From NRP:
Ok, I’m an old fart (61, so maybe not so old) that seems to cut to the chase rather quickly. So here a question for Mr. Maj, or The or The Maj, still have not figured that one out yet… HAHAHA
Fire; we hear a lot about the most important thing in survival is Water, Shelter and Fire. God knows there are 200,000 videos and “post” on all of the above, but I would like to touch a little on fire. Now I know how to start a fire, toss a little paper into a heap of small wood, dump on some diesel/oil mix and toss in a match, POOF, there ya go. Or we could go caveman and rub a couple of sticks together and in 3 hours we have a blazing forest going. What I would like is a little honest information on some of the more popular trinkets such as ferro rods, and more specifically magnesium. I have personally been very successful with the use of ferro rods, maybe it’s the old fart in me but the bright sparks are fun… LOL. Seriously they are a thing of beauty and work very well with everything I have tried with them from Cotton/Vaseline, Lint, Fat Wood, you name it. BUT I have a large bit of heartburn with Magnesium. To tell the truth I worked my azz off shaving a small quarter size pile of that stuff with a poor Leatherman that now needs to be replaced. I had all the right stuff ready for a THIRD try at it, grabbed the ferro and did my thing. I will admit I did lose my eyesight for a few seconds when the stuff was burning and I was trying to add a few more combustibles. Honestly I actually saw my life pass before me in a bright light.
Ok, back to reality for a bit, I have a chunk of Coghlan’s “made in the USA” and it seems hard as the hinges of hell. Is there a better/softer bar out there that won’t take an act of god to carve? I will admit it fires up with just the smallest of spark. So maybe I was just too exhausted to react quickly enough when the world looked like the inner core of the sun.
Any recommendations or should I just hang up the Mag for a few more Bic lighters? I will admit I have had a blast playing with the stuff, so there is entertainment value there. FYI if you get a chance to try out some of those King Kong size matches soaked in wax, go for it, they work great even in moist/wet/snow conditions. And don’t forget the liquid accelerants… Moonshine works GREAT….. LOL
Answer from The Maj:
Good question and right up front, no need to feel like the Lone Ranger with your frustration with Magnesium. Personally, I do not care for it because in my experience it is one of the toughest modern ways to start a fire when everything is wet. It burns hot but it also burns quick, so when things are wet you need really good tinder. Of course the same could be said for just about any method of starting a fire short of a blow torch. As with other methods it also takes practice and familiarity. If you are not happy with the magnesium bar type fire starters, then I would recommend that you not rely on it and find a replacement method.
If ferro rods work for you, I would stick with them. You also might consider looking at rod type fire starters that incorporate magnesium to produce a longer lasting spark than traditional flint or ferro rods. My wife has an aversion to primitive fire starting methods and while searching through many replacement methods, I came across an “Aurora Firstarter”. This is a self contained magnesium rod fire starter and it is easy to operate, has everything that is required to strike built in, and produces a long lasting spark. Best of all, no separate magnesium shaving with your blade. In your case it might be worth a look. I would stay away from the “Blastmatch”, simply because both that I have tested have broken after a couple of uses.
While we are on the subject, I go with a rule of four when it comes to being able to start a fire. My bag always includes Bic Lighters (notice it is plural), water proof matches, ferro rod, and materials to make a bow drill. I am currently evaluating the pocket torch PJ reviewed awhile back to augment my wife’s bag. Everyone is different and there are endless potential combinations of tools or methods but the minimum in my opinion is four methods for everyone. There isn’t much worse than being cold and wet without a fire.
Hope this helps.
The Maj
Do you have a question for The Maj? Send an email to: Askthemaj at gmail dot com. (All together on the email, written that way to thwart spam bots).
The views and opinions here on this blog post are solely that of the author (The Maj). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent the position of PJ, Prepper-Resources.com or any other contributors to the site.
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The Maj
Thank you for the reply; it’s good to know I’m not sitting alone with the frustration in Mag. Your suggestion of the “Aurora Firestarter” is right on the mark, I have two of those and they work almost as well as a Bic Lighter; better in moist or wet conditions IMO. I agree with you in several means of building a fire, the rule of 4 definitely works here. Also I always suggest have multiples of the “4” in all of your “bags” rather it be BOB, GHB, Vehicle Bag, Kitchen drawer or whatever, this stuff is cheap and lite weight. Lastly I would also suggest carrying a good assortment of tinder (fatwood), Cotton balls with Vas, or other dry highly flammable “stuff”.
NRP
For tinder, fortunately for me, I live in an area that has an abundance of “fat lightered” (basically pre-petrified pine where all of the sap collected in the stump of an old pine) or as you referred to it “fatwood”. There is not much better for starting a fire because I believe you can soak it in water and still light it – it burns hot and it has a longer burn time than most other tinder.
Even with that available, I still carry a tin of cotton balls soaked in Vasaline and a tin of dryer lint (yes, the stuff you clean off of your dryer screen or at least the stuff you should clean off of your dryer screan). I primarily use the lint to get a fire started in my Kelly-Kettle when necessary but it still works for building larger fires.
I have been using a method for starting fires in wet conditions for decades. Go to your local hardware store and get a can of carbide.This is the stuff that hardrock miners used in the lamps on their helmets before some enterprising guy invented battery-powered miners lamps. Carbide granules mixed with water produce acetylene gas – the same stuff a welder uses in his cutting torch. To get a fire going with carbide is simple. Put a small amount of carbide (about 1/2 teaspoon) on the ground where you will build your fire. Add a small amount of water (about 1/2 cup) – just pour it over the carbide. The carbide will immediately start to produce acetylene gas and will continue until the carbide or the water is consumed. Lite the gas with your lighter, water proof match, ferro rod, or rub 2 boy scouts together. Use the gas flame to dry wet kindling. You can even keep a fire going in the rain. I carry my carbide in my survival kit. It has never failed me, and I have used this method from the tropics to the arctic.
I LIKE it.
I remember when I was a kid (surprising huh LOL) using/playing with this stuff. If I do remember correctly there was not a tin can anywhere in the township that was safe. HAHAHA, ahhhhh the good old days.
Need to find some and give it a try.
Thanks sargemsb
NRP
The Maj
As a short follow-up on the “Aurora Firestarter” I have both the 2SA and the 400C, they both are great for the propose and personaly I see little difference, so get the 400C at 3-4 bucks cheaper.
I also went and splurged ($20+-) and got one of the “6 inches long x 1/2 inch diameter, “Giant Ferrocerium Rod/ferro Rod/ Flint steel/fire starter/mischmetal firesteel” from World of Fire/Amazon.com.That thing is a thing of beauty. Let me tell ya-all drag a chunk of hard steal over that thing and it will ignite a granite rock HAHAHA. Honestly I dang near peed my pants on how well it works. LOL
Keep warm my friends
NRP
For some time I was enamored with magnesium bars, but I returned mostly to disposable lighters because if you’re going to carry something, you might as well carry the easiest thing available (and perhaps the cheapest) and of course, the lighter gives you both the spark and the flame altogether! I carry a Blast match as a extra backup (in my belt-carried multi pouch tool carrier), and have a little fire kit in my 10C vest that consists (right now) of a plastic pill bottle with 3-4 tea candles (1 is citronella) and little squares of paper towel with grind magnesium twisted up in them. IF all the available tender is wet (though I carry fuel tabs as well) even a lighter takes a while to dry then ignite it, the tea candle shines here. If I only have a ferro rod/Blast match then the squares of magnesium powder work great and are more wind resistant than scrapings off a mag. bar. I’ve had no problem with breakage of the Blast match and I like the ability to use it one-handed, but it is a backup to the backup! I also have a Aurora Firestarter (yea I’m a pyro), carried it on my keychain for a while, too much bulk in my pocket, so now I’m trying to get used to carrying it along my neck with my neck knife (not normal EDC). The AF is very well built and gives great sparks, I only wish it came in a thicker diameter rod with a small place for tender! Good Luck and happy prepping! (GLAHP)