Something else that I did while working on the forge was make a good batch of char cloth. One of my longer term goals has been to create a truly period setup for my forge. A while back I mentioned that I learned to start fires using flint and steel. The material I was catching the spark with was steel wool. Steel wool burns incredible easy. The period alternative is char cloth.
Char cloth is essentially cloth that has been "cooked" to remove all the impurities just like charcoal is charred wood. I took an old T-shirt, put the pieces in a metal container and kept it near the center of the forge while I worked. I tested the cloth late last night and it worked perfectly. This was much better than a batch I made a little while back.
The neat thing about char cloth is that it "catches" a spark. You see a small red glowing spot. As you gently blow, the red spot slowly grows into a circle. Then when you blow a little harder, it produces enough heat to light tinder that is near it.
A chronicle of my attempts to create an early clock using only traditional techniques.
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