About the ethanol gel.. i use the swiss ones.. (love them)
But they are not really to light fires, but I simply heat my cans on it
The firesteel stuff is only for fun "to get the good feeling" when we go camping after hiking..
I used vaseline ones on the cottonballs (petroleum jelly) but it didn't really light easily..
The parafine lights great.. and it doesn't cost a lot (they use it for bandage to..but make sure you get the cheapest ones! greased cotton / vette watten.. the expensive ones are treated and don't catch fire at all)
It's simply cotton with a little layer of parafin.. it only needs a spark, and it burns very hot.. ideal to light small tinder
The biggest advantage of greased cotton (also the petroleum jelly ones) is that it lights, even when it's moist.
Back in the old days, I used to start fires with pieces of innertube from a bicycle tyre.. cheap, burns even when wet, easy to get, and light to carry and relatively easy to light (only need a small piece). But that doesn't work with firesteel (it simply melts) and it stinks (prime reason why I abondoned this sort of fire starter).. It only works with matches or lighters..
Last week I started fire with sticks.. and I was suprised how easy it was..
Simply get a stick, flatten it with a knife.. poke a little cup in the wood, and cut a "trench" to the side of the wood.
Then make a bow, with a shoe lace.. and get a straight stick (same sort of wood as the piece on the start) and sharpen it (not sharp, more like round, on both sides).. and make a flat piece of wood with a cup in it, as a guider (to hold the stick)
After you have done this, get some tinder, or cotton etc.. and lay it on a dry underground, and then get the stick, twist it
once in the shoe lace..
after this, put the rounded stick on the firestarting wood, and hold it on top with the other flat piece.. then start moving the bow so that wood spins like mad.. The friction will cause smoke within a few seconds (put a little pressure on it while turning) the powder that comes in the little trench is glowing (not visible) but if you have about a half teaspoon full of it, get it on the small tinder.. and blow a
little.. it will catch fire very easily..
I saw this on a survival program ones.. and didnt really believe it was this simple.. and because I wanted to try it (skills and experience is everything!) I had the idea to try it.. and last week I decided to go for it..
After 3 tries you get quite good at it, and it makes great fun, because loads of people don't think it is possible.. Sure, someone may one day kill me with my own gun.
But they'll have to beat me to death with it because it's empty.
A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.
the "american" ones are probably made in china as well..
Is like the british fuel gel used in the crusader system...greenheat! 
).