Does firesteel work damp?

[bulrush]

Does firesteel work if immersed in water, then wiped off on my pants? Will it generate a spark enough to light a fire?

[crashdive123]

Yes it will.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Before everyone goes and drops their fire steel in water...... Bulrush do you already know the answer? Hate to see the whole membership ruin their firesteel. Me I don't know the answer.

[crashdive123]

You won't ruin anything by getting it wet. Well, unless the lake you drop it in is really deep.

[Tony uk]

According to the light my fire website it "Works equally well when wet"

http://lightmyfire.com/default.asp?ID=209&pID=147

[crashdive123]

Here's something that I think is very important about gear that I use. Test it. If a manufacturer claims x, then I want to know before I need to rely on it that it will perform as I expect it to perform. No different than waterproofing your own matches. You can read on the web that this method or that method works best. I do not want my ability to start a fire based on some unknown source that has no practical experience. That's why I tried the nail polish on the head of a match trick that many talk about. Coating just the head and then letting the matches sit in water for 24 hours yeilded matches that were useless. moisture soaked up through the wooden stick of the match and into the head. That's why I coat my matches completely (wax or nail polish). Sorry about the rant - don't know what came over me.

[Rick]

I think it's a good Rant and spot on! I can tell you that I have equipment in the last week has been allowed to bounce down a waterfall. Sat submerged in 6 inches of water for 30 minutes, allowed to run continuously for more than 60 hours and beat on with a hammer, all in the name of testing. If it fails at home it's no big deal. If it fails in the woods, it could be your life.

[lanahi]

Is a firesteel better than a magnesium fire starter? If so, why?

[Rick]

I think it's a matter of preference. I've had both and stopped using the mag starter just because of the weight. Many mag starters have a firesteel embedded in the edge.

The advantage of the mag is you carry the "tinder" with you in the form of the magnesium. With a fire steel you have to supply the tinder. I carry char cloth with me so it's not an issue for me.

I guess the upside of the magnesium is if it gets wet it still works. If my char cloth gets wet I have to look for something else to use as tinder.