From the San Luis Obispo Tribune (below). Hmm. Maybe a compass really is important component in your gear.


Missing Cambria man found safe after six days in wilderness

Two days after Monterey County authorities gave up the search for a missing Cambria man he turned up safely in San Luis Obispo County.

Stephen Cunniff, 30, who has been missing since Thursday evening in Big Sur showed up on Highway 1 near San Carpoforo Creek and called his family to pick him up, said sheriff’s officials.

Cunniff had disappeared after his mother dropped him off to take a short hike in Big Sur. Authorities said they are still trying to find out exactly what happened but that by all appearances, Cunniff appears to be in good condition.

According to preliminary statements from the family, Cunniff had lost his way at dark on Thursday and spent the next six days attempting to find his way to Highway 1, reaching there safely at around 8:30 a.m.

Maybe there are different mixes and all are called ferrocium. Who knows. But the rods Ive fallen in love with and become a nazi about are these here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS8TJAXC9zQ

YOu can see the difference in the video.

Of course he's getting giant sparks - he's using a giant ferrocium rod and a huge knife blade. LOL!

I sat in my yard today with my LMF scout. Dead grass - fire no problem. Crumbled dry oak leaf - fire no problem. Ripped up bark fallen from my neighbor's river birch - fire no problem. Three different fire sources, all natural, and all in my back yard. All light right up very easily. The LMF is not crap - it make's great sparks, especially considering the size of it compared to the huge thing in that video.

I have one the same size as the smallest LMF and it makes the same sparks as in the video, just sayin.

its a buck fifty, give it a try

http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=9

Whatever you decide to use - practice, practice, practice.
Personaly for fire lighting Bic then LMF/high carbon mora clipper knife (cottonwool/vasaline). I learnt early on to use any compass well, the Scottish highlands can be scary place if you can't (micro)navigate - 10ft visibility and a 500ft drop somewhere to your left.

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anyone suggest the Spar-Lite Firestarting Kit sold here on BPL and other places. At 0.7 oz (19.8g) for the whole kit, that is lighter than the other alternatives, works well, works wet, works without practice ( or very l little ), and works with one hand (you know- after you had to perform the self amputation to free yourself).

I have a couple I carry. One in my pack and another in my survival kit. So am I the only one using this?

-Mark

I've got one in my kit. It's a good product if you use man made timber. I've found it a little tougher with natural materials, charcoal being a notable exception. If you get to your campsite and there's some old burnt wood in the fire circle, grab some of that charcoal, and a Spark-Lite works very well on it.

I like it. Has anyone attached a lanyard? I am tempted to drill the handle, but not sure it is solid. Is there is a spring inside pressing the "flint" up to the thumb striker?

I've drilled a hole in the base to fit a lanyard without any problem - the handle is solid underneath the spring housing.

However, I have had two fail on me - with plenty of flint still there, they have just stopped sparking (or only spark very intermittently), for no very clear reason.

I like the light weight and one handed operation, but have my doubts about longer term peformance. After all, they are designed for a limited time useage.

I bought a LMF here and carried it as a backup using matches to light my alcohol stove. A few years ago in the winter at near 0ºF the matches wouldn’t get the alcohol going. Pulling out the LMF fire steel in anticipation of a futile last attempt, it ignited my stove. The matches are now the backup.

Edited by johnk on 04/25/2009 18:12:25 MDT.

I've got a sparklite, but it's not my favorite... it's so small even in my small hands that I find it a little fidgety, and the sparks aren't great compared to a ferro rod. Mini LMF ferro rod is 0.1 oz heavier than sparklite, so I'm sticking with that. But if I ever lost a hand, maybe I could use the sparklite, so it's still in my kit.