Fire Starter Selections - Rundown

sjj · 11-05-2009, 07:29 AM

A few fire-starters:

Spark-Lite

Blast Match

Mni-Match

Auroa Fire Starter

TAD Gear Spark-Lite type Model w/needle holder

Rope Lighter

Solar Lighter

Shoot-a-Spark

Rick · 11-05-2009, 10:54 AM

Okay, let's see if I can help you out on these.

As to a plain spark maker like those in the Spark-Lite Common...buy a BIC. Use it until it's empty then keep it for the sparker. It's a better fire starter when full and can still be used when it's empty. Sort of multi-use. Cotton balls soaked in petroleum and stored in a 35mm film canister for your tinder.

Blast Match - Great product but REI is too expensive.

Rope lighter - Make your own. I posted a tutorial on how to do it. You might have the parts on hand. If not, it sure won't cost $15 bucks to make and it works very well.

I love the sunlight solar lighter. Hunter or someone posted on a similar sunlight collector last week and I've been looking for one. Nice find!!!!!!!

As for strikers, any carbon item will work. Use your knife and save some money.

As for the mish metal rods or firesteels, I think everyone on here would agree that Robert Rogers over at firesteel.com has, hands down, the best on the market. I think he must have mixed napalm in with the rods.

http://www.firesteel.com

Overall, a great post and I applaud you for taking the time to look all of the sites up. I just wanted to point out there are some cheaper routes folks can go and still have the same quality of gear....sometimes cheaper or better quality.

Pict · 11-05-2009, 11:20 AM

Thanks for posting all that. I'll have to go back and check the links. I think most of us here fall into the category of users and collectors of survival gear.

For actual use in a cost/benefit way of thinking the old standby's still work just fine.

My Firestarters...

BIG YELLOW BIC
Doan tool
Ferro rod
Cotton treated with vaseline
Charcloth
Innertube rubber
Trick birthday candles

I have all sorts of other gadgets, sparklites, blastmatch etc. Learn to use the stuff on the above list and you can stay warm and not break the bank. Mac

Rick, do you have a link to that tutorial?

SARKY · 11-05-2009, 02:42 PM

You forgot the StrikeForce.
I use many of these flint &steel type fire starters and i have found that the Blast Match and the Strike Force put out the largest and hottest sparks.

Rick · 11-05-2009, 08:50 PM

Mac - You bet. Here it is.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ht=lamp+nipple

It's at post 17.

COWBOYSURVIVAL · 11-06-2009, 11:02 PM

I like the beast in your links from Goinggear. I will be ordering some to cut in half and make handles for Christmas gifts. Anyone have any experience with the blanks from Goingear?

Canadian-guerilla · 11-06-2009, 11:35 PM

i guess i'm just a cheap guy

regular matches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . or hockey laces for a firebow

. . . . . . .

Rick · 11-06-2009, 11:43 PM

sjj - I certainly wasn't criticizing any of your choices. Only trying to help out. We all have our own choice of gear and, as we often say around here if it works for you then it works for me.

crashdive123 · 11-07-2009, 11:10 AM

Sjj - a firesteel is not made of magnesium. It is a ferocium rod. It will produce sparks, but will not ignite.

The link that Rick posted is not his (that would be against forum rules). It does belong to another member, and it has really good products and a good price.

Rick · 11-07-2009, 04:09 PM

sjj - You know, I hadn't even considered the paracord idea. I don't know why, just hadn't. I'll have to play with that and see how well it works. Thanks!!

Rick · 11-07-2009, 10:52 PM

Someone on here posted about their scouts tossing them into the fire and they burned really well.

crashdive123 · 11-07-2009, 11:01 PM

Sjj - as far as the websites - You were correct. I thought you were referring to http://firesteel.com/ which is owned by Ron Fontaine (Robert Rogers), whereas http://www.safezonellc.com/ is owned by our famous (or is it infamous) Rick.

klkak · 11-07-2009, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pict

For actual use in a cost/benefit way of thinking the old standby's still work just fine.

Mac

Mac I tend to agree with you. I started well over 100 fires this summer with a ferro rod and parafin coated cotton balls.

Kevin

11-05-2009, 07:29 AM	#1
sjj ...... Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 118	Fire Starter Selections - Rundown A few fire-starters: Spark-Lite Blast Match Mni-Match Auroa Fire Starter TAD Gear Spark-Lite type Model w/needle holder Rope Lighter Solar Lighter Shoot-a-Spark Last edited by sjj; 07-12-2010 at 03:57 AM.

11-05-2009, 10:54 AM	#2
Rick Administrator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 28,000 Blog Entries: 2	Okay, let's see if I can help you out on these. As to a plain spark maker like those in the Spark-Lite Common...buy a BIC. Use it until it's empty then keep it for the sparker. It's a better fire starter when full and can still be used when it's empty. Sort of multi-use. Cotton balls soaked in petroleum and stored in a 35mm film canister for your tinder. Blast Match - Great product but REI is too expensive. Rope lighter - Make your own. I posted a tutorial on how to do it. You might have the parts on hand. If not, it sure won't cost $15 bucks to make and it works very well. I love the sunlight solar lighter. Hunter or someone posted on a similar sunlight collector last week and I've been looking for one. Nice find!!!!!!! As for strikers, any carbon item will work. Use your knife and save some money. As for the mish metal rods or firesteels, I think everyone on here would agree that Robert Rogers over at firesteel.com has, hands down, the best on the market. I think he must have mixed napalm in with the rods. http://www.firesteel.com Overall, a great post and I applaud you for taking the time to look all of the sites up. I just wanted to point out there are some cheaper routes folks can go and still have the same quality of gear....sometimes cheaper or better quality. __________________ Safe Zone LLC "The Most Trusted Name in Outdoor Gear". Check out our free Family Disaster Plan The Mora Bushcraft Series is now available! Knot Making and Wild Edible Plants cards are in!

11-05-2009, 11:20 AM	#3
Pict Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Belo Horizonte Brazil Posts: 906	Thanks for posting all that. I'll have to go back and check the links. I think most of us here fall into the category of users and collectors of survival gear. For actual use in a cost/benefit way of thinking the old standby's still work just fine. My Firestarters... BIG YELLOW BIC Doan tool Ferro rod Cotton treated with vaseline Charcloth Innertube rubber Trick birthday candles I have all sorts of other gadgets, sparklites, blastmatch etc. Learn to use the stuff on the above list and you can stay warm and not break the bank. Mac Rick, do you have a link to that tutorial? __________________ The Colhane Channel TV for guys like me. Last edited by Pict; 11-05-2009 at 11:23 AM.

11-05-2009, 02:42 PM	#4
SARKY Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 1,592	You forgot the StrikeForce. I use many of these flint &steel type fire starters and i have found that the Blast Match and the Strike Force put out the largest and hottest sparks. __________________ I know what hunts you.

11-05-2009, 08:50 PM	#5
Rick Administrator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 28,000 Blog Entries: 2	Mac - You bet. Here it is. http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ht=lamp+nipple It's at post 17. __________________ Safe Zone LLC "The Most Trusted Name in Outdoor Gear". Check out our free Family Disaster Plan The Mora Bushcraft Series is now available! Knot Making and Wild Edible Plants cards are in!

11-06-2009, 11:02 PM	#6
COWBOYSURVIVAL Wind Clan Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: In The Swamp Posts: 2,344	I like the beast in your links from Goinggear. I will be ordering some to cut in half and make handles for Christmas gifts. Anyone have any experience with the blanks from Goingear? __________________ Runnin' 45mph and the throttle is frozen....skippin off the last stump to miss the next one...Superman! My buddies boots are hangin in my face...slammin down the 45hp bites the water and wer'e on our way! Now get out of the boat it is 19 above and 4 ft. deep! I'll be back to pick you up! Throttling for the next hole! Boomyah!!! it is shooting time!

11-06-2009, 11:35 PM	#7
Canadian-guerilla primitive hunter/gatherer Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: ontario-canada Posts: 354	i guess i'm just a cheap guy regular matches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . or hockey laces for a firebow . . . . . . . __________________ . 2010 > " in the bush " summer Knowledge without experience is just information my wild edibles blog > http://wildedibles1.wordpress.com/ JULY is " wild edibles " month > http://julywildedibles.wordpress.com/ Last edited by Rick; 11-06-2009 at 11:42 PM. Reason: keep it pg:13, please

11-06-2009, 11:43 PM	#8
Rick Administrator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 28,000 Blog Entries: 2	sjj - I certainly wasn't criticizing any of your choices. Only trying to help out. We all have our own choice of gear and, as we often say around here if it works for you then it works for me. __________________ Safe Zone LLC "The Most Trusted Name in Outdoor Gear". Check out our free Family Disaster Plan The Mora Bushcraft Series is now available! Knot Making and Wild Edible Plants cards are in!

11-07-2009, 11:10 AM	#9
crashdive123 Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: North Florida Posts: 21,633 Blog Entries: 1	Sjj - a firesteel is not made of magnesium. It is a ferocium rod. It will produce sparks, but will not ignite. The link that Rick posted is not his (that would be against forum rules). It does belong to another member, and it has really good products and a good price. __________________ Can't means won't! Crashblade Knives & More

11-07-2009, 04:09 PM	#10
Rick Administrator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 28,000 Blog Entries: 2	sjj - You know, I hadn't even considered the paracord idea. I don't know why, just hadn't. I'll have to play with that and see how well it works. Thanks!! __________________ Safe Zone LLC "The Most Trusted Name in Outdoor Gear". Check out our free Family Disaster Plan The Mora Bushcraft Series is now available! Knot Making and Wild Edible Plants cards are in!

11-07-2009, 10:52 PM	#11
Rick Administrator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 28,000 Blog Entries: 2	Someone on here posted about their scouts tossing them into the fire and they burned really well. __________________ Safe Zone LLC "The Most Trusted Name in Outdoor Gear". Check out our free Family Disaster Plan The Mora Bushcraft Series is now available! Knot Making and Wild Edible Plants cards are in!

11-07-2009, 11:01 PM	#12
crashdive123 Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: North Florida Posts: 21,633 Blog Entries: 1	Sjj - as far as the websites - You were correct. I thought you were referring to http://firesteel.com/ which is owned by Ron Fontaine (Robert Rogers), whereas http://www.safezonellc.com/ is owned by our famous (or is it infamous) Rick. __________________ Can't means won't! Crashblade Knives & More