Firesteel vs Lighter

[Will_]

I was wondering what people would prefer to have with them in a hypothetical *wilderness survival situation...
Please feel free to give reasons, but I'd like to keep the thread as a face off between the modern firesteel (e.g. a Swedish Firesteel) and the humble lighter (e.g. a BIC lighter)
Fight fight fight fight fight fight!
*For the point of this exercise, let's say you'd be somewhere in the Alaskan wilderness. Could be any season & any weather...

[/url][/IMG]
P.S.
If a full member wants to redo this thread as a poll, that would be cool.

 

[lannyman8]

ha ha ha, both...

 

[tom.moran]

thats a hard one, but ina cold survival situation id rather have the instant flame of a lighter, but when im out playing in the woods i always use a firesteel

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

On the basis i dont know how long ill be there, a fire steel will last longer than 1 tank of gas.

 

[Will_]

ha ha ha, both...

No deal! We can't have the lighter and the firesteel shaking hands and kissing each other better until there's been a good fight!
I'd rather have both too! But if you had to pick ONE, what would it be? Humour me
Sorry for being so narrow, I'm just feeling a little anally retentive this evening

 

[BigMonster]

Both.
Fire steel for practice and forcing myself out of sloppines when making fires. Also much better at lighting gas stoves in the wind.
Lighter for a quick flame.
In my kits I put a small firesteel as a bombproof backup, and a bic lighter/matches (depending on space available) as a main fire source.

Firesteels are nice and have a place, but after I tested my survival kit in real life during my scout days (kit in the pocket, jump in the river) I know I need something that will give you fire here and now.

If just one than a fat waterproof box of matches.

 

[rg598]

Lighter for me. It has been a while since I carried a Ferro rod. I find it less convenient than a lighter and not as much fun as flint and steel. Also people forget that a lighter uses a small ferro rod. Make a fire with the lighter, char some plant material, and when the lighter is empty, remove the metal guard and use the sparks to light the charred material.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

 

[Jared]

Both and a magnifying glass.

If have sunlight and time obviously the magnify glass doesn't use any of your resources.

 

[santaman2000]

Lighter for me. It has been a while since I carried a Ferro rod. I find it less convenient than a lighter and not as much fun as flint and steel. Also people forget that a lighter uses a small ferro rod. Make a fire with the lighter, char some plant material, and when the lighter is empty, remove the metal guard and use the sparks to light the charred material.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Same traffic.

 

[slowworm]

I was wondering what people would prefer to have with them in a hypothetical *wilderness survival situation...

It depends. If it's an expected situation then a gas lighter is easier to use, although I find a petrol lighter even easier to use when it's windy as the cheap gas ones go out far too easily.

If it's unexpected then I'd rather have a firesteel in my emergency pouch as I've cracked a gas lighter before and the gas has escaped.

 

[Uilleachan]

I have a fire-steel, flint and striker etc. I think the essential skill is the ability to make fire from only those materials at hand out in the wild, anything else is a prop. If I'm to carry a prop then it's a lighter, gas refillable re-flintable plastic "Clipper". A petrol lighter is good but if it goes for a swim it's knackered until the innards dry.

One can buy 4 or 5 clippers for the price of a fire-steel too. Thats one in the trouser pocket, one in the jacket, one with the cooking kit and a spare in the sack top pocket.

 

[BigMonster]

In emergency I would like to have a flame thrower, can of fuel and a few thermite grenades. I would ask the surviving party to empty their pockets and hand over any fire making items. In emergency I want the easiest and simplest way to make fire.
So we are really talking "what you prefer to use in normal situation".

 

[Uilleachan]

In emergency I would like to have a flame thrower, can of fuel and a few thermite grenades. I would ask the surviving party to empty their pockets and hand over any fire making items. In emergency I want the easiest and simplest way to make fire.
So we are really talking "what you prefer to use in normal situation".

gas refillable re-flintable plastic "Clipper"

 

[santaman2000]

In emergency I would like to have a flame thrower, can of fuel and a few thermite grenades. I would ask the surviving party to empty their pockets and hand over any fire making items. In emergency I want the easiest and simplest way to make fire.
So we are really talking "what you prefer to use in normal situation".

I like the way you think

 

[rik_uk3]

Lighters all the way, and I'd never only just have one on me or in my kit.

 

[Teepee]

My trusty Imco slimline with a refill of petrol.

When the lighter runs low on petrol, I'd switch to friction firelighting and carrying an ember.

 

[Shewie]

I tend to carry both, I'm a smoker so always have a Clipper to hand with a spare buried in the pack somewhere. I also carry the smallest LMF firesteel which lives inside my brew kit, gotta have a brew

 

[lannyman8]

No deal! We can't have the lighter and the firesteel shaking hands and kissing each other better until there's been a good fight!
I'd rather have both too! But if you had to pick ONE, what would it be? Humour me
Sorry for being so narrow, I'm just feeling a little anally retentive this evening

Ha ha ha ha, fair one Will, fire steel, it lasts longer and you can use it just the same as a magnesium block, shave off some of the steel if needed. the only advantage with the lighter is a little less prep time, but not much, how ever, short term i would use a lighter if it came down to it,all depends on the situation and length of time.

short term = lighter

long term = ferro rod

chris.

 

[forrestdweller]

even if it could freeze in low temperatures and the gas leak out: i would take the lighter any time and DUMP the ferro rod-i'm not gambling when i want a fire! in addition to the lighter i would take my magifying glass and my rakuraku striker- because i know they work and i can rely on them!

 

[Will_]

Ha ha ha ha, fair one Will, fire steel, it lasts longer and you can use it just the same as a magnesium block, shave off some of the steel if needed. the only advantage with the lighter is a little less prep time, but not much, how ever, short term i would use a lighter if it came down to it,all depends on the situation and length of time.

short term = lighter

long term = ferro rod

chris.

Thanks Chris
Good to see the Firesteel back off the ropes and throwing a couple of punches too!
I thought this was going to be a 1st round knock out for the firesteel (lighter getting knocked out) but it turns out the lighter has got some fight in it...

[/url][/IMG]