The difference between Mishmetal - and Firesteel - group project.

Diomedes Industries · Mar 5, 2012

I updated all the new data.

This is exactly what I was looking for and I have learned a lot.

TF

Diomedes Industries · Jun 10, 2012

Bump this for anyone else who has knowledge in this area.

TF

meismjg · Jun 19, 2012

Greetings,
This is a bit off your topic, but:
I want a firesteel / mischmetal rod that can light feather sticks and other small naturally found tinder. To date, I have bought a few different firesteel / mischmetal but they only ignite cotton balls, jute cord, and paper towels.

Any suggestions on a make / model that can actually ignite wood shavings?

Thanks,

Diomedes Industries · Jun 20, 2012

It isn't the problem with the firesteel - it is the user. Sorry.

Thinner shavings - better material.

TF

Kirk_Ferentz · Jun 20, 2012

meismjg said:
Greetings,
This is a bit off your topic, but:
I want a firesteel / mischmetal rod that can light feather sticks and other small naturally found tinder. To date, I have bought a few different firesteel / mischmetal but they only ignite cotton balls, jute cord, and paper towels.

Any suggestions on a make / model that can actually ignite wood shavings?

Thanks,

It's interesting, I have the goinggear.com blanks and some swedish fire steels. I also have one of the one handed versions (LMF?). The data matches my experience ... the mischmetal versions throw a longer, more "rainy" spark. That is why I bought them first -- I thought that they would be the best option to start a flame.

But the other part of the data -- the velocity needed to create the spark -- has turned out to be much more important for me in practical use. To get the mischmetal sparks going, it takes more force, and therefore causes more movement in the rod as I strike it. This means that it is harder to point and control the spark that I make, and to leave the pile of tinder undisturbed (if you are moving it, it won't be able to catch the spark). I have much better results directing the spark from a swedish firesteel and making it hit where I want it to hit than when I use the mischmetal blanks. Also, although bigger rods make bigger sparks, the smaller rods are much easier to control for me than the larger ones. So, smaller spark, but a much better spark for igniting tinder in my experience. But others have a different experience.

So, experiment with different models and techniques. I have found that selection and arrangement of tinder is very important. Some tinder just won't take a firesteel spark. other tender (like old man's beard in many habitats and the stuff inside of the cat tail "hot dogs") will light right up. For wood shavings, I like to shave EXTREMELY thin sheets of wood off of a flat surface of a log. I get them as thin as possible. I make a BIG pile of them and then point the spark into the middle of it and make sure I am not disturbing the pile as I strike the rod. That seems to work for me. But it will depend on the wood.

newadventure · Jun 20, 2012

meismjg said:
Greetings,
This is a bit off your topic, but:
I want a firesteel / mischmetal rod that can light feather sticks and other small naturally found tinder. To date, I have bought a few different firesteel / mischmetal but they only ignite cotton balls, jute cord, and paper towels.

Any suggestions on a make / model that can actually ignite wood shavings?

Thanks,

Maybe try experimenting with a small pencil sharpener. Use the least amount of pressure to get the thinnest shavings possible and see how it works for you. As mentioned, make a big pile of shavings. An actual wood pencil is nice and dry. Of course, this would be optimal conditions, but may give you some ideas (and confidence!) Keep at it!

R.Russell · Jun 21, 2012

The Exotac Nano came out this morning after reading your thread. Never really compared it to the LMF and blank firesteels I've had but I like the action much better. The striker is tungsten carbide and I thought this might be part of the equation. They call it simply a ferrocium rod. Slower velocity peels off ribbons of material and the spark takes more pressure and velocity to get, but she goes hot and she goes for a while. I then used the carbide stryker on the LMF and blanks and sure enough they went easy but didn't have much lasting power in comparison. It should probably go in the mischmetal category.

Diomedes Industries · Jun 22, 2012

The way you have described it - I agree Russ.

TF

JV3 · Jun 23, 2012

meismjg said:
Greetings,
This is a bit off your topic, but:
I want a firesteel / mischmetal rod that can light feather sticks and other small naturally found tinder. To date, I have bought a few different firesteel / mischmetal but they only ignite cotton balls, jute cord, and paper towels.

Any suggestions on a make / model that can actually ignite wood shavings?

Thanks,

goinggear.com (or any misch metal rod from a reputable site) but you should also work on your technique to get the wood shavings thin enough...here's tonym's video showing that a properly prepared wood will take a spark readily.

[youtube]6OTrqA0vfss[/youtube]

Burncycle · Jun 26, 2012

I'm kind of digging the Going Gear type Mischmetal rods... I like how they seem to burn longer and hotter. I don't really care for blanks though... are the Aurora firestarters more like the going gear ones or more like the traditional ones? I'm looking for a self contained unit like that.