Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Lanyard is plenty long and it makes lots of sparks (after a couple of scrapes to remove the paint). If lanyard was not long enough one could exercise ingenuity and put on a longer cord.
It would easily light propane, but if you try to ignite a piece of sheet paper you will have trouble. Sheet paper is not fine enough and is not proper tinder (though you could shred and rumple it to make good tinder). You need a finer tinder bundle. Paper towel was also unsuccessful. I had easy success with toilet paper and dryer lint. It sparks more if you slow down and increase pressure a little. If the woods are wet and you can find no dry tinder you are in trouble, which is why most people carry tinder or fire starter or pick it up on the trail when they can.
I think it is easier to use the magnesium fire starter with a basic metal jigsaw blade as the magnesium shavings will ignite paper towel easily, and can also ignite paper if you make a dime sized pile of shavings (when igniting paper don't set the end of the magnesium fire starter on the paper as when you scrape the flint the vibrations will jiggle the shavings all around). Even better than a jigsaw blade may be a short hacksaw blade because it has a good hole you can put the cord through.
In summary: if you carry or can find/make good tinder the Swedish firesteel is tough, simple, and a good product. For normal people who want a firestarter that is somewhat easier to use carry the magnesium. That is what I will carry, in addition to good tinder (cotton balls with vaseline mushed in), and a very good lighter (more lights/space than matches).
P.S. Just watched Bear G. in Man vs. Wild (Discovery channel) use this after a major rainstorm starting a fire on the first strike BECAUSE he had previously harvested and protected some very good tinder. He did not use a magnesium firestarter. It does produce a 5,500°F spark, but it needs a purchase (tinder). Also I want to repeat that the lanyard I got was plenty long, but hey it's just a piece of cord that you can cut. Live bold. Also the first time I tried to make sparks I made plenty. I do not see how someone could not (unless they had the metal striker upside down - read the directions!).
P.P.S. Watched Bear G. in Ecuador (?) NOT be able to start a fire with grass using this because everything was wet and darkness came in not enabling him to search for better (dry) tinder. With typical Bear pluck he stuffed his shirt with the grass for insulation and kept his chin up. I bet the mag would have started a fire.
P.P.P.S. Watched 'Survivorman' take a mag starter out into the desert and easily start a fire, but he used the edge of his knife to make shavings and strike the flint. I don't reccomend dulling a knife like this, use the back or anything else. Also he CARVED off magnesium and I have found just SCRAPING works well. Finally on the magnesium starter the flint is a small rod on the side and you don't whack it like in Jeremiah Johnson, but you just scrape it. I think I read one reviewer that broke his flint and I bet he was whacking it, just like in the movies.
This is a long review because this is a survival tool and you should have confidence in it's capabilities.
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Originally developed for the Swedish Department of Defense, the FireSteel is a flash of genius. The FireSteel is intended to replace matchbooks, lighters, and other fire starters, providing a 3,000-degree C (5,432-degree F) spark that makes it easy to build fires in any weather, at any altitude. The FireSteel is a breeze to use: just pile up a small quantity of dry grass, paper, or other flammable material, and then force the included striker down the FireSteel. The resulting spark will create a fire even when wet, letting you light campfires, stoves, and gas barbecues at a moment's notice. Used by a number of armies around the world, the FireSteel's dependability has already made it a favorite of survival experts, hunters, fishermen, and campers. It's also found its way into cabins and backyards as a foolproof fire-starting tool for tough conditions. You can even use the bright spark as an emergency signal.
This Army version of the FireSteel, which comes in several handle colors, is designed to last for 12,000 strikes and is approved by the International Survival Instructors Association.
About Industrial Revolution Founded in 1971 as Uco Corporation in Redmond, Washington, Industrial Revolution has been a supplier of high-quality equipment to the outdoor industry. The company is known in particular for its outstanding line of beautiful and functional candle lanterns. In 2004, the company began selling its Play and Freeze ice-cream maker, a ball that allows users to participate in the ice-cream-making process by shaking and rolling the ball itself. In 2008, Industrial Revolution merged with longtime partner Pedco, a manufacturer of small, lightweight camera tripods.
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