Any steel will work. Back of lock back knife blade, hacksaw, file ect. Matches have their use. You have to be ready with tender and fire materail. They do not work well in wet enviroments. I have found using one of the magneisum scrape bars with the flint rod on back works well when used with the military canteen fuel bar. The mag bar/flint will start a fire on the fuel tab and this will give you the long flame that you need to get a fire going in less than ideal situations.