First, having several methods of firestarting makes sense as a backup. Matches and lighters can get lost, break, get wet, etc. MFS and other strickers are virtually impervious to the weather and will work when the matches and butane run out.

Second, I've been surprised on how easy it is to start a fire with a MFS and half a hacksaw blade. On campouts, I have them on a keychain at my side and it's almost easier to strike a sparks on demand than it is to fumble around with matches. Plus I get a sense of confidence when I do so that doesn't come with striking a match. <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

When I thought about the same question, firestarting with sparks seemed to be quite backwards and obsolete for me. I tried it for the toy value of it anyway. I found that it´s a pretty effective method and the tools are really robust. When you light a fluid (e. g. a Trangia stove) it´s even safer than a match or lighter. I many cases I prefer sparks to matches now.
I carry a ferrocerium rod that takes less space than two matches and can´t leak on my keyring. A similar rod is used up about halfway and already lit about 80 fires. That simply can´t be beaten by matches or lighters.
The usefullness in adverse conditons or as backup has already been pointed out and I second that.

Thanks for the welcome and the explanation. It would seem to be a good method of starting fires. However, I have not had such problems with this lighter - even as cold as it gets here in CO. In fact, I dont remember having problems even with Bic lighters - probably because they are in my jacket, not in the pack.

I suspect that in 99.9% or more of all survival situations, a BIC lighter would be more than adequate. If it gets wet, though, it will take some time to dry out, and if it gets smashed (it's only plastic, after all) then you still need to know how to start a fire using only the spark.

Plus you don't want to find yourself lost in the bush and discover too late that when you lent your BIC to that cute redhead in the lodge last night, you never got it back <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Hey, I am a new member, but I thought I would through my two cents into the pile.

I have tried a lot of flint and steel fire starters from the Blast Match to the Boy Scout Flint and Steel, but the one that I have found to work the best was given to me in Bridgport California at the Marine Corps survival school. It is made by Wilderness Survival Institute and the model is the P-60. It throws the largest and longest shower of sparks of any firestarter I have seen. It has a flint striker and a magnesium bar, which is almost warn out on mine. Besides the Marine Corps the only place I have seen it is on the manufacturers website.

Anyways, just thought I would bring it to your attention.

Thanks,

Josh

It is a round magnesium bar with flint attached right? Very common style fire starter. I personally carry one in my waist bag sized kit, also I believe Doug carries a version of it. It does work very well, though most here don't like using the mag as a tinder. It tends to blow away, burns too fast, and requires a bit of work to get a good pile of shavings. The flint bar on the other hand is great, they throw a good shower of sparks and it is a thick bar with a good backing (I know a problem with cheaper ones was the bar would fall off of some of them, though I haven't had that problem personally) I think it is a great keychain/pocket starter. It is a bit bigger and more expensive then the BSA hot spark, but it does give the mag bar which means if tinder is hard to come by you are atleast carrying something. One thing to think about though, it is a two hand fire starter, it is a good idea to carry a seperate method that can be used one handed. Carrying a magnifying/fresnel lense in your wallet and a Spark-Lite in your "altoids tin sized kit" means you have good backups that take up little room, even a Bic can be used as a one handed fire starter after the fuel has run out if you remove the metal shield piece on top. <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

DBAGuy,
The ability to start a fire with just sparks can be a great skill to have. It teaches proper fire building which if ever required to build a fire with a bow drill or fire saw because your kit got lost/busted/ect it will make things a bit easier on you. Right now I try as much as I can to practice "one blade survival" meaning all you can use is a knife and what you find. It is great practice for incase in a real situation you end up with nothing. I have read a lot of material in which the kit was lost, washed away, ect. I want to make sure I still have a good chance if this ever happens. Now, with commercial airplanes pretty much not letting you carry anything metal on you it seems like that situation is becoming even more likely for the average traveler.

Yeah, we all tend to assume that at least we'll be left with the clothes on our back, but even that isn't a given. IIRC, Juliane Koepke lost everything but the skirt she was wearing when the plane she was on broke apart in midair. But of coursed, as Doug and others have repeatedly pointed out, the most important piece of survival gear is your brain, and she still had that. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />