Who knows why this happens

[2LaneCruzer]

Yes there may be something else going on here. Sorry that the video doesn't capture it but next time you start a fire you have to try it.
Without depressing the gas just flick the lighter (from a few feet away) at the hot embers.

**away from the lighter and at the surface of the dust (or embers), a chain reaction of tiny stars light up bright white really quickly like firecrackers without sound.

I was thinking that the first response was a correct analysis of what is happening but the flint should be completely burned out by the time it were to hit the embers of the fire or maybe not. But check it out sometime I can't find out anything on the net about it.

Try it with one of the modern lighters that don't use the flint/steel method of ignition. The modern lighters I believe use the piezoelectric effect which produces an electric spark as opposed to a small glowing ember. In that case, there would be no "flint" to burn.

 

[hosspuller]

The sparks you see is the little bits of iron burning. Not all of the iron is ignited by the wheel. The fire ignites the remainder. Iron burns?? Try lighting a pinch of steel wool.

 

[Desert Bred]

(!) Ok that makes perfect sense as BCP stated and to make clear that all of the iron isn't ignited and is thrust out toward the flame or embers and as it lands lights. 2Lane- it is a regular BIC lighter.

 

[RobertBrown]

I'm still wondering why this thread happened......

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I'm still wondering why this thread happened......

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”
― Albert Einstein

 

[Desert Bred]

:thumbsup:

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”
― Albert Einstein

 

[RobertBrown]

I'll continue to be curious I suppose....

 

[RoyJackson]

I'm old enough to remember Zippo lighters (the metal flip top ones that used lighter fluid). Every so often you'd have to replace the flint in the lighter. They look like 1/4" pencil lead. Sold in packs of 5.

The lighter's rough wheel heats the flint by friction and causes small pieces to fly off as sparks. Disposable lighters use the same process.

Yep...and Zippos still make those lighters and they still spark.
What's being seen in the video is pieces of the flint flying off the lighter's sparker wheel. This is actually pretty common. Since it doesn't appear that the lighter is actually lighting the wick (or butane, since it looks more like a butane disposable lighter, the wheel is just sparking.
At least, that's what it looks like to me...

 

[Desert Bred]

dont look at the sparks from the lighter.. look at the quick sparks on the embers in front and away from the lighter

 

[Desert Bred]

ps. i think it's been answered so putting it to bed. And no it wasn't about what is flint.