Fire Steel Blanks Again

[Wayne]

Where currently is the cheapest source of decent fire steel blanks?

My google and search skills seem to be lacking.

I’m looking for approximately 30-40.

Prices I have seen are a little eye watering.

I’m running a few sessions with autistic children. Would have been nice for then to leave with a fire steel they had handled but at this rate I’m going to lose my kidneys to fund it.

 

[Janne]

Brisa
Euro 4.90 ?
www.firesteel.com also have various sizes, cheaper than Brisa.

Search on Ferrocerium. not firesteel.

 

[Monikieman]

I used to get them from AliExpress and they were about a pound each. they dropped to below 50p and then all of a sdden there are none on Ali.

You might get some from China on eBay or pay extra and get them from China but posted from UK.

 

[Broch]

Just a word of caution though (but I suspect you already know) some of the 'cheap' ones do not produce strong sparks.

These are ten for £5.20 but you will be taking a gamble unless someone has tried them.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pcs-Se...517874&hash=item3d3b5233cd:g:sJYAAOSwq1JZGuEg

 

[Kepis]

I bought a load of these Wayne (not from this seller mind) they work well and are not overly expensive, might get them a bit cheaper if you ask the seller for a bulk price.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Camping-...757771&hash=item51ea4a93ae:g:6lwAAOSw5ClXw~Sc

Lots of options in China if you are not opposed to ordering from the likes of GearBest

https://www.gearbest.com/fire-starter-c_11498/?odr=low2high

 

[Wayne]

Thank you for the links folk.

I have ordered 30 fire steels. Going to bit a bit of a wait for delivery. I’ll update on their performance.

 

[Broch]

These are ten for £5.20 but you will be taking a gamble unless someone has tried them.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pcs-Se...517874&hash=item3d3b5233cd:g:sJYAAOSwq1JZGuEg

OK, got a set of these and I can't say I can recommend them.

For a start they are only 50mm long x 5mm diameter so, by the time you get them in a handle, there's not much to strike with.

They are also difficult to get a spark from (much harder material than my favourite Light My Fire rod) but they do produce a hot spark when you get one.

 

[Wayne]

OK, got a set of these and I can't say I can recommend them.

For a start they are only 50mm long x 5mm diameter so, by the time you get them in a handle, there's not much to strike with.

They are also difficult to get a spark from (much harder material than my favourite Light My Fire rod) but they do produce a hot spark when you get one.

I was somewhat surprised how small they were on delivery.

What do people use for scrapers?

I know you can use a knife I’m think more for use with younger folk.

 

[Nice65]

I was somewhat surprised how small they were on delivery.

What do people use for scrapers?

I know you can use a knife I’m think more for use with younger folk.

These are brilliant.

https://www.contactleft.co.uk/6-sided-super-alloy-fire-starter-striker.html

But any bit of hard steel should work as long as the edge is a right angle. Hacksaw blade is good.

Those steels sound a bit small, and maybe too hard for the children to get a spark from.

These soft mischmetal ones might be a better bet.

https://www.contactleft.co.uk/06-35-x-76-2mm-misch-metal-fire-starter-fire-steel.html

 

[Jared]

Some of the b2b sellers on Alibaba will do minium quantities of 50.

https://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=ferrocerium+rods

This seller for example (picked at random) has 50 rods in aluminium cases with scraper for 65 cents each. And scroll down looks like an exotac clone for $1.05 (though 100 min order).

https://slvfox.en.alibaba.com/produ...pm=a2700.8304367.prup15aafb.13.52976b90VnSwKT

No idea what the delivery cost would be like though.

 

[Broch]

I was somewhat surprised how small they were on delivery.

What do people use for scrapers?

I know you can use a knife I’m think more for use with younger folk.

These little rods need a very keen sharp edge to get them to strike. I had poor results from the usual snapped hacksaw blade but the blades were a bit soft so maybe a better quality one would do a better job. The spark was better when I ground the edge of the blade.

I get excellent big hot sparks using the edge of an Eclipse H5 parting tool but I appreciate that isn't something everyone has lying around.