I couldn't even light a bunsen burner or propane torch with one of those.

I have not had good luck with a flint striker either. I'm glad to know it wasn't just me stumbling.

Hadn't thought of that. Interesting experiment.

Welding torch strikers (like the one you linked) basically capture some gas/air mix in the cup and then ignite it. That doesn't take a very hot spark. Still, the flint and the spring tension can be crudely adjusted for a spark that's more impressive than an empty Bic.

The main problem IMO is that, unlike a handheld flint and steel, the torch striker doesn't deliver the spark exactly where you want it. An option might be using the cup as your ultra-fine tinder holder, underneath a bundle that will take a flame that lasts only a second or so.

The only natural materials that I can reliably light with an old-school flint striker (i.e., not a ferro rod) are fluffed-up airborne seeds like cattail down, thistle down, and dandelion fuzz. Cattail heads are the best, and up here our winters are pretty dry so they work fairly consistently.

Les , your idea is marvellous
I may try the same, except maybe slavage a tiny file from a broken nail clipper or broken multitool..etc. and try it instead of a blade. Looks promising , especially - as doughwalkabout said - it can be pressed harder to produce bigger sparks

Doug, I never thought of using the cup as tinder holder. hmmmm
I had to remove them because there were getting in the way.

Anyway, this striker seems only successful with two "tinders" : alcohol swaps, and steel wool. Alcohol swaps are scattered in every FAK and utility kit I have, so that take care of it.

But I will be experimenting with the Les varaiation.
Great idea.

If it works, I may attach one of these to every MT or SAK that has a file, unless the file is stainless steel and won't make sparks. That is another story

I was looking for something else but found this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpD63JZTAX0

Maybe the humble toilet paper can achieve what other material couldn't