Firesteels - Good ones/Bad ones?
- Thread starter Dormouse
- Start date
I have a BCB fireball. Have had no problems from it at all, and when it needs replacing would have no problems in getting another one.
quick search for one finds this one on amazon
quick search for one finds this one on amazon
I have a cheap one that produces very few and small sparks when it hasn't been used for a while, a couple of strikes and its giving off huge showers again once i have taken off the oxidised layers. I did get a light my fire scout off the gift it on thread and its very reliable with the showers but they aren't as big or last as long as the bigger, cheaper one when it's going.
the last thing you need if your cold and wet and need a fire is a poor quality steel
i bought the RM my first ever and i lit a fire with it easy in the wind [that was my first time doing that]
i also found the F1 marginaly better for sparks than the enzo trapper
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6_KCmnModE
i bought the RM my first ever and i lit a fire with it easy in the wind [that was my first time doing that]
i also found the F1 marginaly better for sparks than the enzo trapper
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6_KCmnModE
Johnny,
You might find your Enzo has a slight radius or chamfer on the spine, rather than a truly 90 degree sharp edge. If you stone this back carefully it might spark more. I do this to the underside of the screwdriver/bottle opener on my user SAKs for this reason.
Dave
You might find your Enzo has a slight radius or chamfer on the spine, rather than a truly 90 degree sharp edge. If you stone this back carefully it might spark more. I do this to the underside of the screwdriver/bottle opener on my user SAKs for this reason.
Dave
I got given a Blastmatch last week and I can highly recomend it, very easy to use, gives a lot more control than a traditional flint and steel and the sparks seem to burn for a bit longer. The only downside is that you can't light stoves with it as it relys on you pushing down onto it to generate sparks but for tinder/feathersticks it's pretty much unbeatable.
http://www.cadetdirect.com/order1.php?pg=871
(No connection to seller blah blah blah)
http://www.cadetdirect.com/order1.php?pg=871
(No connection to seller blah blah blah)
Love the RM one, never fails. Especially since I started using a Stanley tungsten carbide paint scraper to spark with.
That tip alone was the best reason for joining this forum
Anyone tried the ones from Brisa yet? I fancy making one to match my new knife.
Cheers
That tip alone was the best reason for joining this forum
Anyone tried the ones from Brisa yet? I fancy making one to match my new knife.
Cheers
This comment will get me booed off the site - but I never really saw what the big fuss was about these things...it's all a bit gimmicky to me..:yikes:
I've always been perfectly satisfied with matches, and friction...it's just another bit of tat to spend a tenner on when a box of Swan Vestas costs pence and a match-safe made from two shotgun shells is absolutely free....
And let's face it...when are you ever going to need it? Like the "ultimate survival knife" it will be safely at home in a drawer if you ever find yourself on the deserted island so you'll probably be relying on a more conventional method anyway...
Devil's advocate? Me..?? :evilangel:
I've always been perfectly satisfied with matches, and friction...it's just another bit of tat to spend a tenner on when a box of Swan Vestas costs pence and a match-safe made from two shotgun shells is absolutely free....
And let's face it...when are you ever going to need it? Like the "ultimate survival knife" it will be safely at home in a drawer if you ever find yourself on the deserted island so you'll probably be relying on a more conventional method anyway...
Devil's advocate? Me..?? :evilangel:
I've seen people go through a whole box of matches trying to light a fire.
Successful fire lighting is about preparation more then what you use to ignite it. If you prep the fire and tinder properly, it's just as easy to light with a firesteel as a match. Using a firesteel forces you to make the proper preparation because it wont light unless you do, rather than chance it to a match which sometimes works with poor preparation. Using a firesteel gets you into good habits, that produce consistently good results. I've seen people go to use a lighter and cant get the thing to light (ask a smoker how often that happens). Not the case with a firesteel. I've seen people try to light a stove with wet matches they have had in a coat pocket in the rain, wouldn't happen with a firesteel. You get 10,000 tries with a firesteel you get 50 from a box of matches. it wont let you down. Yes, you could leave it at home, but you could leave a lighter at home too.
Successful fire lighting is about preparation more then what you use to ignite it. If you prep the fire and tinder properly, it's just as easy to light with a firesteel as a match. Using a firesteel forces you to make the proper preparation because it wont light unless you do, rather than chance it to a match which sometimes works with poor preparation. Using a firesteel gets you into good habits, that produce consistently good results. I've seen people go to use a lighter and cant get the thing to light (ask a smoker how often that happens). Not the case with a firesteel. I've seen people try to light a stove with wet matches they have had in a coat pocket in the rain, wouldn't happen with a firesteel. You get 10,000 tries with a firesteel you get 50 from a box of matches. it wont let you down. Yes, you could leave it at home, but you could leave a lighter at home too.
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I don't dispute a word of that for a moment, but you hit the nail on the head when you said it's more about preparation....
Often I've seen people fail with a firesteel, get frustrated and then turn back to the matches...so it only forces those people willing to be forced to be prepared - which (IMHO) a box of matches does equally well....
Not being arguementative...just not mad about firesteels
There is a seller on the bay of fleas doing them at a quid posted and I was really impressed with my mates, same size as the LMF army ones but the striker needs a bit of fettling as the Sharp edges are covered with thick paint.
Got one on route from the far east as we speak
Got one on route from the far east as we speak
There is a seller on the bay of fleas doing them at a quid posted and I was really impressed with my mates, same size as the LMF army ones but the striker needs a bit of fettling as the Sharp edges are covered with thick paint.
Got one on route from the far east as we speak
I got one of these for other people to play with. I have the woodlore one too. The ebay one is very soft but definitely works, like someone else quite rightly said, they throw off huge gobs of sparks that seem to fan out and work best at a distance, the shavings take longer to combust so close up is actually harder. The woodlore one is very good.
Leo
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