Hey all, I just wanted to inform ya'all about an interesting fire-striker I just found. It's from a company called EXOTAC (www.exotac.com). They call it the NanoSTRIKER, a small 0.6 ounce ferocerium rod in it's own case. It seems pretty well-made.
Here's a video:
Exotac NanoSTRIKER

They are pretty old standbys done over in high-gloss CNC machining and coatings. They certainly look pretty and incorporate many small product improvements. How much aesthetics and such improvements matter to you is up in the air.

They are also quite proud of their line. I'm not entirely sure a $25 match safe or $27 spark rod is exponentially better than a $5 match safe and/or $7 striker.

If you have the money and like refined gear they might be up your alley. Not to say any one is that way but I expect them to go over big with gear snobs. It comes down to what the extra twenty dollars for each means to you. If it means you feel better or more confident in your kit then it may be worth it.

$25 for a match safe is peanuts compared to their projected cost for a 650ml TITANIUM water bottle - $95 for preorders. Makes my recycled Gatorade bottles look like real bargains. 650ml is a piddling amount of water to carry im most circumstances.

Yuppy gear central.

Drools on desk - but I would have to have a 1 litre Bottle and it would have to weigh less than the equivalent Sigg aluminium?

This is getting more like it though;

http://www.vargooutdoors.com/store/p1593/Titanium-Water-Bottle/product_info.html

I can buy a small ferro rod for a dollar or two and put it in my wallet if I wanted a tiny ferro rod. Not worth $30+ to me.

Don't waste your money on gimmicks.

JMNSHO.

I have one, sorry but, I like it I also have an Armageddon FireSteel Tube which throws great sparks but, is really big. I like the size of the NanoSTRIKER and the fact that the ferro rod is protected. I have the NanoSTRIKER in a small PSK and the Armageddon in a BOB. I don't think I am a gear snob, I still have tin can stoves, I do think I am a gear junkie though.

I'd buy one.

My reasoning:

This is not an every day tool. Its designed and intended to be carried 24/7 in a manner that protects the firesteel but is extremly durable. One of the major problems that I have with firesteels - and I speak as someone who carries one for 16 hours a day - is protecting it. The best solution that I have come up with so far is to coat it with nail varnish. Which works, but I have to recoat on a regular basis.

Also the build quality looks to be extremely good. The firesteel is replacable. I like that.

One final point: you get what you pay for. If this is as good as first impression suggest then I expect this to become a benchmark. Think K&M matchcase build quality.

You might try using a bit of heat shrink tubing. Cut it a little long, shrink on, cut to remove excessive over hang. Then slide off and apply few drops of nail polish or hot glue to keep the tubing from sliding off and slide back on. It should last longer than the nail varnish while still being easily removed.

Yes, I saw that but declined to comment. You could buy the entire contents of one of my smaller kits for $95. Sounds silly to spend that sort of cash for a bottle. I usually use a recycled plastic water bottle and pay nothing. If you feel you really need a metal one, perhaps to boil water in, a Sigg bottle goes for what ... $8 or $10? For boiling I use a 1500ml aluminum pot that sold for $5 but gear choice is a personal thing.

I go cheap and buy three at a time.

Read the "About Us" section of the website. They fully declare that they are making gear with cost being a secondary factor and function being the primary factor. I emailed them a few minutes ago to see if the products were made in the USA which would contribute to the cost although even products made overseas to a high spec can be expensive. As far as I am concerned I think it is a good design although I would like to test one out. I destroy lots of gear every year looking for the best of the best so I have no problem buying, carrying, using, and recommending pricey gear as long as it stands up to the test. Inexpensive gear is great as long as it does the job and the cost savings doesnt outweigh the corners cut.

That being said some expensive gear is just outrageous and the expense outweighs the benefit and seems to be more of a status symbol than actual use items. I see these as being a well designed option but I will hold any more opinions as far as use and durability until I can play with one.

Some other observations:

The striker has the benefit of being discreet on a key chain where as my hacked Swedish Firesteel Mini is anything but discreet:

Before the hack:



Hacked to reduce size and weight:



Discreet is a double edged sword. If something is very discreet and I am dead other survivors may not know what they have but at the same time discreet avoids attention at things like security checkpoints.

I would caution against using a SIGG bottle for boiling. SIGG bottles along with most of the popular bottles are lined, some with spray in liners like the SIGG or ceramic inserts. When heated these will deteriorate and could contaminate your water not to mention the damage done to the bottle. I have been using Klean Kanteens for a good while now and love them. Even after extensive use on fires, stoves, grills, charcoal, etc and they look good as new with a quick scrub. Interior is unlined and looks just like it did new.

Here is a blog write up I did on them with some pics of them getting boiled: http://austereprovisions.blogspot.com/2010/01/aqua-est-vita.html

If I still worked in a machine shop, or had access to the equipment I'd make one of those strikers because of the cool factor.

They're definitely cool looking, and something can be said for protecting the firesteel, but I don't think I'd pay for one.

They've sold out, so that's a good for the manufacturer.

Survival bling. Just like the K&M Matchcase and the TADGear Life Capsule or their all metal fire sparker. Or well designed knives, like anything from Chris Reeve. Or some of the really slick flashlights from an outfit like Fenix. Or a seriously tuned and tricked out HiPower or 1911.

AKA, expensive, but extremely well thought out. Everything I've heard about them is that the fit and finish are impeccable. Yes, it out of my price range for what it is, and that sucks. Doesn't mean I dont' want one.

I also EDC a (Swedish) firesteel on my keyring. My steel is worn from its actual intended use. Unless I am really missing something here, why the need to protect the steel and from what?

Corrosion from Salt air,Salt water,Bleach from washed clothing,Acid rain,to name a few.Ferro=Iron

Fire steels oxidise very quickly.This is even more so in a marine environment.Fire steels contain ferrous metal and will break down in moist climates.Imagine swamps,jungles,rain forrests and the like.I was on a beach operation once and a DOANS magnesium block had its stricker rot out in less than two weeks.I like the concept of the Nano Striker but think it is too small.The small parts may be hard to handle with cold and numb fingers.I also do not like that it screws together as the threading could seize up.If it just pushed in like the cap on a K&M Matchsafe then it would be ideal...

BOATMAN
John

I have a small fire steel on my keychain for probably a year now and it gets wet all the time from sweat, condensation etc. no sign of corrosion.

You are kidding, right?

I have never seen this problem and live in a rain forest environment.

As I said before, my steel (3+ yrs old) is actually worn from use and shows no sign of corrosion or breakdown by any environmental means.




I suppose if I left the steel outside on the ground, in the raw elements for months at a time, then there may be some corrosion or breakdown...

I have a Magfire Pro that I've been carrying around on my EDC keychain for about 3 years now and it has a thin layer of corrosion/oxidation that has to be scraped off before it will spark well. This is not the Firesteel that I use on camping, hiking and skills trips though it always goes. It's my backup so it doesn't get used.

You might use yours enough and on a regular enough basis so that there's no noticeable corrosion/oxidation buildup.

There's not a lot of buildup on my regular use steel.

A thin layer of corrosion or the protective coating is part of the fun...

Impress your friends with a huge shower of sparks, then hand it over upside down so your friends try to make sparks on the protective coating or a corroded part of the steel... Scraping the fire steel is the simplest action imaginable, but your friend will not succeed until he scrapes all the way down to unprotected material or realizes he needs to flip it over.

OK, just a sample of my bad taste in practical jokes, but there is a educative purpose here too. First you make a fool out of your friend, then show him the conditions for the sparks to fly. That lesson will stick.

No Kidding!I live in an Extremely Dry area,Except for the fact I'm 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean,The air here is Salty for the most parts,& Smoggy for All the other parts,lol!My (Svenska) Firesteel fuzzed up on me,though I do work at The Beach,or 200 yds from the beach anyhow,& My keychain w/Firesteel,Used to hang on a caribiner on my belt loop.Leigh lives in The UK,& I'm sure his problem is Similar.

Is it possible to store a few tinder-quick's or some jut cord between the fire steel and the wall of the container?

No, you're not fitting much of anything in there.

The response I got from the company is that the majority of goods are made in china. I would be much happier about the price if it was at least American made but it is not. While a good design in theory it would take a good bit of impressing me to make me a buyer considering the secondary factors. All in all though still good to see some solid thought put into gear.

It looks gorgeous. The Atwood of sparkers. It could well be worth its weight in gold, if it's the one you have with you when you need it.

But it's maybe a bit fiddly. If your hands are cold or you are wearing gloves, it won't be easy to do all the unscrewing and rescrewing to get it into usable form.

First time seeing the Nano Striker. Really nice design!

Here is a another source for fire steel tubes. I am not associated with either of the companies. These steels are mischmetal.

firesteel.com has sizes from 3/16 to 3/8. The 1/2 steel is no longer available. I was able to chat with Ron and said he had one left which he sold to me. Not very practicable for a PSK because of size and weight so this for my small collection of fire making tools and not my PSK. Pictures and report to follow once I receive it.

https://firesteel.com/categories/FireSteel-Tubes/

goinggear.com sells the mischmetal steels in the raw. Roll your own with 1/2 x 12" mother of all fire steels! Does any know of a source for these aluminum tubes (or similar)?

http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4

Thanks for the links. I see a couple of custom firesteel projects coming up...

My nanoSTRIKER is a perfect fit for my intended use; EDC/PSK and as back-up for other fire starters in my larger kits. It is also has the capacity to handle frequent use in a worst case scenario (i.e.: Long-term survival with nothing but my EDC). It is pricey but some things are worth the investment. In my opinion, the nanoSTRIKER is definitely one of those things.

On the topic of corrosion;
I have a Gerber Strike Force purchased back in '88 or so. I've used it a couple dozen times at most but it's spent decades bouncing around in various packs/car kits and storage units. There is severe corrosion and pitting along one side, although with its 1/2 inch diameter I'm not too worried about it failing. I really like the idea of shrink tubing to protect the ferro rods and I'll be putting that to use on all of mine.

Thank you for the product suggestion. I bought a few of these for now:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.36157
http://firesteel.com/products/GobSpark-Armageddon-FireSteel-with-Scraper-and-Lanyard.html

I also have a Swedish Firesteel by Light My Fire, which is overpriced compared to its competitors. I don't carry a ferro rod on my key ring. I like to keep my ferro rods attached to a container of tinder, which is too bulky for my key ring. However, I would wear the system around my neck or in a pocket. By the way, I would consider putting a Peanut Lighter on my key ring.

Slight detour, this is about the coolest video I've seen pertaining to ferro rods:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuD8LrB8SGY&feature=player_embedded

I haven't protected my flint strikers and have not seen corrosion. If I ever felt the need to protect, then I guess I would grease it and treat it like a gun barrel.

Can someone explain to me how shrink tubing prevents corrosion. I'm thinking that would promote corrosion.


same here

Perhaps carrying your firesteel in your pocket ensures enough abrasion to keep corrosion unnoticeable. Much the same as a (real) silver coin doesn’t seem to tarnish when carried in a pocket but noticeably tarnishes when just sitting in the open.

Shrink tubing would prevent corrosion by excluding oxygen from the surface of the rod the same as nail polish or other coatings, hence no oxidation or in other words… no oxygen = no corrosion.

Yeah, I like that one. Firesteel.com is a very good company, and I have 7 or 8 of their 'steels.

"I haven't protected my flint strikers and have not seen corrosion. If I ever felt the need to protect, then I guess I would grease it and treat it like a gun barrel.

Can someone explain to me how shrink tubing prevents corrosion. I'm thinking that would promote corrosion".

.........I always shrink wrap mine. I don't do it to prevent corrosion; I keep it on a cord with a whistle and brass compass, and I cover it in vinyl to keep it from banging and scraping the other items...

I have to try out this heat shrink trick because I'm curious now.

OK, y'all think the nanoSTRIKER is overpriced at $26? Try this one on for size. LOL

Wilderness Solutions Fire Pen II

It's a pen-sized fire piston with a mini ferro rod for $89.95

That's pretty competitive price wise with most fire pistons I've seen. A tad more maybe but I don't recall ever seeing one much under $60.

I want one but not for that price. They're overcharging for the addition of the fero rod ($15 more for the small fero rod). The piston is probably overpriced too.

Generally, pistons aren't as rugged as fero rods. For example, if you fall and bend the shaft or if you mess up the O-ring, then you're screwed. There has to be alignment and an airtight seal for the thing to work.

I've been keeping a spreadsheet to compare prices per unit volume of ferro rod. Just for kicks, I put the NanoSTRIKER in there.

Firesteel.com Armeggedon w/ handle & scraper = $36.18 per cu. in. of ferro rod (2.5" x 0.375", $9.99 for all parts).

LMF Swedish Firesteel Army w/ scraper = $68.17 per cu. in. of ferro rod (2.125" x 0.375", $16 for all parts).

Exotac NanoSTRIKER = $434.42 per cu. in. of ferro rod (2" x 0.1875", $23.99 for all parts).

Last week's trip to REI, spotted these two aluminum tent pole repair-sleeves (13.2mm and 16mm diameters). Don't have in front of me to measure, but they're around 6-7 inches long. At 75 cents each, bought one of each, thinking could cut to length and come up with suitable end-caps for some as-yet-determined kit use.

If the NanoSTRIKER is in fact made in China, then Exotac shouldn't be charging $4 for a tiny replacement rod:
http://www.exotac.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=67&products_id=184

Firesteel.com has a similar rod for $1 that is mischmetal, made in the USA and slightly bigger:
http://firesteel.com/products/FireSteel-Pup.html

Does the threading cost Exotac that much more to make? No, once you're a NanoSTRIKER customer, then Exotac can screw you again with replacement parts.

We do have options. I put together a waterproof fire starting system for less than $6. For my usage, it's more desirable than the NanoSTRIKER, and I can make four of them for less than the price of one NanoSTRIKER. I will be posting pics in a new thread.

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Regarding corrosion, I performed an experiment. I put Vaseline on my Swedish Firesteel rod, and slipped a heat shrink sleeve over it. I dunked the whole thing in a cup of salty water, let it sit there underwater for a few days, and then took it out and let it sit for awhile. I took off the heat shrink and didn't observe any corrosion. In fact, the Vaseline was still in tact. I was able to generate sparks from the rod without wiping the Vaseline off. In fact, the Vaseline seemed to promote longer burning sparks, somewhat like the magnesium in mischmetal promotes longer burning sparks.

If you're like me, you can't motivate yourself to spend $27 plus shipping for one Exotac STRIKER. So, there you have a poor man's solution for protecting your ferro rod if you so desire. A rubber band helps keep the heat shrink in place and can also be tinder/fuel.

I have the fire pen I. The release vent feature is nice. The Pen II looks interesting.