Putting together a new F&S kit

[Kortoso]

I've been using my Viking style flint steel striker and I believe it's time to find or make something more in tune with a Middle Earth theme.

What would an Elven firemaking kit look like?

I'm thinking the steel would be twisted, and the box might have art nouveau-style patterns on it.

Thoughts?

[Taurinor]

I think you're right about the striker - functional, but with a sort of delicate beauty, which seems odd to say about a piece of steel you use to hit a rock!

Maybe something like these I found on Pinterest:





There a dragon striker available on Ebay that is more ornate than your typical steel - http://www.ebay.com/itm/BUSHCRAFT-DRAGO ... 1435962248

Gulli also posted these a while back - http://ranger.budgetauthenticity.org/fo ... f=2&t=2263

[RikJohnson]

Everything the Elves did was art! functional art but still art.

Really, consider that in our throw-away culture, who cares if the carving knife is beautiful, you use it until it dulls, toss it and buy another because most people do not know how to sharpen a blade and the professionals charge more than the knife is worth.

BUT, when you will live for a few thousand years, and you will own that knife your entire life, make it beautiful.

I think that is why elvin tools are works of art.
My fire steel is a piece of ... well steel. But I see an Elvin fire-steel as being functional and beautiful.

[Peter Remling]

Everything the Elves did was art! functional art but still art.

Really, consider that in our throw-away culture, who cares if the carving knife is beautiful, you use it until it dulls, toss it and buy another because most people do not know how to sharpen a blade and the professionals charge more than the knife is worth.

BUT, when you will live for a few thousand years, and you will own that knife your entire life, make it beautiful.

I think that is why elvin tools are works of art.
My fire steel is a piece of ... well steel. But I see an Elvin fire-steel as being functional and beautiful.

Not to sidetrack the thread but an interesting observation.

Hobbits are long lived compared to humans and they have a different take on possessions. Hobbits like a magpie love new and different things. They collect and trade a ridiculous amount of things. Unlike human hoarders they soon loose interest in individual items and trade or give them away to attract new and different things. They do retain certain items but these appear to be items of special sentiment.

Dwarves are also long lived compared to humans and their take on belongings tends to a very possessive mind set. Dwarves like what we would consider valuable minerals. These minerals and gem stones can be made into stunning works of art although there seem to be few dwarven works of art. They mine and then hoard most of their items. There tools and weapons are rarely ornate, instead they appear (for the most part) plan and functional.

Orcs are short lived comparatively speaking, they value hierarchy in their immediate society more than items. They value items as a way of increasing standing in the hierarchy. A better weapon for their personal survival or an item to gift to a superior to aid in promoting themselves.

Elves are the longest lived of the primary races. It is the elves that value beauty the most, apparently not just in nature. They engrave and make ornate the simplest of items to an extraordinary level and then imbue many with magical properties.

Any thoughts ?

[Mirimaran]

As for Men, I would think that the men of Rohan, and the Dunedain, like the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse, would decorate their kit and gear when they could. Especially Rangers on long, lonely patrols.

Ken

[RikJohnson]

As for Men, I would think that the men of Rohan, and the Dunedain, like the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse, would decorate their kit and gear when they could. Especially Rangers on long, lonely patrols.

Ken

Althopugh my clothing is plain greens and browns, I still enjoy making it look attractive and am having some floral ribbons made for the hem and cuffs because, people like to decorate their gear.

Something i wrote long ago for a Craft Paper... you can cast a magick circle with a butterknife, but somehow, using that hand carved and hand-forged athame you made yourself makes you put just that little extra pride in your castings.

A bow that shoots aluminium arrows with plastic vanes and nocks may be more accurate than those cedar shafts you hand-fletched with feathers and hand-carved nocks.... but most of us would prefer the hand-made arrows.

Using gear that is attractive simply makes you feel better about yourself.

[Manveruon]

Love this thread! Even if it has veered slightly from the original topic, haha.

Peter, your musings on the subject are really interesting, however I think I would take exception to one part:

Dwarves are also long lived compared to humans and their take on belongings tends to a very possessive mind set. Dwarves like what we would consider valuable minerals. These minerals and gem stones can be made into stunning works of art although there seem to be few dwarven works of art. They mine and then hoard most of their items. There tools and weapons are rarely ornate, instead they appear (for the most part) plan and functional.

If I'm recalling correctly, regarding the materialism and artistry of the Dwarves, Tolkien did mention that they embellished their creations and could fashion items of exquisite beauty. Some were even given as gifts to the Elves, which, to me, would necessitate that these items be of exceptional craftsmanship. I remember, specifically, the description of the Dwarven architecture in Khazad Dum, with its pillars carved into realistic tree trunks, and even in the "Over the Misty Mountains" song they speak of creating beautiful and intricate things under the Lonely Mountain in times gone by. Peter Jackson certainly gave the Dwarves a more angular, utilitarian motif for his films, but even then, there was quite a bit of embellishment, so I would venture to say that the Dwarves as Tolkien envisioned them probably had a highly ornate style along the lines of the Norse or Anglo Saxons as well (especially since Tolkien drew heavily from Norse mythology when creating them).

Either way, though, I love the discussion here about different races' and cultures' views on craftsmanship and material possessions.


As for the original topic itself, I LOVE those swan strikers you posted, Taurinor! So cool! Both of them look extremely Elven, to my eye. I actually own one of the dragon strikers you linked to in your post, and I'm quite fond of it. I don't know if I would consider it especially Elven, but I think it definitely looks like it could be Dwarven, or something made by one of the many cultures of Men throughout Middle Earth. Otherwise, the same maker has some other very beautiful striker designs in his eBay shop.

[Peter Remling]

Love this thread! Even if it has veered slightly from the original topic, haha.

Peter, your musings on the subject are really interesting, however I think I would take exception to one part:

Dwarves are also long lived compared to humans and their take on belongings tends to a very possessive mind set. Dwarves like what we would consider valuable minerals. These minerals and gem stones can be made into stunning works of art although there seem to be few dwarven works of art. They mine and then hoard most of their items. There tools and weapons are rarely ornate, instead they appear (for the most part) plan and functional.

If I'm recalling correctly, regarding the materialism and artistry of the Dwarves, Tolkien did mention that they embellished their creations and could fashion items of exquisite beauty. Some were even given as gifts to the Elves, which, to me, would necessitate that these items be of exceptional craftsmanship. I remember, specifically, the description of the Dwarven architecture in Khazad Dum, with its pillars carved into realistic tree trunks, and even in the "Over the Misty Mountains" song they speak of creating beautiful and intricate things under the Lonely Mountain in times gone by. Peter Jackson certainly gave the Dwarves a more angular, utilitarian motif for his films, but even then, there was quite a bit of embellishment, so I would venture to say that the Dwarves as Tolkien envisioned them probably had a highly ornate style along the lines of the Norse or Anglo Saxons as well (especially since Tolkien drew heavily from Norse mythology when creating them).

Either way, though, I love the discussion here about different races' and cultures' views on craftsmanship and material possessions.


As for the original topic itself, I LOVE those swan strikers you posted, Taurinor! So cool! Both of them look extremely Elven, to my eye. I actually own one of the dragon strikers you linked to in your post, and I'm quite fond of it. I don't know if I would consider it especially Elven, but I think it definitely looks like it could be Dwarven, or something made by one of the many cultures of Men throughout Middle Earth. Otherwise, the same maker has some other very beautiful striker designs in his eBay shop.

Mike, you make some good points. The point I was making is not that they can't make pretty things but they rarely do with the minerals and gems , they crave. Just the architecture only clearly displays their pride in their ability to create but like dragons they hoard their treasures.

I should move this interesting discussion to another thread so I stop treading on the O.P. (sorry Kortoso)

[Kortoso]

Thanks, guys! I'm thinking of getting a Hudson's Bay tinderbox and applying some kind of Celtic or Art Nouveau pattern to the steel.
Looking for unique steels as well. Maybe I will wind up forging my own striker.

[wulfgar]

Would Elves need flint and steel? The fires that the Dwarves kept following in Mirkwood seemed to just pop up spontaneously.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/222605094/ ... =related-0
This is a pretty nice Damascus strike, simple and utilitarian but with a touch of flair.He does custom work too, so you may be able to draw something up and ask him for a quote.

[Kortoso]

I'm working on that spontaneous method - with mixed results!

What do you think of an acid resist design, incorporating tengwar script? I'm thinking of the phrase "Lacho calad! Drego morn!‏" from Children of Hurin.

Japanese firemaking kits use agate or jasper, might as well be a beautiful stone...

[Elleth]

Oh that engraved swan piece is beautiful!

I also have one of the dragon strikers - I ended having to have a blacksmith friend retemper it to spark decently, and to be honest to my now more educated eye it looks like the probably-laser-cut-from-stock piece it is. It's a fond reminder of my ren faire days, but doesn't feel very "middle earth" to me anymore.

I've a couple custom pieces from Curt Lyles that are QUITE nice -
http://www.cdlyles.com/
Colonial American rather than medival-ish - but the man has a real eye for the elegance of graceful lines and mundane materials. Highly recommended.

A little more Middle Earth - and oh how I wish I could afford one - is our own Gulli's listing:
http://ranger.budgetauthenticity.org/fo ... f=2&t=2263

[Kortoso]

Haha, Elleth, I saw the bronze pieces and first thought, ho, where's the steel? OF course, this sort of steel holder is seen from Mongolia to the Vikings. Very unique and interesting.

Wulfgar, I like that Damascus steel, and not TOO much more expensive than some steels.

This one wouldn't be bad, if I could acquire in the States:
http://www.beaverbushcraft.co.uk/oursho ... Steel.html


Slightly off-topic, may I ask someone to help me with Tengwar script? Here is what I have:

[Kortoso]

Inspired by this:


I might try this:

[Manveruon]

Love it!