I happen to have one in my hands right now. The black stripe is for grip, and it is a bit wider. My kids have a much easier time using this one than they do the original. They have trouble holding the thinner one and keeping it pointed in the right direction. It seems to produce the same volume of sparks as the original.

I'd much rather have the metal Spark-Lite which has a replacement flint and can be used forever. The Spark-Lites are a great design with ease of use in mind. However, the plastic ones with the one flint inside tend to oxidize away after being used the first time. The speed that it deteriorates depends on where it is stored/carried and environmental conditions. This makes depending on the plastic Spark-Lite somewhat risky. The SOL version or variation may last longer but for a few dollars more you can invest in the metal Spark-Lite that you can replace the flint in and it will last a lifetime.
I still prefer the Firesteel, I can see what I have, I can make a load of hot sparks and some models are pretty affordable. I coat mine with clear acrylic paint after each trip to prevent oxidation.

for you Scout Leaders.. a good craft presentation would be to let your Scouts do a "Ranger Ricks" modification to a Bic lighter (empty of fuel)..show them how to remove the wind screen and fuel activation lever without removing the striker wheel (did mine with a Leatherman PS4)...it had about 3/8 inch of flint remaining...if you saw off the bottom of the fuel tank there is room for tinder

Ah, I see. My mistake.

Interesting, I didn't know that. I have several and have used them for at least a year with no problems, but then I keep them in a zip-lock-type bag when they're not in use. I've been ogling the aluminum version for awhile, so maybe this will be the excuse I need to get one.

I will say the brass one from TAD is really good, bomb-proof and well made. But even so I find the square shape of the Spark-Lite to be easier to use.

No matter how great one fire starter/method is, I always carry a back up.

Blake

Exactly. There are so many good small and light-weight fire making methods that it's no big deal to carry a few different kinds.

For example, every jacket/coat I own has a Bic lighter or mini-Bic lighter in the pocket (including suit jackets). It costs next to nothing, it weighs next to nothing, and I know that...if I've got my jacket...I've got a way to make fire.

You guys may laugh, but I finally got my first Mini Bic today! I don't smoke so I really have to go out of my way to find a lighter. But there's a dollar store right next to the hardware store I was at so I popped in, and they had 3 packs of mini bics; one of the packs had 2 orange ones so I decided to try them. Stuck one in my Maxpedition bottle holder/PSK right when I got home!

I actually carry at least 3 methods. A large Firesteel, some Uco wind/waterproff matches, which you can light pour water on and they will still be on fire, and I carry a Spark-Lite metal version with allen wrench and spare flint. I also usually have a butane lighter in a pocket of my pack and on my key chain I have a Firesteel "tube" which is a small ferro rod in an aluminum tube that the lid screws on and has a key ring. I also carry 2 waterproof tubes filled with cotton balls saturated with vaseline. So, I WILL make fire when needed

That's basically what I usually do. I don't smoke either, but when I see a pack with all the right colors, I'll grab it. Usually yellow, orange, and/or white. I like the white ones because it's easy to see how much fuel you have left, but on the other hand....in winter they can be hard to find if you drop it in snow.