Fire Starter Selections - Rundown

sjj · 11-05-2009, 08:29 AM

Just thought I would post a few fire-starter links. Personally, I've included the Blast Match in my kits along along with mini magneseum rod/flint for pocket kits:

Spark-Lite Common Plastic Model:
http://www.fourseasonssurvival.com/S...e41_p_109.html

Blast Match:
http://www.rei.com/product/775076?pr...:referralID=NA

Mni-Match (couple items down):
http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/F...htm#Spark-Lite

General Bulk Fire Steel Products:
http://firesteel.com/products/FireSt...d-Lanyard.html

Auroa Fire Starter:
http://www.soloscientific.com/aurora...FR4Uagod40xqAA

TAD Gear Spark-Lite type Model w/needle holder:
http://www.tadgear.com/shop.php?id=503

Rope Lighter:
http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_...products_id=10

Solar Lighter:
http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_...roducts_id=137

Fire Steel "Scraper":
http://firesteel.com/products/FireSt...r-Scraper.html

Shoot-a-Spark:
http://www.campingsurvival.com/shspli.html

Unique "aluminum" spark-lite (rare) - plus great selection:
http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/F...htm#Spark-Lite

Another cheaper fire-steel scraper:
http://firesteel.com/products/FireSteel-Scraper.html

Oh - and don't forget the 1/2 inch by 12 inch "BEAST" firesteel:
http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_...&products_id=1

Rick · 11-05-2009, 11:54 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, 12:20 PM

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, 03:42 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, 09:50 PM

Mac - You bet. Here it is.

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

It's at post 17.

sjj · 11-06-2009, 12:57 AM

I picked up my 3rd Blast Match from Sportsman Warehouse for only $13.95. They usually cost $23-$25. After getting it home, I noticed that the firesteel in it is slightly thinner and shorter. If you didn't have two of them side by side you would never notice. I also see that they are using exactly the same platic casing; except, the newer ones have a couple little raised ridges inside the hole the firesteel slides in and out of to keep the slightly smaller firesteel from wiggling around. I've never heard anyone else mention this change in manufacturing. Does it make a difference? Well, technically if they are using the same firesteel, the older models will have a few more lights in them and of course will weigh slightly more.

As to strikers to use with firesteel, I for one most definitely have my favorite strikers and I personally notice a considerable difference. Of course my knife will work, but a good striker is such a small light item I believe every firesteel kit should include one. I'm even selective on the type of saw blade I use with my firesteels. Yes - most any steel will work - but some most definitely work better than others and I like to know exactly how my stuff is going to work. Different knife steels do not work the same.

A BIC lighter is in every one of my kits. However, I do not believe the flint/steel (alone) in a BIC lighter is anywhere near as affective, durable, or lasting as a Spark Lite. In other words, an empty BIC does not produce nearly the same useful spark as a Spark-Lite. I am particulary fond of the expensive alumimum Spark-Lite that is refillable. I've tried both side by side and no contest in my opinion.

COWBOYSURVIVAL · 11-07-2009, 12:02 AM

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 · 11-07-2009, 12:35 AM

i guess i'm just a cheap guy

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

. . . . . . .

Rick · 11-07-2009, 12:43 AM

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.

sjj · 11-07-2009, 08:15 AM

CowboySurvival,

You read my mind. The 12 incher at 1/2 diameter cut into three 4 inch bars is a very good size. Doesn't save a great deal - but a cool idea. I'm sure you already know this - but just a reminder that one must use extreme care in cuting the firesteel in ahalf. With all the magnesium in them, cutting them in ahalf wth a high speed steel blade can ignite them and they just don't go out. I am not sure how I will cut them, but perhaps a fiber cutoff wheel would do the trick. Anyway, I'll be doing it outside

I also have the same question about the quality of the firesteel coming from these guys; however, if you read their site and watch their video, they claim to produce bigger and hotter sparks - but fewer sparks.

I've got an assortment of about a dozen firesteel of different brands. For the money and function (dispite its size) I really like the Blastmatch for its one handed operation and I can tell you that they put out so much hot spark that I can light just about anything. In fact, they are just plain dangerous in the hands of someone not paying attention. The Strike Force is just as good of firesteel, but I like the Blast Match because I can use it just like the Strike Force if desired. I do not much care for the miniture Blast Match - whatever its called - but I got one to try.

Rich, no problem kind sir. I only made that second post because I sincerely believe the two points I made are important. By the way, I'm assuming you either own or are affiliated with the Web Store listed on your posts. If so - great store. I carefully went through all the offerings and didn't see anything that I didn't think was quality and at a good price - not one piece of junk listed which is refreshing. Not a lot of stuff - but a well thought out selection. I'll be placing an order myself soon for the emergency sunglasses I was having a particulary hard time finding them. If it were me, I believe I would add to the sunglass information that one can easily attach paracord to the ends to provide for additional support - that is what I did to the only pair I had before. From a marketing perspective, I believe many people fear the design isn't stable enough - but once they see or hear the paracord idea they apprehension resolves itself.

crashdive123 · 11-07-2009, 12:10 PM

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, 05:09 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!!

sjj · 11-07-2009, 11:49 PM

Crashdrive,

I stated above, "With all the magnesium in them..." I never said they were made of magnesium.

Stated from goinggear.com - "These firesteels are made out of ferrocerium, a combination of misch metal, iron, and magnesium."

I have not caught one of fire; however, I read an article from one of the manufactuers/retailers that advised to use caution in cutting one in half - that they could catch fire and were nearly impossible to extinguish.

Logic would say that if catching them on fire was a danger, then sparking them with a steel would be dangerous - which was my first thought. However, after thinking about it, I suspect that cutting one in half using a steel band saw blade may significantly raise the rod's core temperature which may be a completely different story. I normally do not post comments on things I do not personally know for sure - but in this case I felt relaying something I did read on a retailer/manufacturers site was worth passing along since it is simply a caution.

UPDATE: Would anyone like me to take a torch to a firesteel and see if I can get it to catch on fire? I certainly am not afraid to do a little experimenting and I profess to be a little intrigued at the moment.

Thanks for the correction on the product web site. I thought I recongnized Rick's hand holding the button compass.

Rick · 11-07-2009, 11:52 PM

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

crashdive123 · 11-08-2009, 12:01 AM

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 · 11-08-2009, 12:13 AM

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, 08:29 AM	#1
sjj Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Far North Posts: 88	Fire Starter Selections - Rundown Just thought I would post a few fire-starter links. Personally, I've included the Blast Match in my kits along along with mini magneseum rod/flint for pocket kits: Spark-Lite Common Plastic Model: http://www.fourseasonssurvival.com/S...e41_p_109.html Blast Match: http://www.rei.com/product/775076?pr...:referralID=NA Mni-Match (couple items down): http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/F...htm#Spark-Lite General Bulk Fire Steel Products: http://firesteel.com/products/FireSt...d-Lanyard.html Auroa Fire Starter: http://www.soloscientific.com/aurora...FR4Uagod40xqAA TAD Gear Spark-Lite type Model w/needle holder: http://www.tadgear.com/shop.php?id=503 Rope Lighter: http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_...products_id=10 Solar Lighter: http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_...roducts_id=137 Fire Steel "Scraper": http://firesteel.com/products/FireSt...r-Scraper.html Shoot-a-Spark: http://www.campingsurvival.com/shspli.html Unique "aluminum" spark-lite (rare) - plus great selection: http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/F...htm#Spark-Lite Another cheaper fire-steel scraper: http://firesteel.com/products/FireSteel-Scraper.html Oh - and don't forget the 1/2 inch by 12 inch "BEAST" firesteel: http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_...&products_id=1 Last edited by sjj; 11-05-2009 at 08:39 AM.

11-05-2009, 11:54 AM	#2
Rick Administrator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 19,351 Blog Entries: 1	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 Buck 110 Folding Hunters are now in stock.

11-05-2009, 12:20 PM	#3
Pict Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 718	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 12:23 PM.

11-05-2009, 03:42 PM	#4
SARKY Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 1,170	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, 09:50 PM	#5
Rick Administrator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 19,351 Blog Entries: 1	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 Buck 110 Folding Hunters are now in stock.

11-06-2009, 12:57 AM	#6
sjj Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Far North Posts: 88	I picked up my 3rd Blast Match from Sportsman Warehouse for only $13.95. They usually cost $23-$25. After getting it home, I noticed that the firesteel in it is slightly thinner and shorter. If you didn't have two of them side by side you would never notice. I also see that they are using exactly the same platic casing; except, the newer ones have a couple little raised ridges inside the hole the firesteel slides in and out of to keep the slightly smaller firesteel from wiggling around. I've never heard anyone else mention this change in manufacturing. Does it make a difference? Well, technically if they are using the same firesteel, the older models will have a few more lights in them and of course will weigh slightly more. As to strikers to use with firesteel, I for one most definitely have my favorite strikers and I personally notice a considerable difference. Of course my knife will work, but a good striker is such a small light item I believe every firesteel kit should include one. I'm even selective on the type of saw blade I use with my firesteels. Yes - most any steel will work - but some most definitely work better than others and I like to know exactly how my stuff is going to work. Different knife steels do not work the same. A BIC lighter is in every one of my kits. However, I do not believe the flint/steel (alone) in a BIC lighter is anywhere near as affective, durable, or lasting as a Spark Lite. In other words, an empty BIC does not produce nearly the same useful spark as a Spark-Lite. I am particulary fond of the expensive alumimum Spark-Lite that is refillable. I've tried both side by side and no contest in my opinion.

11-07-2009, 12:02 AM	#7
COWBOYSURVIVAL Wind Clan Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: In The Swamp Posts: 1,497	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!

11-07-2009, 12:35 AM	#8
Canadian-guerilla primitive hunter/gatherer Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: ontario-canada Posts: 165	i guess i'm just a cheap guy regular matches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . or hockey laces for a firebow . . . . . . . __________________ . no fate, but what we make for ourselves - T2 how simple, can a life be, and still be a good one ? you get better or worse everyday, the choice is yours Last edited by Rick; 11-07-2009 at 12:42 AM. Reason: keep it pg:13, please

11-07-2009, 12:43 AM	#9
Rick Administrator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 19,351 Blog Entries: 1	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 Buck 110 Folding Hunters are now in stock.

11-07-2009, 08:15 AM	#10
sjj Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Far North Posts: 88	CowboySurvival, You read my mind. The 12 incher at 1/2 diameter cut into three 4 inch bars is a very good size. Doesn't save a great deal - but a cool idea. I'm sure you already know this - but just a reminder that one must use extreme care in cuting the firesteel in ahalf. With all the magnesium in them, cutting them in ahalf wth a high speed steel blade can ignite them and they just don't go out. I am not sure how I will cut them, but perhaps a fiber cutoff wheel would do the trick. Anyway, I'll be doing it outside I also have the same question about the quality of the firesteel coming from these guys; however, if you read their site and watch their video, they claim to produce bigger and hotter sparks - but fewer sparks. I've got an assortment of about a dozen firesteel of different brands. For the money and function (dispite its size) I really like the Blastmatch for its one handed operation and I can tell you that they put out so much hot spark that I can light just about anything. In fact, they are just plain dangerous in the hands of someone not paying attention. The Strike Force is just as good of firesteel, but I like the Blast Match because I can use it just like the Strike Force if desired. I do not much care for the miniture Blast Match - whatever its called - but I got one to try. Rich, no problem kind sir. I only made that second post because I sincerely believe the two points I made are important. By the way, I'm assuming you either own or are affiliated with the Web Store listed on your posts. If so - great store. I carefully went through all the offerings and didn't see anything that I didn't think was quality and at a good price - not one piece of junk listed which is refreshing. Not a lot of stuff - but a well thought out selection. I'll be placing an order myself soon for the emergency sunglasses I was having a particulary hard time finding them. If it were me, I believe I would add to the sunglass information that one can easily attach paracord to the ends to provide for additional support - that is what I did to the only pair I had before. From a marketing perspective, I believe many people fear the design isn't stable enough - but once they see or hear the paracord idea they apprehension resolves itself. Last edited by sjj; 11-07-2009 at 08:21 AM.

11-07-2009, 12:10 PM	#11
crashdive123 Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: North Florida Posts: 15,542 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!

11-07-2009, 05:09 PM	#12
Rick Administrator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 19,351 Blog Entries: 1	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 Buck 110 Folding Hunters are now in stock.

11-07-2009, 11:49 PM	#13
sjj Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Far North Posts: 88	Crashdrive, I stated above, "With all the magnesium in them..." I never said they were made of magnesium. Stated from goinggear.com - "These firesteels are made out of ferrocerium, a combination of misch metal, iron, and magnesium." I have not caught one of fire; however, I read an article from one of the manufactuers/retailers that advised to use caution in cutting one in half - that they could catch fire and were nearly impossible to extinguish. Logic would say that if catching them on fire was a danger, then sparking them with a steel would be dangerous - which was my first thought. However, after thinking about it, I suspect that cutting one in half using a steel band saw blade may significantly raise the rod's core temperature which may be a completely different story. I normally do not post comments on things I do not personally know for sure - but in this case I felt relaying something I did read on a retailer/manufacturers site was worth passing along since it is simply a caution. UPDATE: Would anyone like me to take a torch to a firesteel and see if I can get it to catch on fire? I certainly am not afraid to do a little experimenting and I profess to be a little intrigued at the moment. Thanks for the correction on the product web site. I thought I recongnized Rick's hand holding the button compass. Last edited by sjj; 11-07-2009 at 11:57 PM.

11-07-2009, 11:52 PM	#14
Rick Administrator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 19,351 Blog Entries: 1	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 Buck 110 Folding Hunters are now in stock.

11-08-2009, 12:01 AM	#15
crashdive123 Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: North Florida Posts: 15,542 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!