Magnesium Bar fire starter.

D

[digidude]

Joined
Aug 21, 2005
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797
I was trying one of these out today, and I just couldnt get a fire going. I got the magnesium shavings to light but they went out so fast there was no time to add tinder :rolleyes: I think I should have used more shavings. Its said to use at least enough to cover a quarter, I m not sure I did.


Anyone got any tips or hints?


-dude
 
Hi,
Get a BSA Hotspark--much quicker, easier, and works every time (provided you have decent tinder) vaseline cotton balls work great. My .02
 
Yeah, I was dissapointed with the magnesium too. Getting the shavings is hard enough, then getting them in a nice pile and tinder on top but exposed enough to allow the sparks to hit them is a pain in the ass. I have a Blast Match which is so easy to use its almost cheating :)
 
The idea is to start out with something fuzzy , about the size of a walnut , maybe some frizzed tree bark or ideally , cotton soaked in vasaline/etc.
Scrape your mag onto it and spark , this is supposed to (and will) ignite your tinder which then can be used for making your fire.
Yea there are easier methods but learning to do as many as you can as effecient as you can is not only fun but good skills , as well as the "cool factor" of showing off to your hunting/whatever buddies.
 
When I carried one, I spent a couple hours scraping the bar and putting the shavings into a film canister. I added them to some cotton/parafin firestarters that I made up. They work pretty good, but like was mentioned a Hotspark and a good, easy light tinder, worked out better for me.
 
You need to have a decent amount of shavings. I use about a dime size. Then you need a good tinder to catch the flame (birch bark is good) very close at hand because the flame goes hot and quick.

There are drawbacks to the magflint block but unlike any other spark based system, you are guarateed a flame all in one single unit package.

Other systems need a separate DRY tinder to work and even then you are not guaranteed. What happens when the vaseline cotton balls are gone? ;)

this is the reason the military incudes it in the pilots survival kits and always will.

Try using a BSA hotspark or blastmatch or sparklight on wet or damp natural tinder. Impossible to get a flame. Not so with the magblock.

Those of lessor IQ or dexterity need not try it, it takes some intellect as well.

Practice makes perfect.

Skam
 
Anyone got any tips or hints?
Click to expand...

My tip is to keep the ferrocerium rod for starting the fires, but forget about lighting the magnesium shavings. Get yourself a piece of fatwood. It's also waterproof; it's much easier to shave; it's just as easy to light; and it burns for longer.

--Mike
 
Evolute said:
My tip is to keep the ferrocerium rod for starting the fires, but forget about lighting the magnesium shavings. Get yourself a piece of fatwood. It's also waterproof; it's much easier to shave; it's just as easy to light; and it burns for longer.

--Mike
Click to expand...

And when its gone or you loose it you could be up a creek. The mag block works if you have half a brain and it lights hundreds of fires all in one single unit/piece.

Skam
 
Or just add a piece of fatwood on the keychain of the magblock and be done with the debate :rolleyes: :D :)

Magblocks are a PITA, but do have their place and purpose as stated by others. A major problem with them though is how the slightest breeze sends the mag. shavings everywhere but where you intended.
 
I agree, half a brain and you got fire with a magbar. Lose it and you're still out of luck. Backup! Carry extra ignition and extra tinder. Just don't carry them in the same place. Lose one, you got another or so to get the job done. Lose those :rolleyes: and hopefully you've had the forethought to learn what's available in the natural world that'll work in a pinch. ;)
 
And when its gone or you loose it you could be up a creek. The mag block works if you have half a brain and it lights hundreds of fires all in one single unit/piece.
Click to expand...

A few things to note, here: 1) I can start hundreds of fires with a fatwood block the size of the magnesium block, too; 2) you can attach the fatwood to the ferro rod, or even buy them as single-piece units, to prevent losing them; 3) actually, I'd be fine with neither the fatwood nor the magnesium, because the ferro rod, itself, can be shaved to produce material which can catch a spark and ignite to start a fire.

Of course the mag block works if you have half a brain, but it is still more of a hassle, without more benefit, than fatwood. And, of course, one should learn and practice natural tinders, too. And, of course, kit redundancy is helpful.

--Mike
 
One trick is to hold the scraper steady and draw the mag block towards you, same with the ferro rod, less risk of scattering your tinder. That said I would rather have the ferro rod with some vasoline soaked cotten balls. These are cheap, burn great and even my young Scouts can use a ferro rod to start these with about 10min practice.
 
I use mag-ferr starters too...i find the magnesium just takes too much time to scrape would use the cotton/vaseline starter metioned just now...i read sumwhere that one ball can start 60+ fires?i think it was ranger joe, the survival necklace guy in his ad for the necklace.

Another option would be getting the mag-ferr starters with wood for scraping to use as tinder...or u could get use wood shavings first then add tinder to the burning pile
 
I think Ill try the cotton ball idea. They work well even by themselves (not soaked in vasaline) Thanks for all the replies!
I primarily use a lighter to start fires, my mag bar is only backup.


-dude
 
Take waterproof matches and a candle .Light the candle using that to start tinder and wood. In an emergency it's not the time to fool with flint and steel.
 
As long as wind isn't a factor, using a candle would work. The benefit of a ferro rod (modern flint) and striker, with proper tinder, is that it can be used wet or dry, wind or calm, anytime and anywhere. :)
 
longbow50 said:
I spent a couple hours scraping the bar and putting the shavings into a film canister.
Click to expand...

To fulfill the size requirements for a little kit I was assembling, I used a metal saw to cut about 1 cm from the side of a magnesium bar from a standard firestarter. Of course a lot of shavings were being produced (powder rather than "flakes") so I decided to save those in little plastic tubes I had around (about 2.5 inches long and 3/4 inches in diameter).

I keep these sealed tubes in my firestarting kits for using in a real emergency when there is no time to lose scraping the magnesium, just as Wadly and Mete have pointed out


Jaime Orozco.
 
good thread
i purchased one of those mag/ferro starters a couple of years ago and i've just recently dug it up from long storage. it's covered with some dull grey/whitish oxidation. anyone know if this affectst the fire starting efficacy of the shavings? should i scrape off the oxide before trying to start a fire?

i just hate dulling my knives when using it :(
i do remember when i first got the starter i made some shavings and saved em in a spice jar, those lit up quite poorly when i attempted to light them using the flint sparks. maybe soem oxide hindered the spark from igniting the flakes :confused:
 
Eric H said:
What is 'fatwood'?
Click to expand...
Usually a pine tree that died suddenly and has the resin pumped thru itself and saturated with it. It catches fire easily.

Someone else can give a better definition/explaination :foot:
 
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