Does my firesteel make me look fat???

this necker is one carried everytime i step off pavement(and sometimes when i dont...)
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firesteel and firestraws etc under ranger band

another carried typically baldric style with about 30' of braided paracord for strap.
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no pix-but also carry a ml with baldric style arrangement. i made the firesteel handle to match the osage orange scales.

dont buy handled firesteels. buy 5/16" blank steels in bulk and handle them myself. so a bit of time but few $ invested.
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Always in the pouch on my sheath:

FS2-Sheath-Contents.jpg


Also have a smaller one, along with pitchwood on my keychain:

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I carry mine in a neck sheath like is shown here. The orange knife goes with it.

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I like loop's on my sheath and I also carry a firesteel in my belt pouch but I also carry this one around my neck under my shirt.

  • LMF mini fire steel in kydex sheath
  • Modified hacksaw blade fire steel scraper
  • Magnesium bar
  • Fatwood stick
  • 2 tinder quick tabs
  • Ranger band

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I never understood wanting it on your sheath, but that may just be me.
I generally just keep it in my fire kit.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
I never understood wanting it on your sheath, but that may just be me.
I generally just keep it in my fire kit.
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I don't think it matters too much where they are as long as ya never put all your eggs in one basket. If it's on your sheath then carry another in ya pocket or a matchsafe in ya pocket etc. I always try to carry 3 means of making fire and spread them out over my body incase I lose one !
 
Never carried one on a sheath and probably never will. I guess growing up on a farm taught me to never have any loose/cluttering stuff on your person unless it's really necessary or it will get caught on stuff. On the farm that means getting stuck in machinery or stuck on fences, buildings, ladders, etc. when you're going or down and you slip. I've seen some pretty nasty injuries that happened from this stuff. Loose stuff also tends to get lost sooner or later. Only thing I carry "loose" on my belt is a pair of pliers and I can't begin the number of times I've had to track them down.

If there's a piece of equipment I'm going to be carrying on my person that is there for my survival it's going to be in a pocket, bag, or something like that.

Then again, I don't use those fancy custom firesteels anyway so I have nothing to show off, and only really keep about 3 around.
 
pitdog said:
Obviously a safe queen...get out and use the stuff man !:D
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I would, but I get scared at the thought of leaving the sidewalks :eek: !!

unit said:
If you do not mind sharing...what is that hanging off the butt of the knife? Somehow I doubt that this is an inventory tag for storage in your safe LOL.
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That's my tactical pink "Now where IS my knife?" visibility tag... :o
 
hlee said:
"... having a firesteel attached to my SA[c]K..."
Talk about an image that's tough to get out of one's head...
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I was going to say that sounds pretty uncomfortable, but I guess after a while you get used to it.
 
Don't know how I missed this thread... oh ya... I probably saw that Ken made it and passed it over.

Anyway, I will open myself to ridicule once again and list my firestarting system for the deep woods during the colder months.

Pack
Emergency Firebag - pre-prep'd jute/steel wool/cedar bark/char cloth bundle, fatwood, Bic lighter, firesteel, innertube and (4)8hr tea lights.

On me
Firepouch - HBC tobacco box, flint and steel, char, steel wool, tinder fungus, jute, char cooker, firesteel.

Neckpouch - firesteel/scraper mag bar, fatwood.

Pocket - Bic lighter

Actually ON Me
(1) mini firesteel/scraper taped to the back of my calf


Rick
 
I like firesteel loops on sheaths. It puts a sharp edge and a reliable firestarting tool in one defined and secure place on my person at all times when out and about. If I take my knife, my firesteel goes too: no fuss. Two tools that'd make my life easier, in one easy package. The third of my "basic trio" is the canteen cup (and canteen) which is also on my belt.

I only have a few fixed blades now, so keeping a standard LMF army sized firesteel on 2 or 3 sheaths isn't a problem. I use a loop of shock cord to keep the steel tight in the loop and have never had one snag and get lost yet. I tend to strike my firesteels such that the middle wears, rather than the end first, so I always have a bit of the end for the shock cord to loop onto.

I also have ranger bands on my sheaths, so I usually carry a couple small pieces of fatwood, an LMF striker (new ones, with the flat edges and better squaring), and a short length of jute.

I do carry a small spare firesteel in a zippered pouch on my belt, with some other PSK stuff. So I'd have that one even if I lost the one on my sheath somehow.
 
I have an LMF Army model in a kydex sheath holder and I use shock cord instead of para cord ,helps with retension as rod diameter gets smaller... If I pocket carry,I usually carry the ESEE Firekit in my pocket
 
kgd said:
The title is in jest to the variety of expensive custom firesteel holders that abound. Hey, if you want to spend $60-$75 to have a firesteel match your knife handle that is cool too. I only made the title provocative to get you looking at this thread :D :D :D

So really, I want to ask how you guys carry your firesteels. Firesteel loops on sheaths are fairly common but they also have a dilemma associated with them. First, the loops are sized to a specific firesteel type. Second, your firesteel gets smaller in diameter with usage and it gets looser and looser in the loop through time. Hence a lanyard and locking loop, preferrably out of shock cord.

Another dilemma occurs, when you are like most of us addicts on this board, that you have 5 or 10 (or 250 if you are Rock6) favorite knives that get the rotational use. I'm betting some of them probably have firesteel loops and others don't. Do the ones with firesteel loops all have the same size of loop? Do you keep separate firesteels in the different sheaths or do you rotate your firesteel from knife to knife as you use it? Do you have $800 in firesteels, each matching a custom knife? (ha ha....I still can't get that thought out of my head).....

I have a bit of a problem with different sheath having different sized loops. One of my 'fixes' was to have a custom SAK sheath made for my OHT-trecker with an integrated firesteel loop. A constant in my life is that I always bring my SAK even if I rotate my main fixed blade. So having a firesteel attached to my SAK means I always have a firesteel with me. It still forces me to standardize the size of firesteel I use though.

Is there such a thing as a dedicated Firesteel loop that attaches directly to your belt? I always though this would be a pretty cool batman-belt type device on its own. Kind of like the shotgun shell loops, but just one, sized for a firesteel....

A nifty trick that I see Rick do, is just make a long lanyard on the firesteel and loop it around your belt or a belt loop. Attach by a carbiner or a simple tie out knot and place in your pocket. The lanyard keeps the firesteel secure even while it is in your pocket.

How many people just keep their firesteel buried in their pack?

How many just keep one in their jacket or pants pocket?

Lets get some options......I'm presuming that ya'll at least carry a firesteel with you....Don't you???
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Some of my knives have loops, most do not. Several have pouches on the sheaths though and I keep different things in them. Usually if i am in the field I will always have the nano on my keychain, the ESEE fire starter in a cargo pocket, and another ferro rod or hot sparks burried in my pack.
 
Rick Marchand said:
....Anyway, I will open myself to ridicule once again and list my firestarting system for the deep woods during the colder months..............

Actually ON Me
(1) mini firesteel/scraper taped to the back of my calf


Rick
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What's to ridicule?:confused:

I like the concept of not keeping all one's eggs in one basket.
Not to be outdone by tape though, I may have to consider a piercing...;)
 
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