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I prefer the ones without magnesium.. but they tend to come loose from the handle.
The chinese ones work just as good, if not better.. the "american" ones are probably made in china as well..

Its by the way better to use paraffin (candlewax from longer burning candles) instead of petroleum jelly (harder to light and stays oily).. use it on some cottonballs with paraffin.. and add some waterproof matches (make them yourself by dipping them once in candle wax) they burn a bit longer then the cotton, and the match heads give a little boost to a starting fire..

But I prefer a zippo..

Tip.. DON'T EVER use a good knife for the scrape steel.. it destroy the coating

http://www.lightmyfire.com/209-147-swed ... %C2%AE.htm

I use this model and some cotton, with Esbit fuel tabs crushed. It works every time.

cracker...nice tips but in my case the cotton balls light fast a very bright though. Also I like fire pistons,they are kind of ol' school but are also a good source for fire making.
and of course Zippo's....excellent choice!

Anyone has tried the new US Army ethanol fuel gel ??? Is like the british fuel gel used in the crusader system...greenheat!
they are phasing out the trioxane type tabs....

Hi, I've ordered one of those cheap Chinese fire steels (about $4 including S&H ).
I'd like to try the traditionnal tinder (cotton+ salpeter or tinder fungus) and the black powder in VERY small quantity as I'd like to keep my fingers and my eyebrows...

Stef wrote: I'd like to try the traditionnal tinder (cotton+ salpeter or tinder fungus) and the black powder in VERY small quantity as I'd like to keep my fingers and my eyebrows...

Try a fire piston with the tinder fungus.

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..

Hi,
thanks for your tips! I've never tried the piston, once the stick when I was a kid (and not very patient!) but I didn't success... I'll try those two methods asap
In the 80's my father in law who lived in a farm in the Breton hills still daily used a flint to start the fire !

some info to it .. there are some more vids on it..

(I believe I saw it at ray mears..)


And here one about the firesteel:

Thanks Cracker!
I'm eager to receive my fire steel, I hope the shipping from China (generally 2 weeks) won't take a month because of the traditional Xmas postal delays...

When I saw the amado fungi on the last vid, I was wondering "what the h... is he doing with that stuff from Amsterdam?"

mushrooms are forbidden in the Netherlands since a Frenchie jump from a tall building and thought she could fly.. (actually she could.. for a while)

Drugs are bad they are for people that don't know how to make fun for themselves.
And eating 42 year old MREs will probably get you hallucinating aswell, so we don't need it..


The firesteel stuff is not very effective in the winter (unless used on very light stuff like the cotton).. but it's very hard to get a fire started anyways.. because it's simply to cold.. fire needs fuel, oxygen.. and.. energy (=heat)