How to use a Firesteel

[Ashley Cawley]

I've made a new video :o continuing on with my Bushcraft Basics series...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc8y6eLEcJA

[Bernie]

I managed to watch it, and the sound was in synch for me. It's a great video on learning to use a firesteel. Wish I'd seen this back along when I first got mine. Persistence taught me how to get sparks, and I think you chaps taught me how to pull the rod rather than destroy the tinder bundle. That was a Winter gathering at least two years ago now. Oh man I loved that day down in Cornwall with you wonderful people.

You didn't go into the pros or cons of the ridged versus smooth strikers and I would like to know if one is better than the other. The one I have cuts grooves in the rod, and I don't like that so I'm thinking I might switch to using the spine of my knife.

Was it just me, or have you also changed the music now? I think you tweeted that although the band said you could use the music, YouTube are claiming copyright infringement? I swear some record labels do music more harm than good. Ho hum.

[Ben Casey]

Just cant get the staff today :D

[Ashley Cawley]

[FONT=Times New Roman]
Just cant get the staff today :D
Right! - Your Fired!


You didn't go into the pros or cons of the ridged versus smooth strikers and I would like to know if one is better than the other.Good point! I do make a plan/script to try and remember everything but it's hard to make sure you cover everything :ashamed: I do infact prefer a flat-edged striker, I rarely use my knife-spine, but use a small flat striker attached to my LightMyFire mini firesteel.


Was it just me, or have you also changed the music now? I think you tweeted that although the band said you could use the music, YouTube are claiming copyright infringement? I swear some record labels do music more harm than good. Ho hum.The music has certainly changed - I hope you like it, I do :)

Unfortunately; and this really annoys me - YouTube are now recognising the Spiro music within my videos and are flagging the music as being owned by "Warner Music Group" - this basically means that they will leave the video online BUT only if they get to plaster adverts all round the video (with the revenue they earn going to YouTube & Warner Music Group). It's immensley frustrating because years ago I did what I thought was right by approaching the band Spiro first, explaining what I wanted to use their music for and asked their permission (which they gave)... but now it appears that even the band don't own the copyright to their own music! Some other money-making label technically owns the copyright.

So now I've decided some Royalty free music so that my viewers don't have to get plagued with ads.

The other thing to note is - for nearly a year previous to this happening, YouTube have been constantly pestering me sending me emails to let me know a lot of my videos are popular and I should become a 'YouTube Partner' which basically means they plaster Adverts all round your videos and you get to make money from them. I choose to purposively ignore this emails and not do this because I knew it would degrade from the viewers experience & I've always wanted to make NBC videos the best I could... so I choose not to monetise on my videos, but now I didn't, they've decided to monetise themselves off my work - You've got to love corporations eh?

[Ben Casey]

[FONT=Times New Roman] You've got to love corporations eh?

Firstly you cant sack me I'm sackless :D and I know what you mean about corporations but to be honest mate why dont you get a bit of money for what you do everyone else does and it doesnt degrade the fact that your a really nice guy :) But only if I can have a share :D

[Metal mug]

Great video.

[Dan XF]

I'm with bencasey2001 on this. Why shouldn't you make a bit of money from your videos with a bit of advertisement revenue? I love the work this site does but having lost my job in recent months I can't offer financial support. Take some of the corporations money and do what you want with it. What's stopping you from reinvesting it in the site or just spending it on a bit of kit you've always fancied? I know what I'd do.

[Metal mug]

I can understand what Ash means though. You tube has been getting a bit of flak lately from over advertising. It's refreshing to get on a video where you don't have to close a little pop up.

[Roadkillphil]

Sweet vid Bud T^

[MikeWilkinson]

Excellent, Well done Ash, its all about the basics. Get them dialled down and be unconciously competent in them and you are in a great position to start experimenting!

[JEEP]

Excellent video. I wish it had been around, when I bought my first firesteel.

[mik.murray]

me and the daughter got out firesteel today(our first one ever), so we had to try it out in the garden....she was amazed we could start a small fire without matches or a lighter, to be honest i was well impressed myself!! think we are gonna enjoy this year, loads of bushcrafting to be had.
great vid on the fire making also, really really informative, not just lighting the fire, but keeping it going and to putting it out.
really enjoyed these lessons

[Fletching]

+1 for the LMF firesteels. I've tried loads and these little ones are the dogs (I do have a US Marine one that throws flames, but that's for a different adventure!)!

Steve :)

[Ben Casey]

+1 for the LMF firesteels. I've tried loads and these little ones are the dogs (I do have a US Marine one that throws flames, but that's for a different adventure!)!
Steve :)

What was the name of that one you had with you last year on our trip? It was good :)

[CanadianMike]

Just a useful suggestion, when ever you are putting your firesteel somewhere where it might get wet and sit for a while (such as outer pocket of a backpack, in my case), buy yourself a little bottle of clear nail polish and coat the rod. I left mine in exactly where I said, and didn't notice til about 6months later (before I got back into camping after many years), due to rain dampening my firesteel it became heavily pitted and I couldn't use it anymore (ended up breaking it because halfway down the rod was the deepest crater.)

[Ashley Cawley]

Just a useful suggestion, when ever you are putting your firesteel somewhere where it might get wet and sit for a while (such as outer pocket of a backpack, in my case), buy yourself a little bottle of clear nail polish and coat the rod. I left mine in exactly where I said, and didn't notice til about 6months later (before I got back into camping after many years), due to rain dampening my firesteel it became heavily pitted and I couldn't use it anymore (ended up breaking it because halfway down the rod was the deepest crater.)This is a very good point! - Firesteels contain highly reactive materials and don't like being wet for long periods of time. They're perfectly fine if they fall in a puddle or something just wipe dry after and they can function straight away, but yes don't pack away wet as they can even damage kit next to them.

[LandRoverMatt]

Im getting things like contain copy right on my youtube videos because I have music on some, Just getting and friend to make up music on his guitar and then add them on my videos so then I have permission to do use it then. :D - My youtube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/mattdoughty1?feature=mhee)

[blindgeekuk]

As a newcomer to the forums, can I say a big thank you for videos like this. When I was in scouts I was expected to be able to light a fire with a firesteel but never managed it, and yet, 20 years later, I can watch your video, buy a firesteel off amazon, and practice in my firepit at home and be able to light a fire.

[Tigger004]

Bought a mini LMF on the strenght of this, it IS very good, I have always used a big version and wrongly it would appear, (to pull the steel instead of moving the striker is obvious, but I have never done it that way, I will now) Fleabay £5.25 delivered
very informative, good job Ash :happy-clapping:

[Psycho]

Unfortunately; and this really annoys me - YouTube are now recognising the Spiro music within my videos and are flagging the music as being owned by "Warner Music Group" - this basically means that they will leave the video online BUT only if they get to plaster adverts all round the video (with the revenue they earn going to YouTube & Warner Music Group). It's immensley frustrating because years ago I did what I thought was right by approaching the band Spiro first, explaining what I wanted to use their music for and asked their permission (which they gave)... but now it appears that even the band don't own the copyright to their own music! Some other money-making label technically owns the copyright.

It's the same with "GEMA" in germany. I often watch music-videos from bands that I actually don't know on youtube, to see if I like their music or not. But even if the band itself has uploaded a music-video and put the link on their website, you can not watch the video in germany, because the GEMA don't gives the permission....
That shows, like you said before, that even the band itself don't own the rights to their music....
In my opinion that's an impudence...

But back to topic...
Really good video! =) Thanks for uploading it!

[TimmyTatw]

Hi all,

I'm new to the community so, Hi!, this is a great vid.

I had a go myself recently using fatwood. Let me know what you think. :campfire:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktq9RF6JpsI

Tim