dave : i know i'm a little late getting in on this thread....but yes you can light the esbit tab with flint and steel.....to do this you MUST 1st smash the tab with a rock or the butt of a knife,until you get small bits and powder....then the tab WILL accept the spark of a flint and steel.....i have done this many times before...and by the way the british M.O.D. issues a fire starting kit in military survival kits with a flint and steel ,cotton wool and esbit tablets.....vince g. 11b inf...... <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />