Doan Magnesium Firestarter

[Shuya]

I really love the magnesium bars to light a fire. They are waterproof and give you a much longer "flame" than any firesteel - even as the misch metal ones.
And they dont blow up in just a second. Done right the magnesium will burn with a nice flame for quite a long time. So you can ignite any kind of kindling with it.

Here are 2 videos Ive done for a german outdoorforum to explain the handling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSmXr8oeXto
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgTq7C4u4Us

Just made inside the house.

 

[WJC01]

I use a hacksaw blade scraper and end up with mag sawdust. The video's method looks much better. Thanks.

 

[Shuya]

With the sharp back of a blade you can produce really fine shavings of magnessium.

Just put something underneath to help collect the shavings. I've used a sheet of paper but anything like this will work eg a big leave or a bandana.

You should end up with something like this:

It will ignite with the smallest spark and will produce a nice 3000°C hell of fire.
Note the burning time of more than 20 seconds.

 

[Joben]

Hey, if I had a bic and a firesteel in my pocket and suddenly needed to make a fire, I would grab the bic. However, you can also bet that I would build the foundations of my fire that would ensure it was successful using either approach.

Quoted for truth.

This is actually what turned me on to firesteels and other similar approaches.

When I started trying to make fires under less than ideal conditions i quickly realized that the problem wasn't getting that initial flame, but keeping it alive for the first few seconds. And making it bigger over the next 2 minutes or so, during which time it is still very delicate.

Starting with a lighter doesn't make either of those feats much easier. It just lets you start with stuff slighlty larger than fuzz.

 

[Mistwalker]

It's too time consuming to shave magnesium, enough to take a spark. It doesn't give off a good flame like char cloth and jute twine, or patroleum soaked cotton ball. It makes my knife spine all scratched up, not to mention the fire steel on it usually sucks.

The advantage of a magnesium fire starter is simply that you have your spark and tinder all in one weather proof package...even if exposed to the weather...and can be made to function with only a piece of chert, flint, or scavenged piece of of steel with a sharpened or squared edge. Is it the best fire starting method under most circumstances? Hell no!! However they weigh very little, take up little space, and in the issue plastic can be stored indefinitely with no ill effects. It can definitely be a great final option tool to fall back on when all else fails.

 

[dawsonbob]

The advantage of a magnesium fire starter is simply that you have your spark and tinder all in one weather proof package...even if exposed to the weather...and can be made to function with only a piece of chert, flint, or scavenged piece of of steel with a sharpened or squared edge. Is it the best fire starting method under most circumstances? Hell no!! However they weigh very little, take up little space, and in the issue plastic can be stored indefinitely with no ill effects. It can definitely be a great final option tool to fall back on when all else fails.

Nailed it in one, Mist.:thumbup: It's a great backup.

 

[Loosearrow]

I really love the magnesium bars to light a fire. They are waterproof and give you a much longer "flame" than any firesteel - even as the misch metal ones.
And they dont blow up in just a second. Done right the magnesium will burn with a nice flame for quite a long time. So you can ignite any kind of kindling with it.

Here are 2 videos Ive done for a german outdoorforum to explain the handling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSmXr8oeXto
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgTq7C4u4Us

Just made inside the house.

Nice post. I really hadn't seen it done like that before. I usually use the file on my multitool. I liked the curls.

 

[Bushman5]

if i clamp the block into a vice, and use a hand plane, i can get nice curls and lots of them fast. But in the woods using a scraper, meh.....dust.....

i'll stick with PJCB