Looking for Iron Pyrites

[Woody]

Another good article in the paper
(The Times online is not free anymore sorry)

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ne...-all-xt2qsg0zp

lead me to this page ...

http://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/...e-to-make-fire

It looks like the Neanderthal already knew how to create fire without sticks and before steel , and arguably before homo sapiens came along...

Interesting stuff !

Edit:
More Neanderthal technologies arguably borrowed by homo sapiens...


http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/technolo...logy-1.1396420

[David_JAFO]

hello Woody,
Awesome find Bro go to the front of the class & you can wipe the blackboard. *There appears to be a confusion of terms with respect to the iron pyrites. Pyrite is somewhat variable in its chemical content. Besides iron and sulfur, it can include arsenic, gold or nickel and cobalt. Pyrite also varies in its crystal form. All its variations in form appear as “pyrite” in much of the older literature. Such variation means different pyrites may not respond identically to a flint striker. a great explanation in a nut shell. The "hafted flint striker" my Bushcraft friend from the town was making these recently, very near the same design. I'll have a more detailed read at this link later. Thanks for posting it.
Regards
David

[Woody]

hello Woody,
Awesome find Bro go to the front of the class & you can wipe the blackboard. *There appears to be a confusion of terms with respect to the iron pyrites. Pyrite is somewhat variable in its chemical content. Besides iron and sulfur, it can include arsenic, gold or nickel and cobalt. Pyrite also varies in its crystal form. All its variations in form appear as “pyrite” in much of the older literature. Such variation means different pyrites may not respond identically to a flint striker. a great explanation in a nut shell. The "hafted flint striker" my Bushcraft friend from the town was making these recently, very near the same design. I'll have a more detailed read at this link later. Thanks for posting it.
Regards
David

I do like the hafted flint striker idea. I could make these quite easily if I had free time...
I wish I could just work part-time, so I could have time to get on with these little projects...

[David_JAFO]

hello Woody,
As said my Bushcraft friend from the town (Glasgow) was making these recently, very near the same design. I've tried such previously & it would make an interesting additional FSK pouch item to have. I was thinking a nice piece of Scots resourced grained wood for the handle or more poshcraft non native spalted wood. I have plenty of pine resin & a box of Willow charcoal ready to be mixed for glue. Plenty of Thistle stalks just now that could be processed & used for cordage once glued in place. You've got me thinking now Woody..
Regards
David

[Woody]

Very nice... poshcraft indeed.
All natural components are a neat way to compliment the technology.
Lovely project.

To do list updated...
This list is just getting out of control...

[Woody]

Another good article in the paper
(The Times online is not free anymore sorry)

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ne...-all-xt2qsg0zp

lead me to this page ...

http://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/...e-to-make-fire

It looks like the Neanderthal already knew how to create fire without sticks and before steel , and arguably before homo sapiens came along...

Interesting stuff !

Edit:
More Neanderthal technologies arguably borrowed by homo sapiens...


http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/technolo...logy-1.1396420

Bump,

Awesome ancient skills
...

[David_JAFO]

hello,
I did say it was addictive. Just to add.. these were given to me today Haematite (iron pyrites) strikers, there's more this is just a small selection. They've been processed from a huge nodule. I'll need to enquire more about the process, whether they've been sliced or cast & sliced? They measure 50mm x 35mm x 5mm resembling guitar plectrums. They look smooth but have a rust patina on the surface & are quite heavy in weight. I was informed they can be further processed & polished to a very high sheen for jewellery purposes but were left in this state of the process for me to be used as haematite strikers with flint. A chosen edge will have to be filed slightly to remove the smoothness & then used as a striker on flint. These will do nicely as they fit in the FSK tin & pouch. I'm going to share a few of these with my Bushcraft buddy's, give someone else the unique opportunity to practice this method of fire lighting. I'm still awaiting a delivery of nodules from my "stone kicker" buddy from the South of England.
Regards
David

Very nice... poshcraft indeed.
All natural components are a neat way to compliment the technology. Lovely project. To do list updated...This list is just getting out of control...

[DuxDawg]

Excellent links Woody! Thanks for starting this thread, the pics and sharing your sleuthing David!

Of the half dozen or so pyrites I have found here in the Great Lakes region USA, all but two were too small to use. Very weak sparks, took much effort to achieve an ember. Still hoping to find a reputable source of marcasite useable for Percussion Fire/Flint & Pyrites fire ignition some day.

[David_JAFO]

hello DuxDawg,
No one said it was going to be easy using iron pyrite/marcasite. I do understand it shews very weak small sparks but that is half the challenge. Within the thread my reply #36 DuxDawg, were your finds smaller or similar in size to that of the image I posted? the 5p piece within the image is the same size as a US Dime.
Regards
David

Excellent links Woody! Thanks for starting this thread, the pics and sharing your sleuthing David!
Of the half dozen or so pyrites I have found here in the Great Lakes region USA, all but two were too small to use. Very weak sparks, took much effort to achieve an ember. Still hoping to find a reputable source of marcasite useable for Percussion Fire/Flint & Pyrites fire ignition some day.

[DuxDawg]

That is very true, no one claimed it would be easy. But the Inuit and others depended upon it for centuries, so we know it is a reliable source of ignition for the skilled. Yes, the sparks for me with pyrites were dull red or weak orange. Which is unlike high carbon steel's bright red to yellow, or titanium's yellow to white. Because the sparks are so weak I tended to use my best batches of chars with the pyrites, both alone and in char mixes.

As to my finds, they were of two varieties of the fool's gold type. Most were on par with the size of yours, which is to say about 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 dimes/5p in size. The best was 3" x 1-1/2" until it broke into several pieces during use. Would be interesting to compare the sparks from the different types. They say that marcasite was quarried 5-7 hour's drive from where I live. Not sure if it was in the nodular form that is said to be the best for fire. Still, may have to mosey over that way and see if I can score some one of these days. Cheers!