# Term for the flint wheel sparkers in toys **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 16, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-the-flint-wheel-sparkers-in-toys/950760 "2021-09-16T15:32:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-the-flint-wheel-sparkers-in-toys/950760/1 "2021-09-16T15:32:51Z")
When I was a kid it was not unusual for toys to have a whole mechanical way of creating flashing effects, basically a flint wheel, like on a lighter, behind some colored plastic, and some sort of lever/button to activate the mechanical. I wanted to find some information on the history of these devices and their use, but I’m having a hard time finding search terms that don’t just give me completely irrelevant results. Anyone know of a more specific name for them or a manufacturer or similar, or maybe a webpage that tell their history? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2021, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-the-flint-wheel-sparkers-in-toys/950760/2 "2021-09-16T15:56:06Z")
I don’t know if this will help at all, but I’ve had my [Nunzilla](https://www.amazon.com/Accoutrements-Nunzilla-Sparking-Wind-Toy/dp/B005RW3W2E) many years. Wind her up and she walks along, shooting sparks from her mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2021, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-the-flint-wheel-sparkers-in-toys/950760/3 "2021-09-16T15:56:59Z")
Just called sparking wheels as far as I can tell, but as for why they aren’t used in toys anymore, Dave Barry demonstrates with a Rollerblade Barbie at about the 2:00 mark: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pWZ7eE_5sJs/hqdefault.jpg "1994 - Dave Barry with gadgets") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWZ7eE_5sJs) ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-the-flint-wheel-sparkers-in-toys/950760/4 "2021-09-17T15:39:51Z")
I mean, if you prep your child’s room with highly flammable volatiles …