So today I decided to try to start a fire using a fire steel, since I've never actually done it. It's a lot harder than it looks.

I had some nice dry grass for my tinder bundle and about wore myself out trying to get it lit. I had some shavings from one of the silver magnesium blocks that would pop when a spark hit them but didn't ignite. Then I tried dryer lint with petroleum jelly on it - no dice. Then I tried individual jute twine threads torn up into little pieces - nope. Then I tried small shavings from a dried corn stalk. Finally a small coal from a previous fire lit, and some of the other stuff began to smoke, but I couldn't blow it into a flame. Today is pretty windy, so maybe that has something to do with it.

I'm sure some of the people here have successfully started fires this way. What advice/ tips do you have?

Thanks, Vogeler

Remember you are not trying to shower the tinder with spark, scrape harder and let the burning steel actually drop onto tinder works a lot better.

Make sure your firesteel is very close (touching probably) your tinder bundle. Then I think it is easier to hold the striker stationary and firmly against the steel, then pull the firesteel back against it. That makes aiming the sparks at your tinder much easier. The blade from an old hacksw makes a great striker. Lots of sparks, but it really eats up your firesteel quickly. Not a problem in a true survival situation unless you plan to need your firesteel for a very extended length of time. Take a small chunk of hacksaw blade. Use the non-toothed side for "normal" things, but use the toothed side for true emergencies where you really need to get that fire going pronto for survival.

Also, when firesteels are new there is a coating on them. You have to wear off that coating before you get down to the meat of the firesteel where the big sparks develope.

The guys above me share sage advice. Slow and steady wins the race. Mag shavings should go one you get the technique down.

I'll add that your tinder bundle needs to be super dry and with fine/thin pieces. Think about a bird's nest. The fibres are pretty close together, but not so close as to smoother each other. Imagine a pulled apart cotton ball as an example. You want to expose rhe fibres so they can catch the spark, but if you pull them tol far apart they'll get blown out.

One more piece of advice - keep on practicing. It's not guaranteed every time but it'll be so much easier once you get the hang of it.

Apply hard pressure and a slow, steady stroke. I use cotton balls with petroleum jelly squished into them and they light first strike.

I use the Light My Fire brand of firesteel, they work very well. I have found that not all firesteels work equally, some are definately better than others.

I got a little carbide striker from firesteel.com for under $2 that makes the firesteel work much better than the included strikers.

PJ cotton balls are the best tinder going, me thinks!

There's no need to repeat what's been said above. I'll say that my primary fire starter is a mini Bic. I use a ferro rod as a reliable backup. Although I have several rods from Firesteel.com, I prefer Light My Fire. Light My Fire is not only easier to use. Firesteel.com lost my trust when they started selling that huge rod for almost $200, and the review that goes with it on their website is comical.

I've successfully lit fires using Tinder Quik and a Light My Fire firesteel. Each time was in just about optimum conditions, with lots of tinder and kindling, a good wind break, with me calm, rested and knowing that I had many other ways to get the fire started. It wasn't terribly easy.

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.

Get an old used boot polish or boot dubbing tin (air tight metal ones). Clean it out. Store cotton balls soaked in White Gas in them. Use these as tinder. You shouldn't have a problem getting a fire started with these with a Ferrocerium rod and striker.

If your lighter is struggling to get a fire lit, then a rummage around in your FAK or toiletries bag, you might find a small pressurized can of deodorant or betadine. The pressurized butane propellant when ignited should help get a fire started especially with some hexamine tabs as your tinder.