I get the feeling that most folks prefer the Spark Lite over most all other fire starters, however, I was wondering why more people do not like the classic magnesium firestarter? Is it weight? Is the function of the spark lite that much better? The Magnesium Blocks have the sparker and tinder in one. Is it the one handed advantage of the SL? The size?

Just curious.

To tell the truth my overall preference is a small ferrocerium rod the exact size of the ones that come glued to the Doans magnesium starter blocks. I knock off the rods and toss the magnesium block in the trash. I just bought a couple large ferro rods in the form of the metal match and some extra large ones in the form of firesteel and they are awesome firestarters but too big to be practical for my purposes, so I prefer the small ones that I rip off of the magnesium bar firestarters. For the amount of work it takes to to actually scrape a decent amount of magnesium in to something that vaguely resembles a neat little pile, I can make ten times as much effective tinder out of almost anything else, grass, leaves, denim, cotton clothing, various componants in a first aid kit and the list goes on. Before I perfected my tinder preparation skills I was all about the magnesium since (just as you pointed out) it is tinder and striker/sparker in one neat little package. Those days however, are gone for me now that my tinder preparation skills have improved. This is not to completely discount the sparklite though. Where the spraklite earns it's keep is when one-handed operation is required. I have been practicing with a small ferro rod one-handed and although it is possible, it sure aint nothin like simply flicking a sparklite. If you look at my videos in a recent thread you can see that with a little practice at preparing tinder you can light almost anything with a sparklitethat you can with the full-sized ferro rods.. and yes all that tinder in the videos can be prepared one-handed. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I don't know about most people but I have them both and they each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

The Spark Lite is smaller, lighter, can be used one-handed, and works great with cotton balls or equilivant tinder.

The Mag bar is bigger, heavier, requires two hands and works great with cotton balls or equilivant tinder.

I have never had much luck with the mag bar shavings. They blow away and burn up quickly.

Just my 2-cents worth

Tom

I know it's heresy on this board but I'm not all that smitten with the SL. I have a BlastMatch which is considerably heavier but I prefer it. For one-handed fire-starting, I really prefer a Bic lighter <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Seriously, unless you're one-handed to begin with, I doubt the one-handedness of the SL is ever likely to play a significant role. I haven't tried this, but I'm pretty certain I can easily ignite tinder by placing it on a firm surface, placing the ferrocerium rod on top of it and holding it steady with my foot while I run my knife blade along it. (If I'm injured and freezing to death, starting a fire would take priority over not damaging my knife - that's probably heresy, too. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ) If I can't use either of my feet, then I'm gonna be in a world of hurt anyway, but I still reckon I could figure something out. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

The main use for the magnesium block is to hold the ferrocerium rod so you don't lose it, but it's not useless. those who think they're going to collect a large pile of magnesium shavings in a high wind without building a sheltered area are dreaming, but I've collected a reasonable pile of shavings in windy conditions using an old biscuit tin, so I know it can be done. But the FC rod by itself does an excellent job of lighting tinder.

I'm going to try hard not to write a novella on this topic as I often catch myself doing. I'll just say this: You must be a lot luckier than I am or maybe my outdoor activities are simply more prone to causing injury. I can say without a shadow of a doubt the part of my body that sufferes the most injury outdoors are my hands. Based on my own personal experience, being able to operate your equipment one-hand is of great importance.

Brian:

=====================================================
being able to operate your equipment one-hand is of great importance.
=====================================================

You have got to edit that statement or I will go mad trying to restrain myself from making comments about it. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Bounty...... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

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

ROFL!! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

With a mind like that, we're going to have to start calling you "bootyhunter".

Well, I guess some people are more accident-prone than I am <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> which is another way of saying not everyone is as wimpishly afraid of getting hurt as me <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

But just out of curiosity, how many of those injuries were so bad as to preclude you using both hands to start a fire?

To jump in - it only has to happen once... I took a simple, silly little fall in the mountains several years ago and seriously damaged my strong hand wrist (broken bone and extreme sprain). There was absolutely no way I could use my right hand for anything more than hanging a mitten on - it wasn't the pain; I could live with that. It simply would not work. I was with my sons; they took care of things. As it was, I could have managed fine because of what I had on me, but if a task had required me to use two hands, I would have been in some difficulty.

It has taken years of fending off the orthopedic surgeons to get this back to full function, but the important thing is that it really was not a serious fall - except for the incapacitation of my wrist/hand.

Spend enough time in rugged terrain and some mishap will sneak up on most folks (hehehe - or mishaps, in my case). I sincerely hope that never happens to you. <shrug> I don't think it's worth obsessing over - I think people who hang out here are probably pretty capable of improvising to meet the situation, whether they give themselves credit for that or not.

I agree that it's not the most important thing to "prepare" for - otoh, if a regularly carried/used device can also cover that situation, have at it.

Tom

Absolutely correct!

Sorry .. I tried but the edit window is closed so you just have to live with your dirty thoughts! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Easy to say if your outdoors experiences are walking down a dirt road or along a well-beaten path at the local city park. I think a statement like this is an indication that you don't ever rock climb or cross rapid flowing rivers or ride a horse or climb a tree or have to use a rope to lower yourself down a steep grade or put yourself in any other inherantly dangerous situations (and there is nothing wrong with that but you must consider not everyone plays it that safe). I have broken plenty of bones and I won't even begin to try to count the amount of stitches I have had and I seriously doubt it's because I am "whipishly afraid of getting hurt". As a matter of fact I would say it is quite the opposite. If I were afraid of getting hurt I would play it a heck of a a lot safer when alone, in the woods, many miles from civilation.

You don't even need to be injured. I can use an experience I had yesterday as a perfect example. Yesterday on my way home from work I stopped to check a skin that I had place in a creek to remove the hair. Those of you that know this technique know that you are best served to used the most rapid flowing area of the creek/river that you can find. Well the skin was breaking free so I had to resecure it and on a very steep (almost 90%) and muddy bank. So to make a long story a little shorter, here I am with bare feet dug firmly in to the side of the bank dangling over a very rocky, rapid flowing creek hanging on to a tree root sticking out of the side of the bank with my right hand and attempting to resecure my skin with the left hand. I was not in any way injured but if I had not been able to deploy both my knife and rope bundle with one hand then this never would have been possible.

I think for more information on the need for equipment that can be operated with one hand I will defer to Doug Ritter. Here is what Doug writes about one-handed tools.

Quote: Doug Ritter http://www.equipped.org/psp/amk_psp_faq.htm#_Toc62951675

Goatrider:

At my age, hunting is not the problem, catching anything is. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

bhunter:

Aint it the truth. I caught my one, that's enough for me.

But I still look- I'm married, not dead!

brian;

Sorry if you misunderstood me - I wasn't accusing you of being a wimp but confessing to being a wimp myself. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> (I didn't really intend the crack about "accident-prone" to be taken seriously, though in hindsight that may not have been as obvious as I wanted it to be.) <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

You're absolutely right - I don't rock-climb, mountain-climb, ride horses or wrassle grizzly b'ars <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> so it's probably not so surprising that I've never broken a collarbone or dislocated a shoulder. The worst damage I've ever done to my arm was slipping on the ice in front of the Junior Ranks mess (I was on my way in, not out, in case you were wondering <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> ) and that was probably no worse than a bad sprain.

I was genuinely curious as to how bad an injury would have to be to physically prevent someone from using a "two-handed" fire-starting method, that's all.

What about a situation where both your hands are injured? I suppose it's ironic to think about, but what if your hands were badly burned and now you have to start a fire? I think you could more easily start a fire using a FC rod and a knife than strike a SL.

Personally, as far as one-handed firestarters go, my preferences are, in order: Bic lighter, BlastMatch, Zippo lighter and Sparklite. Sorry, but I've used the SL and I'm simply not that enamoured of it. 'Course, I feel the same way about Swedish Firesteels, and lots of people with more experience than me swear by them, so what do I know? <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

How well does the SL work when wet? Anyone know?

Just blow the water off, and start striking... there's nothing to get damp/retain water... just flint and wheel (and the plastic housing), about as simple as it gets.

Hahahaha okay you're off the hook. You let me borrow your cool movie too so how could I be upset with you. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I have never used a Blastmatch but from what I have seen they seem to throw a ton of sparks. Too big and heavy for my purposes though. If I had one I know I would never carry it. Doug said it best when he said that what we all really need is something the size of a Sparklite that throws as many sparks as a Blastmatch. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Also it seems from some previous threads on this board that the Blastmatch is prone to breaking. Maybe that was just the ones that were coming with the NRA kits though.

As far as what to do when both hands are broken... well we cant be equipped for every scenario... although we keep trying, right? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

In general I don't like one-handed firestarters (surprised?) so I can't really list them in order of preference. Hate them all and carry the sparklite because it's the smallest. I carry one in my kit, practice with it and regard it as a necessary evil. It does work well when wet. Much like a butane lighter you just shake it to get it mostly dry them spark away. I'm also not big on lighters because it's easy to burn yourself starting a fire with them. Thats not to say I don't carry a lighter at times cause I do. I just don't prefer them.

My preference is out of the fire starting method that I have tried are as follows::

Small ferrocerium rods removed from Doan's Magnesium Starters
Permanant Match - The best of both wrolds (lighters and matches) and a decent little spark maker too.
Firesteel (Army Model) - Just got my first one and "WOW that's a lot of sparks! Still kinda big though.
Metal Match - I'm also new to these. Also a little big for my tastes but a nice sparker.
Waterproof Matches - Old faithful
Windproof/Waterproof Matches - They burn to fast but you could be in the middle of a hurricane and I think they would probably still light (at least the ones I have)
Adjustable Lighter
Zippo Lighter - Relatively windproof and a good size flame plus it can stay lit unattended but boy that fuel goes fast. Polished chrome makes a decent mirror too.
Non-Adjustable Lighter
Sparklite - This is the only one-handed firestarter that I have ever used other than a lighter.
Bow Drill - Works great but I have a lot of trouble improvising a low friction palm rock and carrying one with me defeats the whole purpose. Also requires strong cordage which is hard to improvise.
Hand Drill - Easily improvised but ooooouch my hands are blistered and my pecs feel like I did 100 pushups!!!
Natural Flint - Lots of work for a little spark
Magnesium with Sparker - Hard to rate these as a complete unit because I love ferrocerium but find the magnesium tinder to be little more than useless. I could make better tinder on my own unless I was in the middle of a hurricane.
Fire Plow - Still haven't made this one work so it's my least favorite for sure.

impressive list !!!!

But did you ever use a fire piston ??

Funny,

I've used a mag block for more than 20 years with no trouble at all. It takes some patience and prep to sort out your shavings but you are guaranteed a flame, not so with a sparker alone.

Flip

Funny that you mention the fire piston. I havn't ever tried one but they sure look effective, and fun too. I have been trying to make one off and on for quite some time not but have not been successful yet. It's hard to get a both pieces and the gasket fit just right with all natural materials. I imagine that after this weekend I will have quite a supply of both deer and turkey bones though so maybe I'll try again in the next couple weeks. I have seen a couple for sale in various places that were made from anything from bone to plexiglass but I just can't seem to get myself to buy one. Would rather keep trying to make one. I imagine I will succeed eventually. It took me forever to make fire with a hand drill but I finally did it. Just recently actually.

I will admit that I have a couple of small mag starters that are about the size of the military match and they are easier than the Doans. Maybe it's all in my head but the magnesium on my small imitation military matches actually seems softer than the magnesium on the Doans starters. They are les of a headache to scrape. I certainly wont argue that once you do get a decent supply of shavings built up you are certainly garanteed a flame. That stuff burns white hot for that split second that it is on fire.

I really would love to master the hand drill and natural flint methods above all else to tell the truth. I would be great to be confident that I could start a fire with nothing but my knife and a rock or a couple pieces of wood. I am far from a master at either but I'll keep practicing.

As long as you have one working hand and a few teeth to pull the pin, a WP or Thermite grenade makes a terrific combination fire starter, forest fire starter/signaling device, and campfire entertainment. Unfortunately, they're one-use items.

If you use your "few teeth left" to pull the pin, you won't have them for long... that bit of macho only works in the movies, but you're right, Willie Pete is definitely a good fire-starter, if you want a REALLY big fire <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

Remember WP actually bursts. the thermite grenade will burn pretty much in one spot. Grenade pins are tough to pull with your fingers, thats why soldiers will sometimes straighten the pin ahead of time. Teeth are a definite no-no.

I saw an article on how some one made a "palm stone" with his brass belt buckle.He some how made the divot in the back of the buckle.In this way he always has the bearer block on him.I can't remember where I saw this at but thought it was a clever idea
BOATMAN
John

That is pretty clever.