Huh? No offense, I just don't understand your response, Troy.

That wasn't hard work, just one simple draw of the MFS as the sun was going down. The only hard part was timing the camera to catch the action.

Want to see mega sparks? Try a Swedish Military FireSteel using an Opinel spine or hacksaw blade spine at dusk ... looks like a 4th of July celebration ...

M

I have a couple FireSteels on order as well as the Metal Matches I mentioned in the other thread. I'm eager to compare them. I have a variety of smaller, thinner ferrocerium rodsalready and I'm actually looking foreward to comparing all of them.

Here are a few I've tried.

(Left to Right)
Metal Match, FireSteel "Army" Model, USGI DOAN, Military Match II.

The usual spark I get off a Doan starter is about 3 or 4 times what you'd see from a bic with the guard removed, and your picture looked like a small WP burning off, to say the least, I was impressed with the picture <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.

Troy

Troy,

As you may be able to tell by the pic, the knife stays stationary and the ferro rod gets drawn back to create the spark. It concentrates the spark better that way. If you're still getting light sparking activity, try some other striker materials. Some of the best, IMHO:

Opinel knife spine,
Victorinox Soldier's awl,
Hacksaw / jigsaw blade spine,
BRKT Mikro spine,
Carbon Steel Erikkson Mora #1260 spine.

The AG Russell Field Knife i used in the pic is a little pricey to be using for a striker. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Good luck!

M <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

THAT explains it... I hold the bar/flint still and close to my tinder, and scrape it with a section of hack-saw blade, toward the tinder, not as big a spark shower, but it still gets the job done, but thanks for the explanation <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.

Troy

Looks a lot like the Boy Scouts of America Hot Spark Fire Starter but for 5 times the price.

http://www.scoutstuff.org/
At search option enter HOT SPARK FIRE STARTER or
use the part number WW01167 $2.35

I can't remeber who asked me about my Metal Matches but I receives them last week and they were coated. That's a pretty thick coating too ... I was surprised.