Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Fire starters

I'm an assistant scout leader. We do a lot of survival stuff and a good part of it is fire starting. Every boy carries an emergency striker of some kind which has led to an interesting conclusion.

In using 10 or more brands of strikers, we've found that some work FAR better than others. Some will throw an inferno while others won't hardly throw any spark at all. What we've found is this. Almost all strikers have the same ferrocerium rods. However, the steels are dramatically different. If you have a good steel, it will throw good sparks from any rod. If you don't, you won't get a spark no matter what rod you use it with. At least half of the strikers on the market are made with soft, inferior steel that can't throw a spark. Any $5 pocket knife will get a much bigger spark than those will.

example: I have 2 strikers made by Strike Force. The big one, the Strike Force, will light up a forest. The small one, the Spark Force, is supposed to be a sized down version but the steel in it is useless. The high quality steel of the Strike Force will throw excellent sparks from any ferrocerium rod we tried it on. The soft steel in the Spark Force won't throw a spark no matter what rod we tried it on.

Try yours. If you don't get a spark like the one in this pic, try your knife on it. You can get a good steel from Amazon to replace yours for very little money. I just carry a small, cheap folding knife that I don't mind using for this.
The Chinese have found a bunch of suckers in the American outdoors and they market a lot of worthless crap. This is just one more.

to be honest, I carry a BIC lighter to start fires. Works much quicker than strikers. That said, I always have a good ferrocerium rod in my fire starter kit. For a striker, I use a bit of hacksaw blade. Never found anything better as a striker.
My kit has dryer lint and fat wood in it, waterproof matches, a ferrocerium rod, striker, BIC lighter, and the essentials for a fire drill. I can start a dang fire anywhere.

I use a small propane torch.

I ain't no scout, dats fer sure.

Diesel works well too. 😂

A little motor oil will get even wet wood burning.

Virgil B.

Grown ups use gasoline

Drier lint: works good if you collect it after drying 100% cotton, like towels. Polyester lint won't light nearly as well. Also, federal regulations require childrens' clothes to be fireproofed. Lint from those won't light at all.
The best tinder I've found is the good old Vaseline covered cotton ball. Coat the outside but keep the inside dry. Pull it apart and throw the spark inside. It will light instantly and take off, no blowing needed.

lighter: I've found that a good old Zippo is better than a Bic, even if you have to refill it periodically. For 1 thing, you can set it down while it's burning. With a Bic, you have to keep your thumb on the lever. If your hands are frozen, you can light a Zippo on your sleeve, pants, or whatever and you don't have to keep a frozen thumb on a lever to keep it lit.
A Zippo will light at any temperature or altitude. A Bic can give you problems.

hacksaw blades: They're made of very hard steel, the stuff that a striker's steel SHOULD be made of. Most of them are cheap, soft steel. That's the whole point of my OP.

RC, I have been doing this stuff for 65+ years. I pretty much know the ins and outs. My kit, as is I am sure, yours, is tailored to my AO. When I travel and camp in more northern climes, I adjust the kit.

Indian fire starter for me. Yep gasoline


Indians were a practical sort, they’d have used gas if available to them.



But the op makes a valid observation, not all fire starters are born equal.


From tents to tits, best to try out all your gear before taking it on the real deal.


These woods almost make it too easy, spruce pitch and birch bark, even when wet make for great fire starters.

If you can forge something use an old file. Or have someone help you with it. Most of my muzzleloading gang would help anyone out if they ask. Be Well. Rusty

The blast match has a helluva ferro rod in it as well as the steel, but the steel is attached with a flimsy hinge & can be prone to failure. If that was improved it could be the best out there. But the strike force is great, & I like the little storage area.

When looking for butane lighters, check out the flat, translucent looking ones. Calico is one brand. In my state they are adjustable, & the child proof feature isn't adult proof. I much prefer them over a Bic for a couple things; the translucency allows for quick ID of fuel level, &, with a bit of tinkering they can be readjusted to obtain a 3" flame. This comes in handy in some situations.

Yep, I could build a fire in a car wash.

A cut short jig saw, or sawsall blade cut down works on my mag starter.

I'm aiming this at the guys on here who don't have the experience. I've been outside for more than 50 years and have never had to start an emergency fire...yet. But practice makes perfect.

Same here with the ZIPPO. Easy to use, works in windy weather, and can even work like a candle. Been my "always with me" choice for 70 years.

L.W.

No emergency fires needed in all my thousands of outings. As you said, it’s nice to know you can do if you have to do. 😁

I have one of those fire starters.

Never worked worth a dang.

Know I know why! Thanks.

Highway Flares work good.

I prefer diesel over gas less explosive to start bonfires

Moochelle O'Bummer's book makes for a good fire starter too, so does "It takes a Village".

Yep, never use gas...unless you enjoy being burnt to a crisp.

Diesel only, for bonfires.