FWIW, I have dozens of these fire starters, many nearly a decade old, all of which work just fine. When this subject first came up, I tested every one I had from over the years. I think most, if not all, of the problems have been the result of external events, corrosion induced by other chemical leaks, such as iodine, or long term wetness. Water will eventually corrode any of these ferroceium fire starters, so it's important to keep any of them dry or dry them out if they get wet. Anytime iodine gets loose in your kit, it's a mess.