Making Fire with Flint & Steel

A great demonstration that never fails to impress visitors at the Stephenson House, is creating fire using flint and steel. Kids and adults are equally impressed. Small children often think it's magic (and how cool is that?). It will take some practice to get the technique perfected but it's totally worth it, plus you never know when you might need such a useful skill (like, as a contestant on Survivor or when lighting a flaming arrow to shoot at an attacking horde). Here is a step-by-step guide to making a fire using flint and steel. 

The basic items needed:

• a piece of steel - procured from a blacksmith or mercantile. Be sure your steel is properly hardened or it will not make a spark.
• charcloth - made of linen or cotton fabric  Check that your fabric does not contain modern components like polyester. 
• flint - have a piece big enough to hold easily between your thumb and first finger.
• tinder - old rope such as jute or hemp that can be cut into 3" sections, separated and shredded. 
• tin box - used to make charcloth and keep supplies dry when stored.
• kindling and wood - when building a fire in a hearth start out with small sticks and wood pieces. Don't use larger pieces until you have a good fire base.
• more dried tinder -  dried leaves, old paper, pine cones, etc. to help build the fire.

Additional items you might find useful but are not necessary in order to do this demonstration.

• fat wood matches - small slivers of fat wood to act as a simple match once you have a flame.
• candle - to light with a fat wood match.

Small kindling stacked log cabin style between two andirons.  Inside the 'log cabin' are dried leaves.

Begin by stacking small pieces of dry kindling 'log cabin' style in your hearth. I use small wood branches from the yard and/or very thinly chopped pieces from a small log. In the photo above, I've used both types. Don't start off with big logs because you'll never get a fire going (not unless you've brought a whole lot of lighter fluid or a flame thrower and I definitely don't recommend either option). Be sure your wood is seasoned and very dry. Green or wet wood will not work. Once you've created the 'log cabin' then fill the center opening and spaces between the sticks with dried leaves, grasses, old paper, pine cones, etc.  Use what you have on hand. Here I've only used dried leaves.

Gather a stack of smaller logs to use once your base fire is going strong. Put them close to where you are working so they are within easy reach in order to feed the fire.

Now the fun begins! There are four main ingredients needed to make what I call a 'nest-o-flame'; flint, steel, charcloth, and rope tinder.

Find a good-sized piece of flint. It should be big enough to hold between your thumb and first finger with a portion extending past both. Flint is a hard sedimentary form of the mineral quartz. It comes in a variety of colors ranging from pink to black. It's important the piece you'll be using has a sharp edge to strike the steel against.

Several different colors of flint. Flint has a 'milky' quality to its color that makes it easy to pick out of a pile of rock.

Take some old jute rope that is no longer good for anything (Use only untreated, natural fiber rope). Cut it into 3" lengths so its easy to unravel. Begin shredding the sections until you have a small bundle of strings that resemble a bird's nest. See the photo below. This nest is the tinder used to get a flame started.

We have a large supply of old jute rope at the site. Rope is usually made up of several strands twisted together. Cut the rope into 3" sections for easy shredding. You'll want to shred enough to make a small bird's nest slightly bigger than the one pictured above.

Charcloth will be used to catch the spark. 

To make charcloth: cut cotton or linen fabric into small pieces and fill your tin box. The tin box needs to have a hole in the top (or a small one drilled through both the lid side and box lip then matched up). Place the lid on the box. On a day you have a fire burning in the hearth, put the tin box into the hot coals. A flame about 2"-3" high will shoot out of the hole in the lid. Once that flame stops you'll have charcloth. Use fire tongs to remove the box from the fire and let it cool. DO NOT PICK-UP THE TIN BOX WITH YOUR HANDS UNTIL IT COOLS! (Seems obvious, but there's always someone....)

The next ingredient needed is charcloth. This item is what will 'catch' the spark from the flint and steel striking together, ultimately igniting the nest. (See above instructions on how to make charcloth) There are a couple different methods used when catching a spark. What will be shown in this tutorial is the way I was taught many years ago and it's worked pretty well.

Charcloth is laid on top of the flint.

Place a piece of charcloth on top of your flint. The edge of the charcloth should be close to the sharp edge of the flint but not over it. Hold the steel in your dominant hand (the hand you write with) and the flint/charcloth in the other hand. Keep the flint/charcloth horizontal with the floor (see photo below), keeping your thumb and fingers away from the striking edge. You will be striking/skimming the sharp edge of the flint with the flat edge of the steel. It's important to slide the steel down the sharp edge of the flint in a striking motion; fast and hard but barely skimming the flint edge. This will be the hardest part of the demonstration to master. 

I am holding the steel in my dominant hand and the flint in the other. All of my fingers are positioned away from the edges. You will cut your knuckles if they make contact with the sharp edge of the flint. 

Charcloth laid on top of the flint. Strike the flint by skimming the steel down the sharp edge of the flint.

When the steel strikes the flint in the correct way you will have sparks fly from the contact point. The charcloth is used to catch these sparks. It may take several strikes before a spark lands on the charcloth. Once a spark 'catches', the charcloth will begin to glow red hot. Place the charcloth on the 'nest' and gently fold the nest over it. It's important that you don't fold the nest too tight or you will suffocate the spark. Keep the nest loose but cover the spark and start blowing on the area where the spark is glowing. Rotate the nest if necessary and keep blowing. If all goes well, the nest will catch fire. Be ready for the ignition of the flame because you'll have to move fast to avoid burning your hand.

Sparks from striking the flint with the steel. Note: I do not have any charcloth in this photo but it was a good image of the sparks.

Once the charcloth catches a spark it will begin to glow red hot. Place it on the nest.

Loosely fold the nest over the charcloth.

The nest with the burning charcloth wrapped inside.

Blow on the nest. You may need to rotate and re-wrap the nest to encourage it to catch fire.

Success! I have FIRE!!!!!

If you have prepped a hearth as discussed above then put your 'nest-o-flame' into the center of the log cabin and tinder. The tinder will catch fire. Add more tinder if necessary until the kindling starts to burn. Once the kindling is burning, add the smaller split pieces of wood, a few at a time. Don't throw everything on it at once or you may put it out.

Once the nest catches fire, place it in the prepped kindling and tinder.

Larger pieces of kindling are added as the base layer begins to burn.

If everything has gone according to plan, you will have a nice fire burning in the hearth. Keep in mind this demonstration can cause injury (you are playing with fire). At some point, you will cut your knuckles, singe a fingertip (or ten) and burn a little hair (who really needs eyebrows anyway?). Please do not attempt this demonstration without the appropriate items and area listed (not a good idea to do this in a room without a working fireplace...again stating the obvious). I would recommend having a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher on hand...just in case.

**Want to see more? Check out this "Making Fire, Part 1: Flint& Steel" video I filmed at the 1820 Col. Benjamin Stephenson House. There is even a bonus less on making charcloth.

How To Use Wooden Butter Molds

Many visitors coming to the site are fascinated by the process of making butter. Most have never seen it done or given it much thought before seeing our docents demonstrate the process. Another aspect of making butter that intrigues visitors is using butter molds. Here is a simple lesson on how to mold butter with a wooden mold.

Here are two wooden butter molds we have in our 1820 kitchen. The large round mold has a decorative strawberry pattern carved into the top of the mold plunger. The smaller rectangular mold is a basic 1/2 lb mold (give or take an ounce).

Inside view of both butter molds.

Since both molds are made of wood it is important to condition them properly before using them. This step requires a good oil coating for the molds. The oil will condition the wood, provides a layer of protection when soaked in water (next step) and will help release the butter from the mold (last step). I use olive oil to coat our molds because it is what we have at the house but I've seen references where mineral oil is used. Try to get good coverage over the entire surface of the mold; inside and out. Take the plunger out of the mold and oil it too.

Once you've thoroughly oiled the molds, soak them in ice water for 30 minutes. Some people will follow a good ice soak with 30 minutes in the refrigerator (we don't). This step will help to keep the butter from sticking when it's time to release it from the mold (last step).

The strawberry mold is ready to fill with butter.

Filling the strawberry mold.

Remove mold from the ice bath and fill with butter. Once filled, level-off the bottom.

Level off the bottom.

Filling the 1/2 lb mold.

1/2 lb mold leveled off.

Now its time to chill the filled molds for 1-2 hours. The butter will harden making it easier to release it from the mold. 

When the molds are good and cold run the tip of a small knife around the edge of the mold; between the butter and mold. Push the plunger down (or up, depending on how you are holding the mold), releasing the body of the molded butter. The butter will still be attached to the plunger but some gentle persuasion will release it. Try using the tip of your knife to go around the outside edges or simply use your hand to 'pop' it off the plunger. 

Plunger had been pushed through releasing the butter from the body of the mold.

The butter 'popped' off the mold easily.

Releasing the butter from the strawberry mold.

The strawberry mold tends to hold on to the butter. You can see in the above photo that I had to use my knife a bit more aggressively in order for the butter to release.  This mold also tends to be more difficult to remove the plunger from the butter (probably) due to the craved design. Despite the problems removing the butter, it came out lovely.

Strawberry design mold.

Both butters are ready for use.

That's all there is to molding butter. Easy Peasy!

Making A Roasted Chicken in the Reflector Oven

The second installment of my daughters chicken and noodles cooking adventure.

Making Chicken & Noodles: Part 1

I've got a great kid! She takes part in my historic obsessions. A couple weeks back she spent the day with me in the kitchen at Stephenson House making chicken and noodles. We roasted a chicken in the reflector oven and made noodles from scratch. Just for fun we recorded the process. Below is the first video we put together showing how to make basic noodles. Enjoy!


Making Noodles in the 1820 Kitchen

The Basic Anatomy of Working Garments of the Federal Period: Men

Garments worn by working class men were made for ease of movement, comfort and durability. Similar to women’s clothing of the Federal Period, there was a wide variety of fabrics used and styles worn. The following garments are 'basic' items found in a working man's wardrobe.

Hand-stitched linen shirt belonging to the 1820 Col. Benjamin Stephenson House.

Shirt:

· Loose fitting

· Made of linen, linsey woolsey or muslin.

· Colors commonly used were woven checks and white.

· The shirt was constructed with a series of squares and rectangles. The body is a large square cut on the fold, sleeves are rectangles cut on the fold, a square gusset connecting the sleeve to the body and a long rectangle also cut on the fold for the collar.

· The sleeves set off the shoulder, known as a ‘drop sleeve’.

· Length of the body could reach to the knee.

· Long shirts often times double as under-drawers by wrapping the tails between the legs.

· WHAT NOT TO DO – Men, regardless of social status, would not have worn this garment without something over it. This was an undergarment.

A Stephenson House interpreter wears a blue checked shirt.

Trousers:

· Long pants worn by men of all social classes.

· Length ranged from above ankle to top of foot.

· The front fall should be narrow not broad.

· Made of jean, corduroy, wool, heavier linen

· Fit could be very baggy through the legs to snuggly fitted down to ankle.

· Working men probably preferred a loose fitting trouser.

· Sailors and laborers are often depicted in period paintings wearing a garment called “slops”. Slops were very loose fitting pants (similar to women’s modern day ‘gauchos’) that could be worn over the top of regular trousers to protect them from soiling.

· High waistline. In men’s trousers, this high waistline was achieved by setting the bottom of the waistband slightly above the navel then extending it up about four inches. Suspenders kept the trousers from sliding down.

· Knee britches were falling out of fashion by this period. Some men continued to wear them with riding boots, under a pair of leggings, hunting or for working in the fields. Older men who felt comfortable in the styles of their youth may have worn them but the style was very old fashioned.

· WHAT NOT TO DO – ‘French’ fly and zipper fly trousers were not worn during this period.

 

Vests and trousers of this period are high-waisted.

Vest:

· Cut high into the arm pit.

· Narrow shoulder

   Worn over the shirt and was consider the lowest state of undress acceptable.

· Double or single breasted.

· Only two pockets on lower front. No chest pocket.

· Tall standing collar very common.

· Cut to reflect the high waisted fashions.

· Made of a linen, heavy printed cotton, wool or silk.

· The back of the vest was generally made of a cheaper material since it wasn’t meant to be seen.

Neckerchief or neck cloth:

· Worn over the shirt collar with the collar folded over it or standing up.

· Typical fabric: linen of various prints and colors.

· Working men probably preferred a simple neckerchief

Shortcoat in the Stephenson House wardrobe. This garment was made from a Kannik's Korner pattern.

Coat, Jacket or Work Smock:

· A coat worn by someone doing hard labor would not have had tails; they would have only gotten in the way.

· Working men preferred a short coat or jacket.

· Coats or shortcoat could be single or double-breasted

· Commonly made of linen, jean or wool with a stand-up or rolled collar.

· A work smock is a very large loose fitting over-shirt often worn over the top of the short coat or vest to protect the other garments from soiling. See picture below.

Group of reenactors portray the men who manned Fort Russell (Edwardsville, Illinois) during the War of 1812. Since the Illinois Militia was not uniformed, the men of the militia would wear their everyday clothing while serving their enlistment obligation.

Making Butter in the 1820 Kitchen

Stephenson House's wooden butter churn

One of the most popular activities in the kitchen at Stephenson House is butter churning. There is something about making butter in an old-fashion wooden churn that pulls everyone into the kitchen (or maybe it's the lure of good smelling treats wafting through the air). Most of our volunteers have helped with this activity and enjoyed the products of their labor. I guarantee fresh churned butter and buttermilk taste 100% better than any store bought brand. It will not have all the preservatives either.

Butter making is defiantly a hands-on activity where everyone can help. We often let visitors get their bicep workout in for the day by lending a hand in the churning process.

Stephenson House purchased its wooden churn from Beaver Buckets several years ago (www.beaverbuckets.com) and it's been in regular use ever since. There are other types of churns available on the market if you want to buy one or you can simply use an old canning jar.



What we use at Stephenson House......

• Wooden churn 
• Heaving Whipping cream (1-2 quarts, depending on how much we  want to make)
• several pitchers of water for washing the butter (or someone to run back and forth to the well)
• butter paddle
• cheese cloth (precut squares that will fit over the top of the bowl used to pour the contents of the churn in. Do this before starting to churn.)
• two large bowls
• bucket 

We purchase heavy whipping cream from a local grocery store to make our butter. It is practically impossible to get anything other than heavy whipping cream to make butter unless you live on a farm with milk cows. Leave the cream sitting on the counter at room temperature overnight so it clabbers. We usually sit it out about 4 p.m. if we plan to use it by late morning the next day.

Once it's clabbered pour it into the churn. Now the workout begins. Take the plunger (the one attached to the churn, not the one in the restroom!) and start churning the cream in a steady up and down motion. Try to keep a rhythm as you churn. The process of churning the cream take anywhere from 10 minutes to three hours. We have found that the weather plays a big part in the success of our butter.

A docent churns butter in the 1820 kitchen. Notice the chunks of cream (soon to be butter) around the plunger opening.

When the cream begins to turn to butter there is a distinct change in how the plunger feels and sounds. The cream begins to separate from the fat, making the plunger harder to push/pull up and down. The opening where the plunger is inserted into the lid will begin to have chunks of butter form around it (see above photo). Remove the plunger and lid to check the contents of the churn at this point. There should be buttermilk and butter in the churn if it's ready. The texture of the butter should feel firm like butter at room temperature. If is to runny then continue churning until it changes. Be Warned....if you over churn the mixture, the butter and buttermilk will turn back to cream.

Our redware bowls, butter paddle and large pitcher.

Now the contents of the churn need to be poured into a large bowl covered with three to four squares of cheese cloth (layered on top of each other and large enough to hang over the sides). We prepare the bowl with the cheese cloth before we start churning so it's ready when the butter is done.

Bowl with four layers of cheese cloth.

Pouring the contents of the churn into our cheesecloth covered bowl. It's always good to have extra hands...here we have several willing helpers. The chunks of butter are very noticeable in this photo.

Scrap out any leftover bits of butter from the churn. Again, extra hands are wonderful...and a really LONG handled spoon.

Everything is in the bowl and ready to be separated.

Now grab all of the side of the cheese cloth and squeeze out the buttermilk.

You can see the buttermilk pouring out of the cheesecloth into the bowl. The butter is wrapped up in the cheese cloth in this photo. It will be put into the large redware bowl next and washed.

Now the butter needs to be washed to remove all the remaining buttermilk or it will spoil. You'll need lots of water for this step. The green bowl contains the buttermilk that we will use for biscuits or whatever cooking need arises.

Use a butter paddle or large spoon to turn the butter over and over in the water.

The water will turn cloudy quickly. Keep pouring it off into a waste container then add fresh water until the water no longer clouds. This will take a while but you'll want to be sure it's clean or it will sour.

Once the butter is clean, you may choose to add salt to help preserve it. We don't add salt at Stephenson House...it never lasts long enough to go bad.

The butter is now ready to use, as well as, the buttermilk. We usually have a large amount of butter at the end of the day. It is a great addition to the table and tastes so much better than anything you can buy in the store. Enjoy!

Now comes the real work....cleaning the churn. Ugh!