So lets talk Firesteels

EDDAKA

EDDAKA

Joined
Oct 24, 2009
Messages
408
Hey everybody,

I have a couple firesteels, but I'm looking to add a few more to my collection. The only ones I currently have are a couple stag handled ones I picked up last summer in finland. They throw sparks pretty good, but are not misch metal. I can light dry cotton balls and some good tinder in one or two strikes. However, it's starting to run low. I need some more firesteel.:)

From what I've been able to gather there are three types.

1.) Light my fire swedish fire steel. Pretty good all around stuff. Sells at alot of outdoor stores. Doesn't throw a shower of sparks, but gets the job done. Lasts a long time.

2.) "Firesteel.com" firesteel. I believe it has magnesium in it? Throws better sparks (or technically globs of steel.) Some people say because you scrape off more metal it's sometimes very inconstant. Doesn't last as long as swedish firesteel.

3.) Going gear misch metal. Haven't heard much bad about this. I would honestly like to know the real difference between this stuff and the "firesteel.com" stuff. (if there is any?) I remember they used to sell rods with nice wood handles, and that seems like a no go now.


So, what has everybody used, and would recommend? Do any of the strikers make a difference? Some people like small serrations, and I guess some people like the high carbon ones firesteel.com sells.

Thanks guys,
-Richard.
 
I got all this from goinggear.com

It's a custom handle firesteel tied to their striker and a whistle. I posted a thread a while back about this but it's easier to post the pics than to look for the thread again :D

it works pretty good... I can light a cotton ball in one strike :D

IMG_0176.JPG

photo2.jpg
 
the light my fire ones are great... another great steel is the esee fire kit (rat fire kit), they have a nice capsul handle - compass - and misch metal flint
 
This thing lays out some sparks that stay hot for a bit:
http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=40&products_id=222

May not be your thing, but the rod is huge and should last a while. the whole thing is a little bigger than a bic lighter and has an internal striker and the rod is spring loaded.

Haven't started any fires with it yet, but I'm sure it won't have any problem. Just make sure none of it gets on you :eek:

Hope that helps.
 
I prefer the LMF Army size steel. Ive used em all, and am most comfortable with it. Been usin em for years now....
 
SpookyPistolero said:
I'm on the same page. I don't really dig the misch metal, too much of a pain to get a good spark.
Click to expand...

not if you get a good striker...

go to goingear.com and check their videos on their steels and you'll be surprised how much sparks you get out of them...
 
Yep, Going gear all the way!!!
I can easily produce the same shower of sparks that they show in there video with the spine of my knife.
 
Very pleased with LMFire Army steel and LMF Scout blanks.
Totally reliable! Will not knock any other brands, just happy with LMF.
 
mollyssurvival.com said:
the light my fire ones are great... another great steel is the esee fire kit (rat fire kit), they have a nice capsul handle - compass - and misch metal flint
Click to expand...

They are now not produced with the misch metal anymore, they now manufacture these with ferrocium rods.
 
all of my firesteels are cheap throwaways. People put way too much thought into firesteels and not enough in firecraft itself. Preperation of materials and workspace should be key, once you get your tinder down to a point where it only takes a strike or two to produce a flame, you can buy the cheapest firesteel in the world and if it produces a single spark, you're good. I've used the same two 2 dollar fire rods for the past three years and they have never let me down.
 
PayetteRucker said:
all of my firesteels are cheap throwaways. People put way too much thought into firesteels and not enough in firecraft itself. Preperation of materials and workspace should be key, once you get your tinder down to a point where it only takes a strike or two to produce a flame, you can buy the cheapest firesteel in the world and if it produces a single spark, you're good. I've used the same two 2 dollar fire rods for the past three years and they have never let me down.
Click to expand...

:thumbup::thumbup:
 
The going Gear with striker is by far the best thing that I have tried, I won't be switching again. I have several LMF as well, good stuff.
 
EDDAKA said:
Hey everybody,

I have a couple firesteels, but I'm looking to add a few more to my collection. The only ones I currently have are a couple stag handled ones I picked up last summer in finland. They throw sparks pretty good, but are not misch metal. I can light dry cotton balls and some good tinder in one or two strikes. However, it's starting to run low. I need some more firesteel.:)

From what I've been able to gather there are three types.

1.) Light my fire swedish fire steel. Pretty good all around stuff. Sells at alot of outdoor stores. Doesn't throw a shower of sparks, but gets the job done. Lasts a long time.

2.) "Firesteel.com" firesteel. I believe it has magnesium in it? Throws better sparks (or technically globs of steel.) Some people say because you scrape off more metal it's sometimes very inconstant. Doesn't last as long as swedish firesteel.

3.) Going gear misch metal. Haven't heard much bad about this. I would honestly like to know the real difference between this stuff and the "firesteel.com" stuff. (if there is any?) I remember they used to sell rods with nice wood handles, and that seems like a no go now.


So, what has everybody used, and would recommend? Do any of the strikers make a difference? Some people like small serrations, and I guess some people like the high carbon ones firesteel.com sells.

Thanks guys,
-Richard.
Click to expand...

Light My Fire is harder than what most call mischmetal. It will throw really hot sparks if struck right. I can get really good sparks off of a strike on just 1/4" inch of the tip by applying the right pressure that will ignite most tinders. They're hot sparks but not as large as the Going Gear sparks because of the misch rod's softer composition. The LMF are great fire steels in my opinion.

"Firesteel.com" fire steels are inconsistent in my experience, personally I won't ever knowingly carry another one to the woods unless I have no other firesteel available.

Going Gear throws really good sparks that burn a while. It takes a longer stroke than the LMF to do it but they do burn longer than the LMF sparks. Because it's softer it wears quicker, but shavings can also be scraped off and added to the tinder pile for a boost.

Then there are others, like the Strike Force which is like a big LMF with a built in striker and a wet fire tinder compartment, the Nanostriker which is like a small G.G. rod in sealed in a tube with its own striker on board too, and lately I'm packing an ESEE fire starter that I really like. It's harder than the LMF and takes a bit to get used to but throws some really hot sparks. I like the water tight tinder compartment and the compass in the handle too.
 
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