Firesteel recommendation
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Firesteels fall into two types. The first, original Auermetal from Austria are harder. The rest are
Mostly Chinese made and far softer
Metallurgy is far different. Auers are very pure in formulation. Chinese are full of impurities and indifferent QC.
Both will spark and it distills to your familiarity with the characteristics.
I’m in California. My source is a little to far from you. But this is the basic criteria to be aware of
Mostly Chinese made and far softer
Metallurgy is far different. Auers are very pure in formulation. Chinese are full of impurities and indifferent QC.
Both will spark and it distills to your familiarity with the characteristics.
I’m in California. My source is a little to far from you. But this is the basic criteria to be aware of
The ones sold by Woodlore are quite a bit harder than the Light my Fire ones. I would recommend them as a viable alternative which won't break the bank. The attached striker is pretty useless though!
www.raymears.com
Ray Mears Fire Stick
The humble Fire Stick is, without a doubt, one of the most fundamental and reliable pieces of Bushcraft equipment available. As used by Ray Mears and the entire Woodlore team for well over a decade, the Fire Stick (or ferrocerium rod, as it is also known) is favoured in Bushcraft and survival...
My best firesteel is a 'Light my Fire' one - when it wears out I'll buy the same. It doesn't just spark, it produces a fireworks display. I have others but they are much harder (I disagree with the above, I find the cheap ones are too hard and much more difficult to get a decent spark from). I'm sure there are other high quality ones out there though.
I have made my own using packs of rods and adding turned handles and, once you've got the top coat off, they work and will light a fire, but nowhere near as easily as the 'Light my Fire' ones.
Just my experience.
I have made my own using packs of rods and adding turned handles and, once you've got the top coat off, they work and will light a fire, but nowhere near as easily as the 'Light my Fire' ones.
Just my experience.
Yep, a second vote for LMF ferro rods. They just work.
The next best thing is a Strikefire rod. I think they're pretty much comparable to LMF, with the advantage of being made in the UK.
Mine came with the Strikefire striker too, which is the best I've used. (Black plastic handle, short v square-edged metal bar, NOT those silly strips of tin foil, or worse the black bottle openers).
The next best thing is a Strikefire rod. I think they're pretty much comparable to LMF, with the advantage of being made in the UK.
Mine came with the Strikefire striker too, which is the best I've used. (Black plastic handle, short v square-edged metal bar, NOT those silly strips of tin foil, or worse the black bottle openers).
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Fire steel, metal match, zerk( Canadian name)have so many sources it’s fireworks making
Any definite statement. They are being supersized in our grand American tradition and in hexagons or square.
Sellers have created some silly myths. “ Thousands of fires” in reality is a whole lot of strikes and a fire anywhere from one to a frustrated dozen plus ( use the lighter already!) each need
and it won’t be long it requires redressing to function well. Fail to care for it, and its biblical moths and rust.
They’re fun, a true survival item stored properly. What they shouldn’t be, is a cult fashion statement.
Again, bring a lighter and some lifeboats.
Any definite statement. They are being supersized in our grand American tradition and in hexagons or square.
Sellers have created some silly myths. “ Thousands of fires” in reality is a whole lot of strikes and a fire anywhere from one to a frustrated dozen plus ( use the lighter already!) each need
and it won’t be long it requires redressing to function well. Fail to care for it, and its biblical moths and rust.
They’re fun, a true survival item stored properly. What they shouldn’t be, is a cult fashion statement.
Again, bring a lighter and some lifeboats.
…or you could just go the extra step and start practicing flint and steel or friction fire lighting… 
But whatever you do,don't go anywhere near a fire piston,a world of disappointment awaits..
Actually quite a few working examples around, all diesel engines!But whatever you do,don't go anywhere near a fire piston,a world of disappointment awaits..
To be honest, I've had more success with the flint and steel that I bought off John at the Bushmoot.…or you could just go the extra step and start practicing flint and steel or friction fire lighting…
I have to admit that I've always managed to get an ember from my fire piston. Trouble is said ember is usually pretty small, due to the size of the piston, and it therefore has to be treated carefully! But it does work... really, it does!
I have had plenty of success with fire pistons over the years, however they seem to function better in hotter drier climates such as mid west USA, deserts and indoors at home with the heating on. I had a perspex one made to prove the theory in perfect conditions and our none too scientific conclusion was that the small amount of air in the small combustion chamber was too humid in our damp UK climate to give a high success rate. Our perspex one if left showed condensation inside if left to stand when used in an outdoors situation where you might want to use it. However very reliable in perfect conditions.
I might be getting mixed up here, but I think the softer ferrorods are suited to being scraped fast down their entire lengths whereas the harder ones, like the LMF, are better suited to having sparks generated from slower but hard pressure just at the end of the rod?
Well, all I can say is that my LMF rod is the softest I own and produces the most sparks - I wipe the striker from base to tip and get a true shower of sparks. The rod itself is now scored and grooved but still has many hundreds (if not thousands) of strikes left in it. It may be that even LMF have different rod products and properties of course.
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