What Ferro Rod based Fire-Starting System do you have?

I keep a kit on my belt pretty much all the time, it's a SAK Swiss tool spirit, goinggear rod, chunk of fatwood, and a Fenix flashlight, I use the spine of the saw as my striker and have great results with that
 
I use the LMF Soldier one, the big one, plus I modified the striker that came with it, I ground the teeth on one side of it into more of a blade shape. Works damn well with a vaseline impregnated cotton ball, those things burn for about 2 minutes off of one spark.
 
I got some goinggear ones yesterday and have not tried them yet. I find the big blast match works well but so does the small BSA "flint" I am not sure if is mischmetal or what.
 
Marion David Poff said:
I will definitely have to try these misch metal rods.

Marion
Click to expand...

After doing some Googling, I found this website which explains in detail about mischmetal and Ferrocerium. More than you ever wanted to know;)
http://www.jxmetals.com/sdp/316680/4/cp-1271724/0/FerroCerium_Mischmetal_RE.html

From what I understand, mischmetal is a major component of all "firesteels".
http://www.jxmetals.com/sdp/316680/4/pd-1271720/4652507-637725.html
Ferrocerium rod is made from Iron, Magnesium and mostly of an alloy of rare earth metals called mischmetal with an excellent pyrophoric percentage : 98%min.
The required chemical composition:
Mischmetal(rare earth metal) : abt. 75-93%
Iron abt. 5.0-19.3%
Magnesium 1-4%

Rare earth metal distribution : (Mischmetal)
Cerium 49-59%
Lanthanum 26-39%
Neodymium 0-10%
Praseodymium 0-7%

The terms "mischmetal", "firesteel", "flints" and "ferrocerium" have been used interchangeably (along with several other terms) for describing these nifty sparking rods we use for starting fires.
I don't believe anyone is actually using a plain / pure mischmetal rod. They all have the above % of iron and magnesium added to make them ferrocerium rods that we know so well.

I also discovered that these ferrocerium rods are available in square, half round, flat, discs, plates, sheets, or your own design shapes :thumbup:
http://www.jxmetals.com/sdp/316680/...m_Flint_square_bar_Flint_Square_bar_Flin.html

Also, it sounds like this company, JXMetals is the source of our ferrocerium rods.;)
http://www.jxmetals.com/sdp/316680/4/pl-1271720/0-637725/Ferrocerium_Mischmetal.html
 
I have RAT's. I mostly use my lighter though because its always in my pocket. The rods are in the hunting bag to back the lighter up if needed.
 
Marion David Poff said:
I will definitely have to try these misch metal rods.

Marion
Click to expand...

I'm still a bit new to mischmetal firesteels too, and I am having to remember the different sparking characteristics. While I am more used to those on the mag blocks, Strike Force, and the LMF, all of which are very similar, and tend to use my LMF a lot when it is dry out... I do like how the good mischmetal rods work with damp tinders. I haven't been happy with all of the mischmetal firesteels that I have tried But I'm definitely very happy with the Badger from Going Gear and the nanostriker from EXOTAC, they both work very well.


This is with the G.G. Badger and some damp cedar bark on the evening of the first non-rainy day after several consecutive days of rain.I now keep the Badger in the loop on the sheath for the 1-0 which is the knife I used in the video.

[youtube]PVL7gbfRgtI[/youtube]




and this is with the nanostriker which has become one of my constant companions even in urban environments when I look like I have no gear at all on me.

[youtube]i5SMmRDZbCg[/youtube]
 
Basic metal match and pitchwood.

FS2-Sheath-contents.jpg


A bit of hacksaw blade as striker.

Also have a smaller metal match on my keyring, along with a bit of pitchwood.

Great thread!
 
Well, I have pretty much all of the ferro rod products on the market, but the only one I ever use these days is the Sparkie. I think the one handed solutions are much better than the two handed ones (knife in log techniques notwithstanding), and of the two commercial one handed products on the market, both from UST, I like the Sparkie the best. It is compact, light, effective, and super easy to use.

[youtube]RqdT_Mlbto8[/youtube]
 
I have been looking at those on line and thinking about getting one just as a back up for emergencies. Thanks for the demo! Now I know I want one.
 
So, I started this thread a couple days ago.

Then, my fiancee comes over for the weekend, and we go out shopping, kinda just to get out of the house. I go buy a local sporting goods store, to check their price on something.... And what should I run into? A new ferro rod product...

Ironic, what?

I will take pictures, and do a bit of thinking, and I should have a write up sometime this week.

M
 
Marion David Poff said:
So, I started this thread a couple days ago.

Then, my fiancee comes over for the weekend, and we go out shopping, kinda just to get out of the house. I go buy a local sporting goods store, to check their price on something.... And what should I run into? A new ferro rod product...

Ironic, what?

I will take pictures, and do a bit of thinking, and I should have a write up sometime this week.

M
Click to expand...

Cool, what's the product? Anything neat?
 
I have UST Strikeforce and Blastmatch, Doan magnesium bar, LMF firesteel(the smallest one, forgot what its called), and a GoingGear Wolf misch metal rod with a super striker.
 
i use the Aurora Fire Starter from www.soloscientific.com ive never had a problem with it can usually get a fire started with one or two strikes on a fuzzy stick like the set up but the blade in the cap doesn't last long for good sparks got it as a gift last year and take it every where i go outdoors
 
I have the LMF and the going gear rod's. I used to not like the LMF but I noticed they work much better with the going gear strikers.
 
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