EXOTAC nanoSTRIKER
- Thread starter Mistwalker
- Start date
Hmmm, I think answering this well will require a photo, you'll have to wait till tomorrow.
Isn't there a way to embed videos here and not just the url?
I've heard reports that it isn't a very good striker, How have you found it for reliability of sparking?
Got my one yesterday - well impressed with the build quality - the only problem is it hardly "sparks" tried the supplied striker, one of my own and the back of my bushy!!!!!!! ended up with a small pile of metal shavings 
Now awaiting a replacement steel from the supplier. After asking about, it seems they are tempermental to say the least!!
Now awaiting a replacement steel from the supplier. After asking about, it seems they are tempermental to say the least!!
I've been looking at these from Firesteel.com for quite a while.
http://firesteel.com/categories/FireSteel-Tubes/
Same idea but sounds possibly better executed with improved materials.
http://firesteel.com/categories/FireSteel-Tubes/
Same idea but sounds possibly better executed with improved materials.
Ok, first off...pics of sparks will have to wait until my photographer (wife) can be here during the day which will be early next week.
Eh...I think that may be being a little judgemental, but everyone has an opinion.... "good" is such a subjective word. If you mean not very good as in doesn't throw sparks then that simply isn't true, once one is used to it it throws great sparks. If you mean isn't good as in "not the usual", or "takes some practice to get the hang of", then that may well be true. It took me a few minutes to get the hang of it...just like it took a few minutes to get the hang of the first misch rod I ever tried, like it took a few minutes to get the hang of the first ferro rod I ever used, and like it took a few tries to get the hang of the striking surface of the first issue magnesium fire starter I ever used. A learning curve, in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing. It is not intended and a "use day in and day out practicing firecraft" type of firesteel. It is meant to be an ultra-portable, self contained, "the one you put in your pocket or around your neck and have when you really need it" type of fire steel with all parts needed to start a fire on-board. So you can start a fire when you need to even if you have lost your pack and your cutting tools. As well as for ultra-light back backers who count every gram.
Bear in mind that it is a mischmetal rod slow striking movements will not throw sparks from this rod the way a LMF rod will. Misch rods require a quicker striking motion and those slivers will ignite into molten balls of burning metal that will ignite even stubborn tinders. Misch rods can take some getting used to. The reason I carry a large misch rod when I go out is because at need I can whittle slivers off of the rods themselves with a slow scraping motion, mix those in with my stubborn tinder and when the molten sparks hit those they ignite in a white hot ball of fire. I have used that trick to ignite damp cedar bark on a few occasions.
If you want to test the rod itself try striking it with a fast motion using another striker. The spine of the saw of an SAK works great.
Not trying to be argumentative but I just don't see that. Both are aluminum housings with mischmetal rods. The FS.com has parts needed to make it work (striker) tied to it with a cord, where the nano has all parts securely threaded together in a unit. The FS.com has a mostly slick housing with the exception of the FS.com logo, while the nano has knurling for a more secure grip. To me it seems a lot less thought and workmanship went into the FS.com versions at nearly the same price. The only possible advantage I see is in the larger models for possibly better grip in cold conditions. I have considered buying one of the larger ones, machining in some texture and replacing the rod with one I'd have more faith in, but that seems like a lot of work...I'll just wait to see if Exotac comes out with the larger model Rob and I have been talking about.
Though hes has made a prototype of a tinder-tube extension for the nano, I experimented with it a little the other day.
The extension basically turns the original handle into a small tinder storage area that will hold one section of fire-straw.
The experiment was to use only the nano to start a fire, using no cutting tools...just in case I found myself in the woods without a knife.
I used the sharp corner of the striker to cut the fire-straw open. You can see how the plastic, petroleum jelly, and cotton cleaned the corner of the striker. Opening up the fire-straw was really easy.
Two sparks later and I had flames, which easily ignited the small twigs I used for kindling.
.
So yes, the little tinder tube definitely add a new dimension to this great little piece of kit.
The only down side is that it may be a little big for a key chain now. I'm looking forward to seeing the pocket clip he is making for these.
.
Eh...I think that may be being a little judgemental, but everyone has an opinion.... "good" is such a subjective word. If you mean not very good as in doesn't throw sparks then that simply isn't true, once one is used to it it throws great sparks. If you mean isn't good as in "not the usual", or "takes some practice to get the hang of", then that may well be true. It took me a few minutes to get the hang of it...just like it took a few minutes to get the hang of the first misch rod I ever tried, like it took a few minutes to get the hang of the first ferro rod I ever used, and like it took a few tries to get the hang of the striking surface of the first issue magnesium fire starter I ever used. A learning curve, in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing. It is not intended and a "use day in and day out practicing firecraft" type of firesteel. It is meant to be an ultra-portable, self contained, "the one you put in your pocket or around your neck and have when you really need it" type of fire steel with all parts needed to start a fire on-board. So you can start a fire when you need to even if you have lost your pack and your cutting tools. As well as for ultra-light back backers who count every gram.
Got my one yesterday - well impressed with the build quality - the only problem is it hardly "sparks" tried the supplied striker, one of my own and the back of my bushy!!!!!!! ended up with a small pile of metal shavings
Bear in mind that it is a mischmetal rod slow striking movements will not throw sparks from this rod the way a LMF rod will. Misch rods require a quicker striking motion and those slivers will ignite into molten balls of burning metal that will ignite even stubborn tinders. Misch rods can take some getting used to. The reason I carry a large misch rod when I go out is because at need I can whittle slivers off of the rods themselves with a slow scraping motion, mix those in with my stubborn tinder and when the molten sparks hit those they ignite in a white hot ball of fire. I have used that trick to ignite damp cedar bark on a few occasions.
If you want to test the rod itself try striking it with a fast motion using another striker. The spine of the saw of an SAK works great.
Not trying to be argumentative but I just don't see that. Both are aluminum housings with mischmetal rods. The FS.com has parts needed to make it work (striker) tied to it with a cord, where the nano has all parts securely threaded together in a unit. The FS.com has a mostly slick housing with the exception of the FS.com logo, while the nano has knurling for a more secure grip. To me it seems a lot less thought and workmanship went into the FS.com versions at nearly the same price. The only possible advantage I see is in the larger models for possibly better grip in cold conditions. I have considered buying one of the larger ones, machining in some texture and replacing the rod with one I'd have more faith in, but that seems like a lot of work...I'll just wait to see if Exotac comes out with the larger model Rob and I have been talking about.
Though hes has made a prototype of a tinder-tube extension for the nano, I experimented with it a little the other day.
The extension basically turns the original handle into a small tinder storage area that will hold one section of fire-straw.
The experiment was to use only the nano to start a fire, using no cutting tools...just in case I found myself in the woods without a knife.
I used the sharp corner of the striker to cut the fire-straw open. You can see how the plastic, petroleum jelly, and cotton cleaned the corner of the striker. Opening up the fire-straw was really easy.
Two sparks later and I had flames, which easily ignited the small twigs I used for kindling.
.
So yes, the little tinder tube definitely add a new dimension to this great little piece of kit.
The only down side is that it may be a little big for a key chain now. I'm looking forward to seeing the pocket clip he is making for these.
.
I was looking at these recently it was just the price tha tput me off a little, now thanks to your review i may have to shell out.
Quick question, is the fire steel thickness the same as a standard one?
Quick question, is the fire steel thickness the same as a standard one?
For an edc or emergency fire starter I have yet to see one I like better. The rods are 5mm diameter.
Maybe this will show you...bamboo shavings for tinder.
[video=youtube;SLjN3avypjw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLjN3avypjw[/video]
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I bought one anyway, because I like the design.
I'm not finding that it throws sparks well, but that may just be technique.
I'll try it a bit faster and see what happens.
I also picked up the matchcase, which I quite like, it's replaced my K&N one in my edc kit
I'm not finding that it throws sparks well, but that may just be technique.
I'll try it a bit faster and see what happens.
I also picked up the matchcase, which I quite like, it's replaced my K&N one in my edc kit
Exactly, my Ti nano lives on my key chain. It's uncoated and pretty bright so it's easy to find too if I drop it.
B
babysnakes
Guest
On my second rod so far (kindly replaced FOC from the States) just can't get on with this bit of kit, i think the striker is the weak point as it worked fine to start with but not now, it sparks fine from the blade of a Mora clipper though. Not very impressed.
The 440C strikers have to be sharpened ever so often, just rub the flat surfaces on a flat sharpening stone. So yes the striker is "the weak point". Rob is trying to switch over to all carbide strikers now. He had one batch of carbide strikers made a while back, but then had to find another source because they couldn't keep up with his demands. I am proficient with the on-board striker, it works well when properly sharpened, but in an attempt to preserve the on-board striker for times of actual need...sometimes when I use the nano (when I don't have a larger rod handy) I use the spine of the saw of my SAK, throws awesome sparks. Other than for the ultra-lite climbers, and back packers who count every gram, the nano is meant as a highly portable, self contained, emergency fire starter that is easy to keep on you always whether around your neck when canoeing or on a key chain in daily use. It really isn't meant to be a "practice fire starting in the back garden", or primary fire steel for bushcraft activities. Taken out of its element it will leave something to be desired (that's why Rob is working on a larger model), but Kept in the proper context it is an awesome tool.
LOL, What the heck is that supposed to mean? It does work just as it was intended to work, though Rob is trying to extend the use time between sharpenings by use of carbide strikers. Just like your knife, it will be sharp when you need it if you see to that. Any edge used to strike a ferro rod will dull over time and carbon will build up on it and need to be cleaned off. The difference is that on a knife spine the area is much larger and the material is thicker. The heat is more spread out on a knife spine, or even a knife edge. On the nano striker it is a small thin edge, all of the work is done in a 6mm area. It is going to show the effects of use much more drastically than on a knife. If it is dulled through experimenting and playing then it will need to be sharpened before taking it to the field. There are two available edges for a right handed person and two for a left handed person...or four edges for someone who is ambidextrous. As I said earlier, it is designed to serve as an ultra-lite fire starter for ultra-lite back packers and climbers who count every gram, and as an emergency fire starter easily kept in a pocket or around the neck that can always be carried without being effected by salt water or sweat. It was never designed as a primary fire steel for bushcrafting, and anyone who approaches it as such is, in my opinion, subjecting the tool to unreasonable expectations.
I would expect the striker to work more than once or twice before it needs sharpening.If it is as hard as advertised then it shouldn't ever need sharpening,firesteels are soft by nature.The striker is too soft to be useful.Take a look at the light my fire strikers or even a piece of hacksaw blade,they don't need sharpening after a few strokes.
And once again we are back to physics and mass. In both of these the striking surface is larger and made of thicker material which allows the heat to spread further and not concentrate in such a small area. Also neither of these offer the small, self contained, self protecting, carry option. Obviously there are going to be compromises. I don't know how you came to your conclusions on the hardness of the striker, and it "not ever needing to be sharpened". It only says "over 50 Rockwell" on the Exotac website. Anyone who has been carrying and using knives for any length of time, and who knows even a little about RC, knows that "over 50" really isn't all that hard in relative terms to edge retention, much less given the material being worked with (metal). That said, I have always been able to get a dozen or so fires ignited between sharpenings.
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