PSA: Check your magnesium fire starters before you need them

[kidicarus13]

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

[MileHighOutlaw]

Wow! I'm gonna have to check mine out later today.

[sroz]

Got some new in package magnesium fire starters for sale......

[cofi]

What is the benefit of these(the good ones) vs carrying a big lighter?

[clodhopper]

What is the benefit of these(the good ones) vs carrying a big lighter?

they don't go bad or evaporate. I have yet to find a reasonably priced lighter that doesn't lose the fuel over time.

The Chinese ones may not have good mag, but the sparkers still work. I generally peel the sparker bars out and pack along with a tube of dryer lint and petroleum jelly which is easier to light. I know I have some harbor freight versions among my stuff, but I have been gifted so many different sparker sticks over the years, I am not likely to fall back to scraping magnesium to start a fire.

[Wulf202]

I have yet to find a reasonably priced lighter that doesn't lose the fuel over time.
http://dx.com/p/super-mini-vintage-oil-lighter-3734

http://countycomm.com/splitpea.html

http://countycomm.com/sslight.html

here you go.

[ChunkyMonkey]

What is the benefit of these(the good ones) vs carrying a big lighter?

+1 I got lighter and matches in my bag. No hassle.

[Wulf202]

What is the benefit of these(the good ones) vs carrying a big lighter?

the bar starts the fire, the magnesium is the tinder in solid form. A lighter still needs tinder.

[clodhopper]

the bar starts the fire, the magnesium is the tinder in solid form. A lighter still needs tinder.

One benefit to magnesium, doesn't matter if it gets wet. My go-bag tinder storage options are generally not submersion proof. However, it that was the situation, I could find natural tinder options after a swim.

[rbeau30]

http://dx.com/p/super-mini-vintage-oil-lighter-3734

http://countycomm.com/splitpea.html

http://countycomm.com/sslight.html

here you go.

I have two of those split pea ones and they loose fuel after about a week. Brand new.

[Wulf202]

One benefit to magnesium, doesn't matter if it gets wet. My go-bag tinder storage options are generally not submersion proof. However, it that was the situation, I could find natural tinder options after a swim.

Depends on the area and the water you swam in. If it's raining/snowing in the high country and you took a dunk in a runoff stream you have little time and little mobility to hunt tinder.

This, like many tools, has it's purpose.


I have two of those split pea ones and they loose fuel after about a week. Brand new.

I have a dozen of the Chinese ones and one split pea, two full sized, all hold fluid for over a year at this point.

[rbeau30]

Anybody have those firesteel Gobspark/Palm Striker ones? I just bought a couple to try out plus one of their magnesium blocks (just magnesium no flint).

[Dave]

I have 6 of those military issue ones around here. An advantage of being aircrew was the ALSE shops never asked for those or the cheapo survival knives back.

[osok-308]

I bought a magnesium block/ fire starter from walmart a few years back, the striker doesn't work too well, so i bought a striker from a gun show for like 2 dollars and it works wonders. I keep the magnesium block to scrape off the stuff for my new striker to ignite now.

[hatidua]

What is the benefit of these(the good ones) vs carrying a big lighter?

-different tools in the same tool box.

[SA Friday]

I do a lot of outdoor training with my kids and nephews/nieces. Chinese made Mg will not work. I'm convinced they are Al. If you are going to carry a Mg bar with a ferrocerium rod (it's not flint) in it, buy a Doans and be a happy camper. I also recommend carrying a multi-tool with a good file on it. It makes shaving a Mg pile into your bird's nest much easier and it's just about the only way a child will be able to get it done. I highly recommend investing in a good ferrocerium (or auermetal) rod. They will light good and slightly marginally wet tinder. I have my wife and the kids make fires all the time with different fire starting materials one being Mg and ferrocerium. That shit isn't easy by any means and we cover lighters, matches, ferro, Mg, fire piston, magnifiers, fire steel and flint, and char cloth. I haven't started them on bow and drill yet. It's critical that you have the basics of the set, kindling, tinder, and the bird's nest 100% solid before trying to start fires with a bow and drill.

I'm a huge fan of Dave Canterbury's youtube website (wildernessoutfitters) and his videos. He covers a lot of the basic skills and materials that count.

[CactusSam]

Looks like I know what my next project for tonight/tomorrow is going to be, lol