I have been meaning to ask this here, and the Tomb Raider Light Stick Thread reminded me about it...

In various movies, I have seen people use what looks like some kind of micro flare that was only about two or three inches long... It looked like they struck them like a match and then they burned for about a minute or two...
I was first reminded about these the first time I lit off a REI weatherproof match, and the thing looked like a flare...
I was thinking that, seeing as how you cannot get much better than a flare for fire-starting in the rain, that some of these(they looked smaller than cigarettes), would be a great way to get a fire started in WET areas...
They looked metallic, and MAY be some kind of magnesium rod with an igniter attached...
Anyone know anything about these???

I only ever say them in Aliens. I seem to remember reading somehwere they were made from light weight tubing, the guts of a highway flare, and match head compound, and were a real pain in the butt in terms of making and protecting.

Did they look anything like these?

http://www.sailboats.co.uk/Product~Mini_Flare_Mk3_Red_pack_of_8_10145.html

Sue

Nope, definantly not pen flares.

These would be about the size of the launcher pen, with strike-anywhere material on one end. Basically a highway flare for lilliputians. As far as I've ever been able to find, they were made by the pyro guy for that movie, becuase I haven't found a single reference to someone making something like them.

this?

Mabey one of these?

Kevin

Where did you buy those flares?

Thanks!

Where did they use them in Aliens??? I do not remember that...

I could of SWORN that I have seen them used in other movies, but you know how memory can be...

Well, I finally found that on the site that the picture was linked form, but I cannot find any size...
Hmmm, it is called the Wind Light...
If it is small, it could be an interesting addition...

The Orion flare is a part of an Orion survival/signaling kit, I saw them in Cabelas several years ago, but I'm unsure if Orion makes them anymore.
The other 5 min. fusee I found in my parents' garage. It has a date of September 1979 on it, and was made by Standard Fusee Co.

http://botac.com/orwilprod.html
http://www.orionsignals.com/Wilderness/Products/Fire_Starters.html

Kevin