Viking Fire Steel — Medieval Flint & Steel

A fire steel based on archaeological finds from the Viking Age — the same basic tool used across the Iron Age, through the medieval period, and right up until matches became common in the 19th century. Strike it against a piece of flint and it throws a shower of hot sparks onto your tinder. No batteries, no fuel, no moving parts.

These work. That's the point.

Choose Your Option

• Just the Steel — £12
• Steel & Pouch — comes with a pouch. Add the Chainmail Coin Purse and I'll throw in a selection of tinder and a piece of flint too.

Details

• Based on Viking Age archaeological finds
• Suitable for Iron Age and medieval reenactment
• Works with flint and char cloth for bushcraft fire lighting
• Made in the UK

A Brief History

Before matches, percussion fire-making was the standard method for starting fires across most of human history. The fire steel — struck against flint or iron pyrite — produces a high-temperature spark that ignites tinder. Evidence of this technique goes back tens of thousands of years, including with Ötzi the Iceman. Viking Age fire steels have been found across Scandinavia and Britain, often carried in small pouches alongside flint and tinder.

Perfect For

• Bushcraft and wild camping
• Viking and Iron Age reenactment
• LARP and living history
• Gifts for outdoor and history enthusiasts