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Thread: Those Rocks that make sparks

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    Man Scout Omid's Avatar
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    Arrow Those Rocks that make sparks

    I heard they're around rivers... I've never seen them...

    Anyone have any ideas or pics or something?


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    Tracker Beo's Avatar
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    Called flint.
    There is no greater solitude than that of the Tracker in the forest, unless perhaps it's that of the wolf in the wilderness.

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    They are usually found in Bedrock.

    Was that a serious question?

    Flint was also commonly used to create stone tools - spear tips, arrow heads, cutting tools.

    Tried making a Clovis spear head once - it is difficult. Decided not to go mammoth hunting.

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    There are other rocks that create sparks, I was jost joking around. If you take two well dried rocks about fist size and strike them together they spark, i bellieve it has to do with compound make up of the rock, some have more metal fragments in them some may have flint I'm not sure but I have done it and don't know the name of the rocks.
    There is no greater solitude than that of the Tracker in the forest, unless perhaps it's that of the wolf in the wilderness.

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    Senior Member Chicago Dan's Avatar
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    There are other rocks that create sparks, I was jost joking around. If you take two well dried rocks about fist size and strike them together they spark, i bellieve it has to do with compound make up of the rock, some have more metal fragments in them some may have flint I'm not sure but I have done it and don't know the name of the rocks.
    Banging two rocks together is putting a whole lot of force(energy) in a very small area. That energy has to go somewhere and it does in the form of heat...sparks. Think of it as friction accelerated.

    Will work with other "hard" elements too like in artificial sparkers, Metal(think trains), etc.

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    Man Scout Omid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chicago Dan View Post
    Banging two rocks together is putting a whole lot of force(energy) in a very small area. That energy has to go somewhere and it does in the form of heat...sparks. Think of it as friction accelerated.

    Will work with other "hard" elements too like in artificial sparkers, Metal(think trains), etc.
    good to know

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chicago Dan View Post
    Banging two rocks together is putting a whole lot of force(energy) in a very small area. That energy has to go somewhere and it does in the form of heat...sparks. Think of it as friction accelerated.

    Will work with other "hard" elements too like in artificial sparkers, Metal(think trains), etc.
    Has anyone here ever started a fire with two rocks ?

    i am thinking if anyone has its gotta be YCC

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Ooops, My bad,, Ok

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hunter63 View Post
    Thanks H63,,,, That sure will make you appreciate a bic !

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chicago Dan
    Banging two rocks together is putting a whole lot of force(energy) in a very small area. That energy has to go somewhere and it does in the form of heat...sparks. Think of it as friction accelerated

    Will work with other "hard" elements too like in artificial sparkers, Metal(think trains), etc.
    Quote Originally Posted by Justin Case View Post
    Has anyone here ever started a fire with two rocks ?
    No, but I've been thinking about trying Chicago Dan's idea of striking two trains together. Not sure how I'll get them in my pack though...
    Last edited by lucznik; 04-08-2011 at 06:30 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Omid View Post
    I heard they're around rivers... I've never seen them...

    Anyone have any ideas or pics or something?
    i have seen thoes rocks at scotts flat

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    Because a survival situation carries an aura of timelessness, a survivor cannot allow himself to be overcome by it's duration or quality. A survivor accepts the situation as it is and improves it from that standpoint. Prologue from Outdoor Survival Skills by Larry Dean Olsen

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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Flint normally will not spark unless struck against hardened steel. Two pieced of flint smacking each other will usually caue flakes, splinters and significant blood loss.

    Iron Pyrite (also known as fools gold) will spark when struck with flint or other pyrite and has been used as a firemaker since the time of the ancient Greeks, who named the metal firestone.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

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    naturalist primitive your_comforting_company's Avatar
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    I'm no expert on making fire with rocks, but have read about it quite a lot. It has to do with silica content (sand) and iron content. the instant of the strike, the silica rock "peels" part of the iron rock and the resulting friction causes the iron to "superheat". One of those unrestrained chain reactions we talk about with fire.

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