TIL my rock hammer almost started a forest fire in Arizona

I was trying to get a fresh surface on some rhyolite near Flagstaff and my steel hammer sparked on a quartz vein. Had to stomp out a small grass fire with my boots for five minutes before it spread. Anyone else had a close call with tools in dry conditions?

3 comments

3 Comments

barnes.brian1mo ago

Ever have a spark from a grinder catch your shop towel on fire? Happened to me once... scared the heck out of me.

knight.xena1mo ago

Scared the heck out of me" is an understatement, Brian.

rosew3728d ago

Oh man, Brian's story about the grinder spark is nothing. Ever drop a lit match into a can of sawdust and wood chips? I did that as a kid, thought it went out. Whole thing started smoldering like ten minutes later, smoke pouring out of the trash. I had to drag the whole can outside and dump it in the driveway. My heart was pounding for an hour.