Thanks for the info everyone. I tried again scraping hard and slow and it made a big difference. I was able to get a piece of Wetfire going in no time. Turns out my "dry" tinder was pretty damp. I had a hard time lighting it with a match later.

I also think I need to invest in some good firesteels. The one I have is almost worn down completely. I always carry a lighter and some matches but it's good to know that you have a backup too.

For those of you who use cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly, does there seem to be a shelf life? I had some that I made about 6 months ago and put in an Altoids tin and they were pretty dried out and wouldn't catch a spark.