I did a test between the Swedish Light My Fire unit and a low cost one from Big Five Sports. Rods were the same size length and diameter, with the biggest difference the color of the plastic grip handle and the striker. Light My Fire has an ergonomic grip on a special shaped striker. The el cheapo provided a 3 inch long piece of hacksaw blade.
Conclusion: the rods produced the same amount of spark when the same striker was used. The Light My Fire striker provided far better grip. I could detect no difference in material but a huge difference when I used a striker shaped to fit my hands and fingers so that it delivers a quality striking stroke.
I took a few minutes to shape a "handle" out of red cedar and taped that onto a piece of hacksaw and now it produces a shower of sparks visually identical to the Swedish one-- at 1/3 the price.
Ok, I'm a cheap skate.
