ESEE Fire kit vs GobSpark Armageddon Firesteel

d2eux

d2eux

Joined
Oct 10, 2010
Messages
289
Hey all,

A few months ago there was a discussion on the ESEE forum comparing the RAT firekit to the UST Strikeforce. I'm not sure what the consensus was but I wanted to initiate another comparison.

I just came across this website called firesteel.com, and they prominently feature one of their firesteels called "Gobspark Armageddon."

Information on specs here with reviews:
http://www.survivaltopics.com/gear/...eddon-FireSteel-with-Scraper-and-Lanyard.html
http://www.amazon.com/Gobspark-Firesteel-Super-Scraper-Lanyard/dp/B003PNMUWA
http://firesteel.com/products/GobSpark-Armageddon-FireSteel-with-Scraper-and-Lanyard.html

Specifications

* length 4-3/4 inches long (121mm)
* FireSteel: 3/8 x 3-inches long (2-1/2 inches useable)
* Handle: approx. 2 x 3/4 inches
* Weight without lanyard and scraper: 1.7 ounces (41 grams)
* Robust 5500 F (3000 C) sparks that will start a fire in the toughest conditions
* Composition: FireSteel.com ferrocerium rod
Click to expand...

It's received glowing reviews across the board and looking at the specs, I thought an appropriate comparison would be with the ESEE Fire kit.

In fact, someone from survivaltopics did buy both and seemed to prefer the Gobspark,but I would like more opinions than just one.
http://www.survivaltopics.com/forums/fire/13481-rat-esee-fire-kit.html

So, if anyone has both (or had both) please feel free to post your thoughts and comments I am very interested!:cool:
 
I think firesteels are like knives. It's really about your personal preference more than anything. Select the criteria important to you, and VIOLA! You have your favorite firesteel! Some folks here like more traditional ones, some like the mishmetal ones that throw more globs, and some like the magnesium blocks! Which Firestarter are you?
 
here is another way at looking at the fire steel issue:

when your hands are cramped up, fingers balled up in a claw, and you can barely move.......do you want to be trying to exert a lot of force trying to get a spark? (MISCH) or do you want to use a little effort as possible to get a spark? (TRAD)

from my own experiences, where i have purposely let my hands get so cold i cannot move my fingers, it was easier for me to use a traditional firesteel, than the ESEE or similar(like Armegeddon and similar steels).

that being said, the ESEE is my all time favorite firesteel, i have a bunch scattered all over my gear, one as a zipper pull on my jacket, etc)

if one had one or the other, your already ahead of the game.

later :cool:
 
It's best to practice and get comfortable with using a firesteel period.
I've used Goinggear rods and LMF's and they both get the job done.
 
I too prefer the LMF type over the misch metal type, easier to get a spark, and I haven't found that the misch metal globs make it any easier to ignite tinders. I want to get an ESEE kit and swap out the rod for a longer misch rod and see how that works. I think part of the issue with the misch rods for me is I just have GG blanks(4x3/8"), so there's no handle to grip, so maybe slapping an ESEE container on there will help.
 
Bushman5 said:
from my own experiences, where i have purposely let my hands get so cold i cannot move my fingers, it was easier for me to use a traditional firesteel, than the ESEE or similar(like Armegeddon and similar steels).

:
Click to expand...

by traditional do you mean a magnesium block?
 
I'm in the other school. I find it a pain to scrape the magnesium and keep up with all those little shavings. I have much better luck just getting some tinder set up, and one strike on the mischmetal rods and I have fire.

I have a dozen of Goingears rods mixed with knives, packs, and kits as backup to the bic.

Doc
 
This is slightly tangential, but i like the Firesteel.com 3" magnesium rods with the lanyard hole. It seems softer and easier to scrape than the Doan block I have.

I've got a couple of their Ranger ones with the little minimalist lanyard attachment. Steel, striker, and mag on a lanyard make a VERY small and light package.
 
d2eux said:
It's received glowing reviews across the board...
Click to expand...

I just thought that was funny...

I've been wanting to do a heads up comparison myself. I have a Gobspark and I love the large handle, which may address the cold stiff hands issue. I also have a LMF and a couple of mag block style fire starters to compare. When am I going to get to it, who knows...
 
do any of you who own the RAT/ESEE fire kit, have you noticed any difference in effectiveness with the misch or ferro rod? (Apparantly only the RAT version has the misch rod). What draws me to the ESEE kit is the option to store tinder, etc. Also, somewhat of a big price difference, not sure if that indicates quality given the high praise for the gobspark.
 
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d2eux said:
do any of you who own the RAT/ESEE fire kit, have you noticed any difference in effectiveness with the misch or ferro rod? (Apparantly only the RAT version has the misch rod). What draws me to the ESEE kit is the option to store tinder, etc. Also, somewhat of a big price difference, not sure if that indicates quality given the high praise for the gobspark.
Click to expand...

I think curent production ESEE fire kits are using a LMF type rod.

Also noteworthy is that the rod is replaceable. IRC it's held in place with a set screw.
 
6shooter said:
I want to get an ESEE kit and swap out the rod for a longer misch rod and see how that works. I think part of the issue with the misch rods for me is I just have GG blanks(4x3/8"), so there's no handle to grip, so maybe slapping an ESEE container on there will help.
Click to expand...

i replaced all my esee fire kits that came with ferro rod with misch metal rods. you can also use a spent rifle shell as a handle for your blank rods. for the 3/8", i used a .45-70 govt shell and for the 5/16", i used a .308 shell. it makes for an interesting conversation piece around the camp fire too!

rifle_shell_fire_steel.jpg



d2eux said:
do any of you who own the RAT/ESEE fire kit, have you noticed any difference in effectiveness with the misch or ferro rod? (Apparantly only the RAT version has the misch rod). What draws me to the ESEE kit is the option to store tinder, etc. Also, somewhat of a big price difference, not sure if that indicates quality given the high praise for the gobspark.
Click to expand...

i had both misch and ferro rod version and i prefer the misch metal. i have to get the wood shavings finer in order for the ferro rod to light it up compared to the misch version. with the same fine wood shavings, i can light it up faster with a misch rod since it burns a little longer.


Joben said:
I think curent production ESEE fire kits are using a LMF type rod.

Also noteworthy is that the rod is replaceable. IRC it's held in place with a set screw.
Click to expand...

the rod is glued in place in the newer esee fire kits. new version on the left and the old version on the right. it only takes a few seconds to heat up the base with a lighter though to soften up the glue enough to pull the rod out.

esee_fire_kit_03.jpg
 
JV3 said:
i replaced all my esee fire kits that came with ferro rod with misch metal rods. you can also use a spent rifle shell as a handle for your blank rods. for the 3/8", i used a .45-70 govt shell and for the 5/16", i used a .308 shell. it makes for an interesting conversation piece around the camp fire too!

rifle_shell_fire_steel.jpg
Click to expand...

Damn that's a clever idea! Too bad I shoot a 7mm:( I'll have to scrounge the range for a .45 shell next time I'm out. Thanks for the idea:D
 
Well...the firesteel issue itself is very subjective. Which type of firesteel you'll want to use on a regular basis will be a personal thing depending on your "normal" environment and types of tinders used. I personally carry both types because I like the controllability of the harder LMF type when working with dry tinders and things like magnesium shavings that are easily scattered. The sparks from misch rods tend to have more energy, be a little more violent and reactive but are great when using large masses of tinder to give them a better target to hit like nests of cedar bark, especially if the tinder is damp. Also misch rods can be scraped to create a pile of shavings that will ignite from the sparks from the same firesteel to create an initial tinder in in-climate weather.

That said, I do have a rather extensive collection of ferro rods: Exotac, Going Gear, ESEE, TOPS, LMF, Strike Force, Hot Sparks, and various magnesium bars...and one FS.com.

Of these the only rod I refuse to take to the field is the FS.com rod. It was one of the first misch rods I ever got and I had trouble with it right off the bat. It was inconsistent in sparking and a lot of the time I would just scrape shavings off that wouldn't even ignite when it did spark. When I mentioned this on another forum the owner of FS.com chimed in and rather than answer my questions or even asking me any questions about the rod, my striking technique, or the conditions I was immediately met with "maybe you don't know how to use a firesteel, here's a video let me show you the correct way to use one" So...I tried the rod again a few more times with no success. I came to my own conclusions about the real priorities of FS.com. In the last two years since I have bought a half dozen or so misch rods from Going Gear, after being gifted my first one by another member here, and had no problems at all...ever. I love my GG misch rods and have given several as gifts and am making some with custom handles as gifts for my family. I have used up a half dozen of the replaceable misch rods in my Exotac nanostrikers in classes and demos with no negative issues with the rods what so ever and support that company wholeheartedly. I have bought over a dozen LMF rods over the years and have supplied my entire family with them. I love my Strike Force and have given ten or so as gifts to friends because I trust them also. I have four ESEE firestarters so far that I use in my classes and plan to buy more. So far I have never run across better customer service than I get with Exotac, ESEE, or Going Gear, I will continue to support these companies as long as I can and they are there to support.

After the crappy FS.com fire steel...and even crappier customer service I received...I will never support FS.com, I will never knowingly field any of their tools. In fact the one FS.com rod I own still sits here in a place of prominence on my desk as a reminder, and the only thing I have used it for since has been to put it into a glass of salt water to demonstrate the reaction of salt water and ferrocerium in a video. It did handle that task very well. I have considered getting one of their Armageddon fire steels but only because I would change the rod out for a Going Gear rod, and cutting in texture into one of their handles so it would actually be a useful tool under wet conditions would go quicker than making my own. However since I have a friend working on another project now I will just wait as I reeeally don't want to support that company any at all.
 
mistwalker said:
Of these the only rod I refuse to take to the field is the FS.com rod. It was inconsistent in sparking and the only thing I have used it for since has been to put it into a glass of salt water to demonstrate the reaction of salt water and ferrocerium in a video. It did handle that task very well.

Mist, top of the morning to you. Maybe you should make a video project of the FS.com rod in the salt water & send it to them with the explanation that you finally have it working correctly. . . :)
I know that is not in good taste, but I like you hate dealing with companies that go on the defensive as soon as a little negativity is mentioned. Apologies to you for "revising" your post, just needed the above. Good solid explanation, thanks for the review.
Be safe.
p.s.: By the way, I also ordered some Misch rods along with that Klarus light.
Can not wait to get both outside to "play" with.
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