Have to have a Bic. Firesteels are ineffective for lighting some of the required things.

Edited by Coldspring on 08/12/2009 21:46:56 MDT.

http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/FirestarterProducts.htm

i don't like bics - they always hurt my thumb & i've had lots of troubles with bics & their ilk in the past

maybe i should stop trying to start fires with elk, though ;)

i really like the firesteels & have used mostly one or another of them for the last few years. if it's dry and not windy and i have a lighter or matches, i might reach for them, but generally, it's a firesteel i'm using. i carry a mini dropper with some alcohol in it - if things don't light easily (like an esbit tab or say slightly damp tinder), i just put a couple drops of alcohol on top and let 'er rip.

I use a LightMyFire FireSteel and it works perfectly for firing up my BushBuddy Ultra. Its ridiculously light at 12 g, ad always works for me. One or two strikes and my MYOG vaseline cotton balls are on fire, and from there its an easy task to build up a fire in the BBU. Never used a Bic, but have a pack of matches s a back-up.

What is the lightest easy-to-use firesteel, besides the Firelite Mini striker from BPL? I can't afford $7 postage for an $11 item. :)

Try Ultralight Outdoor Gear in the UK. Fast and cheap shipping (to Finland =) and very friendly service. The LMF FireSteel weights 12 g, which should be the same as the BPL one.

Easy to use a firesteel with jute twine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDBBtUIVM5s

Edited by zelph on 08/13/2009 08:05:41 MDT.

>>Firesteels are ineffective for lighting some of the required things.

What are you lighting up, dude?

EJ, (and all) any of the firesteels at that goinggear link will work great. They're all the same steel, just differ sizes. I'd recommend not going for the smallest diameter or two, frankly I've broken one. However, the others are great. The strike itself takes a little more technique than a LMF tool, but the sparks are way hotter and better from the goinggear stuff.

>>There's a reason more Bics are sold!

Yeah, because they're on the counter of every drug store whereas firesteels are specialty items sold mostly to people who actually know something about fire building and who purposefully seek them out.

Fire steel tip: Don't get the really skinny UL ones. Get the slightly thicker ones as they throw more sparks. No point in carrying one if you're mostly going to scrape it away ineffectively.

Brad, we cross-posted the same tip at the same time. Nice!

These aren't bics or firesteels, but they are pretty sweet.

http://www.kmmatchcase.com/

I'm thinking or ditching my bic for one of these.

For a spark generator I prefer the Ozark Trail lantern lighter at Wal-Mart. Easy to use, replaceable flints, very accurate spark placement and moves my fingers/hand a bit away of whatever I'm trying to ignite.

Firesteels: I like the "softer", ones like what's on the Doan's Magnesium firestarter and the rod I salvaged from a Ultimate Survival Sparkie Fire Starter. From either I can get a decent spark using only a 1/4 inch of the rod with little pressure effort. The "harder" ones like from goinggear.com takes about 7/8 inch with more pressure effort to spark...but does seem to give bigger longer burning sparks.

b.gin

Edited by pugslie on 08/13/2009 10:23:19 MDT.

Tom - take a look at Brad's link to goinggear's firesteels. The 1/4" X 3" one, plus postage, is a little over $4. For a striker, if you don't want to use your knife, carry a really short saw blade (about 3") that fits into an electric drill.

Hello all

The Boy Scout version of striker is cheap and very light:)

I have a question about mini bic. I have seen but been unable to find this item. It is small rubber/ plactic , cup/socket
thingy that a bic will slide into. It has a hole on the end to allow bic to be put on keychain , lanyard etc. Any ideas.

Thanks Jim

>Which one?

Any of the rods which are labeled Ferro, just pick a size you want. The smallest they offer is hard to use, I think I have the bobcat, no handle.

>>There's a reason more Bics are sold!

>Yeah, because they're on the counter of every drug store whereas firesteels are specialty items sold mostly to people who actually know something about fire building and who purposefully seek them out.

The reasons that Bics are on the drug store counters is that they are simple to use, cheap and effective. Bic claims they sell 5 million a day.

The vast majority of people who "actually know something about fire building" will choose a Bic over a fire steel for the same reason: they are easy to use and effective.

People should use whatever they want for starting fires. Personally, I'm confident that I can start a fire with a Bic in real-world conditions, including soaking wet wilderness conditions, because I've done it many times.

">>There's a reason more Bics are sold!"

I think cigarettes and weed account for more Bic sales than fire building...

Jim,

I have for many years hung a bic on the dummy cord to my belt loop....Easiest thing in the world is to take a 1 inch strip of duct tape and a safety pin... Put the head of the pin in the torn off corner of a small plastic bag... Place the closed pin, with loop extending past the end of the lighter... Wrap the length of tape around both...Add the dummy cord and you are done.

Bonuses:

Pin is available to lance a blister, if needed in a survival spot.

Pin is available to secure anything that needs securing, missing button, snap, torn etc.

Duct tape is avail for blister cover, to close a wound of hold a bandage, Also it will secure a hiking pole that is collapsing from a worn out section tightener. Etc. Etc.

Pan

Why put the head of the pin in the torn off corner of a small plastic bag? I'm not understanding that part.

Better carry your BIC in a ziploc bag, wet wheels dont spark or barely spark. Have fun with it in a downpour, I do when trying to light my cigarettes. :)