Tested New Firesteel with Firestraw

thats a bloody good idea for tinder mate!!!

I wonder if I can find any of that petroleum jelly in Australia?
 
Waldganger said:
thats a bloody good idea for tinder mate!!!

I wonder if I can find any of that petroleum jelly in Australia?
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This looks to be an Australian site:

http://www.unilever.com.au/ourbrands/personalcare/vaseline_products/Vaseline_petroleum_jelly.asp

In the States, just about every drug store or discount store has its store brand of petroleum jelly, but MORIMOTOM is right that Vaseline is the most recognized brand.

I just take (real) cotton balls, stick them in a container, get a big glob of PJ in my hand, and work/mash it into the cotton.

I used to carry PJ-impregnated balls in plastic film canisters; those have actually become harder (but not impossible) to find as so many people are going to digital cameras.

Still, the firestraws are more compact and are pretty easy to make.
 
The Sweedish firesteels are great, and pretty much the only ones that I buy. I have pretty much light all my fires with a firesteel, and have practiced on many, many types of tinders (I am talking natural tinders here. I carry stuff like this as well, but also want to know what I can do if that stuff is not available) and I have a bit of unsolicited advice.

Personally, I don't like the strikers that come with these. They leave deep gouges in the firesteel and you can throw an as good or better spark with hard square corner. I typically use the back of a knife. But, that is beside the point. My advice is for the manner in which you strike the firesteel.

If you do a scrap along the length of the firesteel, you will produce a bright and flashy shower of sparks. In my experience, this is what most people tend to do, and it works "okay." After a while, most people figure out that slow and a lot of pressure with the same motion works even better. The problem with both these methods is that after a time, you will realize your firesteel is getting thin in the middle and eventually it will prematurely break off.

Instead, I hold the firesteel in my hand, and really choke up on the thing. I put the striker within 1/2 to 1/4 inch from the end and do a hard pushing motion. Act like you are trying to take a chip out of the end of the firesteel. You will get two results from this 1) The spark not be a big shower, but be much more concentrated, and will burn hotter and longer. 2) With extended use, you just start to "sharpen" your firesteel to a point. You can continue this method for a long time and in time your firesteel will just become shorter and shorter. But, there will be no breaking and waste of the rod.

So, that is just my advice. Take it for what it is worth. I had planned on making a video of this technique, but had not got that far yet.
 
Just to add: I learned about the firestraws and the firesteel supplier over in Wilderness. Not my invention or my find.

There was a contentious thread over there dealing with the origins of the firestraw idea. Whoever thought it up first, it is a cool way to carry little individual fire starters.

briangandrews said:
The Sweedish firesteels are great, and pretty much the only ones that I buy. I have pretty much light all my fires with a firesteel, and have practiced on many, many types of tinders (I am talking natural tinders here. I carry stuff like this as well, but also want to know what I can do if that stuff is not available) and I have a bit of unsolicited advice.

Personally, I don't like the strikers that come with these. They leave deep gouges in the firesteel and you can throw an as good or better spark with hard square corner. I typically use the back of a knife. But, that is beside the point. My advice is for the manner in which you strike the firesteel.

If you do a scrap along the length of the firesteel, you will produce a bright and flashy shower of sparks. In my experience, this is what most people tend to do, and it works "okay." After a while, most people figure out that slow and a lot of pressure with the same motion works even better. The problem with both these methods is that after a time, you will realize your firesteel is getting thin in the middle and eventually it will prematurely break off.

Instead, I hold the firesteel in my hand, and really choke up on the thing. I put the striker within 1/2 to 1/4 inch from the end and do a hard pushing motion. Act like you are trying to take a chip out of the end of the firesteel. You will get two results from this 1) The spark not be a big shower, but be much more concentrated, and will burn hotter and longer. 2) With extended use, you just start to "sharpen" your firesteel to a point. You can continue this method for a long time and in time your firesteel will just become shorter and shorter. But, there will be no breaking and waste of the rod.

So, that is just my advice. Take it for what it is worth. I had planned on making a video of this technique, but had not got that far yet.
Click to expand...

Good advice. I'll give it a shot. :thumbup:
 
briangandrews said:
The Sweedish firesteels are great, and pretty much the only ones that I buy. I have pretty much light all my fires with a firesteel, and have practiced on many, many types of tinders (I am talking natural tinders here. I carry stuff like this as well, but also want to know what I can do if that stuff is not available) and I have a bit of unsolicited advice.

Personally, I don't like the strikers that come with these. They leave deep gouges in the firesteel and you can throw an as good or better spark with hard square corner. I typically use the back of a knife. But, that is beside the point. My advice is for the manner in which you strike the firesteel.

If you do a scrap along the length of the firesteel, you will produce a bright and flashy shower of sparks. In my experience, this is what most people tend to do, and it works "okay." After a while, most people figure out that slow and a lot of pressure with the same motion works even better. The problem with both these methods is that after a time, you will realize your firesteel is getting thin in the middle and eventually it will prematurely break off.

Instead, I hold the firesteel in my hand, and really choke up on the thing. I put the striker within 1/2 to 1/4 inch from the end and do a hard pushing motion. Act like you are trying to take a chip out of the end of the firesteel. You will get two results from this 1) The spark not be a big shower, but be much more concentrated, and will burn hotter and longer. 2) With extended use, you just start to "sharpen" your firesteel to a point. You can continue this method for a long time and in time your firesteel will just become shorter and shorter. But, there will be no breaking and waste of the rod.

So, that is just my advice. Take it for what it is worth. I had planned on making a video of this technique, but had not got that far yet.
Click to expand...

Great advice!! Thanks!
 
Thanks for the link,Think I'll go order a couple

Great idea with the straw!
 
I've slowly been building up the firesteels in favor of magnesium starters.....
 
I think vegemite only burns in extreme amounts, whilst vaseline seems to burn at a simple rate. I tried it once and used too much, so it smothered my cord, but then I wiped some tissue over some and got a good burn out of it.

Cheers for the info guys!

BTW you ain't lived if you ain't had vegemite!!!
 
Guyon said:
Once you've sealed one end and packed in the PJ-impregnated cotton (a small dowel helps), you might find it useful to clean the open end of the straw with a cotton swab (Q-tip). If you don't clean off the petroleum jelly a little bit, it's harder to get the second end to seal.
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If you don't mind, I'll add a suggestion. After trying a pile of different ways, I've found it best to pack about 3/4 of the straw with the treated cotton, then stuff in some dry cotton at the end. This not only cleans any residue from the end of the straw before you seal it, but the dry cotton is easier for me to fluff so that it catches a spark. (Keeps your fingers cleaner, too! :D)

Great website link, BTW!:thumbup:
 
There goes more of the Christmas bonus! Cool website... I bet the guy's sales have increase by 800% since Guyon's post. Maybe you should ask for some commission Guyon! :D
 
Guyon, thanks for the info on the sale at County Com. :rolleyes: I ended up spending almost $100 over there. :o
 
Greg45 said:
If you don't mind, I'll add a suggestion. After trying a pile of different ways, I've found it best to pack about 3/4 of the straw with the treated cotton, then stuff in some dry cotton at the end. This not only cleans any residue from the end of the straw before you seal it, but the dry cotton is easier for me to fluff so that it catches a spark. (Keeps your fingers cleaner, too! :D)

Great website link, BTW!:thumbup:
Click to expand...

This is a very nice idea. Thanks.

resinguy said:
Guyon, thanks for the info on the sale at County Com. :rolleyes: I ended up spending almost $100 over there. :o
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It sounds like I need to contact County Comm, point them to this thread, and make an argument for a holiday bonus/kickback. :p
 
Thought I might add just a little piece myself to make this a multi-purpouse device... If you use neosporin which is a petro based antibacteria product you will have a dual purpose product. If you need a fire great, or if you have an abrasion or cut also great!!
 
Grandsuave said:
Thought I might add just a little piece myself to make this a multi-purpouse device... If you use neosporin which is a petro based antibacteria product you will have a dual purpose product. If you need a fire great, or if you have an abrasion or cut also great!!
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Cool idea for just a straw or two. Neosporin is a little expensive. I may soak a cotton ball with it and see what the burn time is like. :thumbup:

You guys suck BTW. I had not really checked out the entire County Comm website until everyone started raving about all the gidgets and gadgets and good deals. I spent about $40 on stuff last night. :grumpy: :p
 
I've never heard of Country Comm before. AWESOME site. I just ordered 2 firesteels, 6 Grimlocks, 2 pocket widgy prybars, 2 keychain tweezers, a stainless peanut lighter, and 2 micro widgy prybars. Thanks for letting us in on this little piece of gear-head heaven.
 
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