Primitive Fire Tools: Firesteels, Flint, Flint & Steel Kits
Crazy Crow Trading Post offers a variety of primitive fire tools for making a fire using the percussion of flint and steel. In addition to the individual primitive fire making tools, a 'Flint & Steel Set' is offered, including cotton cloth and instructions for making char cloth.
Matches did not become available until the mid-1800s, leaving people to make fires in other ways. The two most common methods of fire-making before the advent of matches were friction and percussion. Of these methods, percussion (flint and steel) were preferred as it was faster. Anyone can quickly and easily master the skill of fire making with the right tools (including char cloth and tinder). The most important part is getting a spark to fall on a piece of char cloth tinder. When natural flint and steel were commonly used, the fire steel was often kept in a metal tinderbox together with flint and tinder.