I've heard that others have had that problem with the Blastmatch, but I've used mine quite a lot and had no problems with it.

It the metal striker does break off, then the BM can still be used as a 2-handed striker with any metal scraper, and IMO will outperform the Sparklite. (It took several strikes with the Sparklite to ignite a single-ply piece of toilet paper, and I was completely unable to get it to ignite a dab of Purell Hand-Sanitizer - both of which will usually catch fire with one application of the BM.) I wouldn't give a tinker's damn for my ability to start a fire with a Sparklite if I were shivering with hypothermia, or if my hands were numb with cold. But I'm fairly certain I could get a fire going one-handed with a BM, even if the striker had broken off, by bracing it with my foot or knee and using the back of my knife (or even the blade, if necessary - I'd worry about the corrosion issues and the dulling of the blade after I was toasty and warm) <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

The biggest problem with the BM is that it's very bulky. What you gain on the swings, you lose on the roundabouts. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />