Posted: 11/7/2016 7:04:36 PM EDT
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What are you folks using these days?
I usually use a Bic haha! But I've got a couple of ferro rods as well. Blastmatch - seen them around but never used it. For those that do, how do you like it? Just playing around recently with some magnesium bars and remembered past threads on these. And yep, the real deal US .mil bars are the way to go. Cheaper Chinese knock offs are just that - cheap. And not that effective in my estimation. Take a lot more work shaving and hard to light as well. So what's in your fire starter kit? |
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Mini Bic and Exotac NanoStriker in my pocket at all times.
I keep mini Bic's everywhere from backpacks to tackle box to glove compartment. I keep 2 mini Bic's, another NanoStriker, and wetfire cubes in my backpacking and camping gear. You can shave the wetfire into pieces and make it last a long time. A little goes a long way. |
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one of each?
Clipper lighter Bic lighter Zippo lighter Strike anywhere matches Ferro rod bow drill kit? 
Recent thread: https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_17/687562_best_survival_camping_lighter.html Really though, I EDC a clipper lighter lately. Its kind of like a cross between a zippo and bic. Cheap, no big deal if you loose it, but has replaceable flint and is refillable. Bics ride in all my emergency kits. I really like the Exotac bic case. I enjoy a Ferro rod when out bushcrafting, but realistic, in an emergency I will want a lighter. I stock a few zippo, and zippo supplies for extended emergencies where I would have to be lighting, or have fire every time you turn around. Matches are a gold standard, can't go wrong there. ITs really a personal preference thing, but two is one, one is none. Redundancy is key. The most important thing with fire, is practice makes perfect. |
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A thread like this cost me $60 for a fire piston a few years back.
http://www.wildersol.com Your turn. 
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Bic. I always get the orange ones so I have a chance of finding it when I drop it in the grass.
Lifeboat matches. For high wind, rain, etc. Magnesium block. General backup. The next step down is an improvised bow drill. Almost forgot, I always have a fresnel lense in my billfold. The Bic is the primary and the fresnel is just always with me anyway. Which or how much of the others depends on the trip. Cotton string or baling twine dipped in wax or the commercial compressed wood/wax firestarters in case I can't find natural tinder (rarely) or just get lazy (likely). I do have a decent butane lighter I take canoeing or in bad weather, but still use the Bic when possible to conserve butane for emergencies. Those things are fuel hogs. |
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Quoted:
My fire starter is a bic and some birthday candles in a ziplock, that is my backup.My backpacking gas stove in my mess kit is my primary for cooking. I can light fires with my stove while I'm cooking with it. I use the birthday candles (gag candles) that you can not blow out!!! And a bic also!!!! PITA45 
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Quoted:
My fire starter is a bic and some birthday candles in a ziplock, that is my backup.My backpacking gas stove in my mess kit is my primary for cooking. I can light fires with my stove while I'm cooking with it. Hanukkah candles >>> birthday candles They seem to burn slower probably by design, and big enough to cut into several pieces. Can get them for sale cheap after the season, and often for free if you know anyone Jewish. They seem to come with extras for some reason in lots of packages. I have gone to an alcohol stove, so pretty much carry a good firestarter with it but still keep the candles. |
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Quoted:
I use the birthday candles (gag candles) that you can not blow out!!! And a bic also!!!! PITA45
Quoted:
Quoted:
My fire starter is a bic and some birthday candles in a ziplock, that is my backup.My backpacking gas stove in my mess kit is my primary for cooking. I can light fires with my stove while I'm cooking with it. I use the birthday candles (gag candles) that you can not blow out!!! And a bic also!!!! PITA45
That's actually a pretty 'forward thinking' idea. Thanks for the idea. They're not impervious to going out, but yeah...it's not like wax isn't waterproof. Chris |
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Quoted:
What are you folks using these days? I usually use a Bic haha! But I've got a couple of ferro rods as well. Blastmatch - seen them around but never used it. For those that do, how do you like it? Just playing around recently with some magnesium bars and remembered past threads on these. And yep, the real deal US .mil bars are the way to go. Cheaper Chinese knock offs are just that - cheap. And not that effective in my estimation. Take a lot more work shaving and hard to light as well. So what's in your fire starter kit? I've been using the blast matches for years, they are pretty good. If you abuse them hard enough, the body will split though. The one great thing about them is that they are a one hand tool and the only ferro rod fire starter that you don't wind up knocking your tinder pile around when you are trying to light it. I've been really successful with the .mil magnesium firestarters though. I keep a length of hacksaw blade and a pencil sharpener on the lanyard. The cheaper the hancksaw, the better due to how the blades are heat treated, and the pencil sharpener is to use on sticks to make dry tinder where there is none. Duct tape or 1" squares of bicycle inner tube that are frayed on one end both burn like a mothefucker and will start any fire you care to.. |
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Quoted:
I think a blast match is in my future. Can't have too many ways to start the fire. Check out the UST Sparkie instead. Cheaper, smaller, and less clunky to me. So, I just went through my EDC bag, and tallied up all the firestarters: 3 x Scripto lighters. I like them better than Bics, have never had one get "stuck" on the flint 2 x jet lighters. Cigar smoker. Also have a 10oz can of butane. 2 x ferro rods (one Boy Scout one, and one big GobSpark) 1 x Sparkie (see above) 1 x road flare. Because I forgot it was in there. 1 x 8.5" x 11" Fresnel lens. Fun to pop ants with! Some cotton balls and twine bundles, half dipped in candle wax and half covered in PJ 2 x one ounce baggies of pre-shaved magnesium from a machine shop. Burns gooooooood. Magnesium bar. 12 ounce bottle of yellow HEET for the Trangia burner. And, finally, a box of UCO Sweetfires. I just got these, haven't had a chance to play with them. Should this weekend, but they look promising. ETA: I just looked at this after posting. I think I might have a problem. |
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Quoted:
Check out the UST Sparkie instead. Cheaper, smaller, and less clunky to me. So, I just went through my EDC bag, and tallied up all the firestarters: 3 x Scripto lighters. I like them better than Bics, have never had one get "stuck" on the flint 2 x jet lighters. Cigar smoker. Also have a 10oz can of butane. 2 x ferro rods (one Boy Scout one, and one big GobSpark) 1 x Sparkie (see above) 1 x road flare. Because I forgot it was in there. 1 x 8.5" x 11" Fresnel lens. Fun to pop ants with! Some cotton balls and twine bundles, half dipped in candle wax and half covered in PJ 2 x one ounce baggies of pre-shaved magnesium from a machine shop. Burns gooooooood. Magnesium bar. 12 ounce bottle of yellow HEET for the Trangia burner. And, finally, a box of UCO Sweetfires. I just got these, haven't had a chance to play with them. Should this weekend, but they look promising. ETA: I just looked at this after posting. I think I might have a problem. Quoted:
Quoted:
I think a blast match is in my future. Can't have too many ways to start the fire. Check out the UST Sparkie instead. Cheaper, smaller, and less clunky to me. So, I just went through my EDC bag, and tallied up all the firestarters: 3 x Scripto lighters. I like them better than Bics, have never had one get "stuck" on the flint 2 x jet lighters. Cigar smoker. Also have a 10oz can of butane. 2 x ferro rods (one Boy Scout one, and one big GobSpark) 1 x Sparkie (see above) 1 x road flare. Because I forgot it was in there. 1 x 8.5" x 11" Fresnel lens. Fun to pop ants with! Some cotton balls and twine bundles, half dipped in candle wax and half covered in PJ 2 x one ounce baggies of pre-shaved magnesium from a machine shop. Burns gooooooood. Magnesium bar. 12 ounce bottle of yellow HEET for the Trangia burner. And, finally, a box of UCO Sweetfires. I just got these, haven't had a chance to play with them. Should this weekend, but they look promising. ETA: I just looked at this after posting. I think I might have a problem. I have a few of the Blast Matches and Sparkies as well and think they are a solid option. On one of the Blast Matches the rod will fall out if I am not careful, but it is old and since the rod is stored as a closed system it is not an issue. I would agree that the Sparkie is a really convenient miniature version of the Blast Match. Admittedly fire starters are one of my weaknesses as well. My most recent additions to the fire starting cause is a "Pocket Bellows" (looks like a collapsible radio antenna and used for blowing onto coals/embers- no more smoke eyes!) and a "SP3 Kit v1" system (Low profile fire kit that is essentially a Bic Pen). |
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FYI RE: BIC LIGHTERS... What I just discovered: I had 4 full sized Bic lighters in a Ziploc bag, and 4 mini Bic lighters, in a separate bag. They are all of the non-adjustable, child-proof type. They have all been in climate controlled, long-term storage (10-20 years). I was going through my preps and found the 4 large Bic bag had a grey powder-like substance in it. When opening, discovered that ALL THE FLINTS had crumbled into powder. When I opened the mini Bic bag, I discovered that ALL 4 had 'locked up' striker wheels. I do not know if this is age related, moisture in the bags related, or what... To salvage them, I now stock them with a welder striker/ignighter. And yes, I have redundant fire starting methods. BE AWARE, YMMV. |