[TheForge] fire steel materials

[John Switzer]

I have been making fire steels for years using a variety of salvaged 
materials with varying quality of sparks. The best always seems to be those 
made from old files.  I thought I had heard that files where W1.  So I 
bought some new W1 that was already just the right size to save having to 
cut down a file to size.  Sadly the spark from the W1 is mediocre at best, 
plenty to start a fire with but not the fourth of July shower of sparks 
from the files.  So the question is, what type of steel are files made 
from?  Or what new grade of steel will produce a good hot shower of sparks?

Thanks


John Switzer
Black Bear Forge
7019 Burnt Mill rd
Beulah, CO 81023
(719) 485-3109
http://www.blackbearforge.com