Check out my goinggear.com fire kit review on Woodsmonkey!

j williams said:
I had the chance to review a fire kit, and firesteel offered by goinggear.com, check it out! It was fun to do, I love fire. :o

Goinggear.coms fire kit and firesteels
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I have to provide a counterpoint to his review of the "fire sticks." I have used them many times. They are often marketed as "super matches" and can be found in a lot of regular grocery stores with the charcoal and lighter fluid. They are made out of compressed wood particles and wax with a phosphorus/sulfur tip. They can be struck very easily and reliably in my experience. They light up quickly and are very wind resistant. I suspect the ones used in the review had has some mishap with the match tip. IDK what could have made it crap out like that. The match tip will fail if it gets wet, but the body of the stick will still burn strongly if you get it lit. It would be a good way to light damp wood.
 
The two reviews mentioned are the first ones I have seen from anyone, so I never thought that people would actually try to strike them as matches. In hindsight, that was pretty dumb of me, considering that is what they were made for. I just include them in the kit because wax and sawdust fire starters are easily my favorite kind, and the Diamond ones fit nicely in the kit when broken in half.

Regarding using them, they are pretty easy to light with a firesteel once you know a couple of ways to use them:

1. You can light the rough/broken end of a piece that you break off with sparks from a firesteel pretty easily. I can usually get it going in one or two strikes.
2. Use it just like fatwood. Scrape off some shavings using your knife/striker, light those (REALLY easy to light), then use that flaming pile to light the larger piece which will burn for much longer. This is the method that I almost always use to start fires and it works very well for me in the frigid temps of metro Atlanta. :D

Here is a video where I demonstrate the technique, along with other fire starters:

Using a firesteel with various tinders
 
stieg said:
I've had the same problem with the CountyComm ones, too.
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I should have said originally that mine were NOT from Going Gear, I'm not slamming them in any way. In fact, I'll probably order a few more from GG, they are handy little lighters, and the rest of the kit looks interesting!

Thanks again for the review!
 
CaptInsano said:
I have to provide a counterpoint to his review of the "fire sticks." I have used them many times. They are often marketed as "super matches" and can be found in a lot of regular grocery stores with the charcoal and lighter fluid. They are made out of compressed wood particles and wax with a phosphorus/sulfur tip. They can be struck very easily and reliably in my experience. They light up quickly and are very wind resistant. I suspect the ones used in the review had has some mishap with the match tip. IDK what could have made it crap out like that. The match tip will fail if it gets wet, but the body of the stick will still burn strongly if you get it lit. It would be a good way to light damp wood.
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Did you use a striker off a matchbox to light them? Mine were new, and I couldnt get them to spark or light with a firesteel, or by striking them on the side of my K&M matchcase.... However once lit, they did prove to be a good tinder. :thumbup:
 
j williams said:
Did you use a striker off a matchbox to light them? Mine were new, and I couldnt get them to spark or light with a firesteel, or by striking them on the side of my K&M matchcase.... However once lit, they did prove to be a good tinder. :thumbup:
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I struck them right on the box they came in.
 
Was it a striker like is on a matchbox? Mine didnt come in original box. They were part of the fire kit....
 
great review Jake..:thumbup: thatt is a cool looking little kit, definitely well worth the $$$...
 
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