Index
Swedish FireSteel by Light My Fire; Army Model; While certainly not traditional, the modern fire stick is eminently practical. The Army model has a rod about 3/8" in diameter and 2 1/2" long. It comes packed on a lanyard with a striker. The assembly weights a bit over 1 1/2 ounces. Some folks prefer to keep a square corner in the back of their knife blade to serve as the scraper. It is said to last for about 12,000 uses. . Made in Sweden, $16.
Swedish FireSteel by Light My Fire; Army Model with Whistle is suppled with striker that has a comfortable plastic handle incorperating a whistle. The assembly weights about 1 3/4 ounces. It is said to last for about 12,000 uses. Made in Sweden, $17.
Swedish FireSteel by Light My Fire; Scout Model; The Scout Model is a bit lighter to carry, and has a red handle to help prevent loss. They are about 3" over all and come on a cord with a striking steel. The assembly weighs a bit over one ounce. The exposed rod is about 1/4" in diameter and 1 3/4" long. It is said to last for about 3000 uses. . Made in Sweden, $12.
Swedish FireSteel by Light My Fire; Scout Model with Whistle; Again, this is the Scout model supplied with a whistle in the
striker. $13.
I also have this item with handles in black, green, orange, yellow and blueish grey. Let me know if you would prefer
one of these colors. Otherwise I'll send the standard red.
Swedish FireSteel by Light My Fire Mini Model; for those truely concerned with weight and bulk the Mini weighs about a half ounce, complete with lanyard and striker. With the handle it's just under 3" long. It's rated at 1,500 uses. Supplied with an easy to find orange handle, the price is only $8.
The Morakniv Firesteel is also available, packed with a comfortable
plastic handled scraper. The rod is 5/16" in diameter and 2 1/2" long. It weighs only 1 1/2 ounces. $16.
Doan's magnesium fire starter has been an American woodcraft staple for decades.
It combines a magnesium block with the usual fire stick. Shavings from the
magnesium block provide a fiercely hot burning tinder for starting a fire under difficult conditions. The block is 3" long
and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. No striking tool is provided. In a pinch you could use the edge of your knife, but this
is very bad for a fine edge. The back of the blade will work if it has a fairly square corner. You can also use a
sharp rock, or attach a short piece of hacksaw blade to the chain. Made in the USA. $9. Out of Stock
Traditional strike-a-lights, or strikers, operate on a different prinicple than modern fire steels. Here a piece of flint or similar sharp rock is used to scrap off pieces of the steel. The spark comes from the steel, not the flint. Sparks are less numerous, and less hot, than with a modern fire steel, but are just enough with good tinder.
My strikers are made from very high carbon tool steel, and throw a good hot spark. This makes it quite easy to strike fire with flint and steel.
For a variety of reasons I won't bore you with, I don't have any of my own strikers on hand. I'm hoping to get back to the forge as time permits, and have a number of items on back order.
#R1; My stock firestriker is the asymmetrical "rattail" style with a curl. I make the same style in
sizes from 1 1/2" to 3" overall at the same price. Smaller ones are easier to carry and fit into
a tinderbox. The larger ones are easier to use, especially if you're not familiar with the process.
A striker 2 to 2 1/2" seems to be about right for most people. Let me know what size you prefer.
$12 Out of stock
Rattail Strikers
#R5; The rattail was common in the American colonies, and goes back much
further. These are nicely forged by Al Schroll, and are about 3" long. $12. Out of Stock
"C" Striker
#Jensen-1; The "C" shape striker was also widely used. These are forged by Ken Jensen. They vary
quite a bit, and range from about 3" to about 4". If you let me know your preference I'll try to send
the right size. Supplied with a piece of American chert in the shape of a musket flint, $12
Blanket Pin Striker
#Jensen-2; I haven't seen any original period strikers in this form, but it's a very clever idea.
These are also forged by Ken Jensen, and combine the functions of a striker, blanket pin and awl.
When Winter trekking I would sometimes fold my blanket diagonally, and fasten it at the throat as a coat.
This would have been ideal for the purpose.
Supplied with a piece of American chert in the shape of a musket flint, $29
The Medieval style knife and fork are hand forged in Pakistan, where skilled
labor is cheap. The knife is very similar to one I used to make when I had time to
get to the forge. It has a blade a bit over 5", and is just over 10" overall.
The fork is just over 9" long, and has the early straight tines. Again, they are hand
forged, and vary somewhat.
Medieval Knife, $12
Medieval Fork, $12
Set, one of each, $22
Wood tableware, or "treen", is historically correct for any period from the Middle Ages to the American Revolution (and beyond in rural areas). It is easy to care for, lighter and more durable than ceramics, looks good, and is pleasant to use. These items are designed in the US and made in the Philippines. The pieces are individually hand-turned, so no two will be exactly alike. They are made of Arcatia wood, which is a beautiful hardwood that does not carry flavors. It also carves well if you wish to customize your place setting.
The woodware may be washed in warm soapy water. Long soaking, boiling hot water, and dishwashers are to be avoided. An occasional treatment with mineral oil from your pharmacy is recommended. Mineral oil is food-safe and fills the pores of the wood to keep food and food odors from penetrating. It also keeps the woodware from drying out and splitting. It will add years of use to your feast gear. (I've been using my mug for more than 15 years now for everything from hot coffee to alcoholic beverages.)
Sadly, my supplier has discontinued the wood ware. I have only the square plates left.
Square Plate
The square trencher is
more typical of earlier periods, or more rural areas, where lathe work was uncommon.
These are about 10" across, and the price is $12.
Shipping and handling is $6 per order (not per item) anywhere in the US. Standard shipping is by Priority Mail, so please give me your mailing address, not your UPS address. The $6 doesn't actually cover the cost in many cases, but it's easy to calculate, and is my way of saying "thank you".
Orders in New York State require sales tax. If you don't know the sales tax in your county, I can calculate it for you, but you should expect it to be added. This applies only to orders shipped to addresses within New York State.
I'm sorry, U.S. orders only please.
Most folks use a credit card and the encrypted secure order form. If you prefer, you can FAX your order to 716-731-3715. I'll need the type of card (Discover, Visa, or Master Charge), card number and expiration date. Of course I'll also need to know what you are buying, and where to send it. Please include your e-mail address.
If you don't have a FAX, you can call 716-731-3715. If your timing is good, you can just speak to me and give me the order. If I'm not in the office it will default to the FAX machine. No collect calls.
If instant gratification is unavailable, you can always send a Postal Money Order or check to:
Ragweed Forge
PO Box 326
Sanborn, NY 14132
The Postal Snail may be slow, but he's faithful and discreet. Checks may be held for clearance, so if you're in a hurry, use a money order.
Everything on the page should be on hand and ready to ship. However some items may be short supply, so if you are ordering by mail, you might want to e-mail first so that I can hold your item (ragnar@ragweedforge.com).