This may be off topic, but related. A couple of months ago, I opened a box of stuff always kept in my car (for a couple of years and not checked > no good, I know). It included a couple of Bic lighters with flint. They had the same problem: a white/grey powder on them and in the box. After testing it seems the flints were partially or totally disintegrated.

The strange thing: some were unaffected, others seemed partially disintegrated, others totally useless.

The lighters were placed there at the same moment. Why such a difference in condition? Some lighters have been used tot test them, others not.

Some questions to try and understand the differences:
- were the ones tested/used the ones that disintegrated? (by rubbing of the coating?
- Were they affected by moisture?
- are there other reasons?

There was a packet of 4 lighters that was still in the original unopened foil wrapper. They were all unaffected.

Does this mean the best thing to do is to put a never used lighter and/or sparklite in a kit to have the most chance of having an unaffected one?

I have no sparklite. I would love to, but can't find them locally in Belgium (Europe).

Greetings,
tranx

Even more off topic: I put a little possibles kit in the car glove compartment in the spring. When I checked it in the autumn. I found everything had a strange feel and there was a 6 inch piece of string I don't remember putting in there.
Then I realised the candle was gone :-).
Use high melting point candles folks.
The Sock

I learned that lesson the hard way in Phoenix when i first got here. learned that Vaseline lip balm while hot, does not melt like Chapstick when left in a car that reaches 150 degrees in the summer.

Same with deoderant left in a gym bag. Spray or roll on but not a solid.

Too sophisticated a technology. Keep it simple.

Get a fire steel and paint it with clear nail varnish to prevent any corrosion (or coral pink red if that appeals to you) Better still keep a piece of flint, that wont corrode.

Go paleo for long term reliability

Unfortunately I had problems with my Spark-Lite too not long time ago. I don´t know whether it was bad item or not but it´s output was way too weak even for prepared fluffed up Tinder quik. I guess it´s rather because of the design. I am also fan of more simple survival tools. If the ferrocerium rod inside the Spark-lite could be easily pulled out and used like classic Swedish firesteel when neccessary it would be another story for me.

Hi tranx, I guess I am in a similar situation like you when getting these less usual items because I am from Czech republic. When I wanted to try Spark-lite I found an on-line store which carried knives, flashlights, some firestarters etc. There was no Spark-lite though so I asked them via e-mail if they could purchase it for me and they absolutely agreed. Several days later I had my Spark-lite. They even added it to their store. I am sure that if I will ever need something survival related that no store here carryies I can ask them to purchase it for me.
You could try the same strategy - try to contact some knife on-line stores (that purchase a lot of brands from USA) and ask if they would purchase Spark-lite for you.

When this fails you can contact me using Personal Message - I could purchase it and send it to you. It would be a bit more expensive this way though due to the added shipping.

The wheel is made to work 1 way, and there is a arrow on the shaft that gives the correct direction to spin the wheel. If used the wrong way it will give far fewer sparks

For European Spark-Lites contact four seasons directly
http://www.fourseasonssurvival.com/Spark..._p_128-109.html
The will ship directly to Western Europe

Who's that vendor and are they in Europe? Though I can figure out the last part with the answer to the first part. It'd be good to know, thanks for your input.

Hi yelp, yes, it is located in Europe but it is just Czech on-line store - www.mujnuz.cz (alternative address: www.nuz-knife-messer.cz). I guess it won´t be useful to anyone outside the Czech Republic because it is not some reseller for whole Europe or something like that.