Ok I one day while outside my dad said that I could not start a fire with a magnesium block and flint that I had acquired from a local outdoors store. Being known in my family as the “survivalists” I decided to accept the challenge, going through my bug-out military gear I pulled it out and went out side. I found a nice piece of flat bark to use as a staging post then gathered some moss dried leaves an small twigs. I scraped the magnesium off the block and got a good amount of it gathered in one spot a lot harder than I thought, I tried to spark it and failed. After about 20min of trial and error I finally got a light and started a fire. So where did I go wrong? I wanted to try and get it one shot any suggestions?

What brand of block are you using? Doans or Coghlan's? What are you using for a scrapper? Are you putting one end of the block on the surface or are you holding the block above the tinder while sparking?

From my experience with those things, plus what I have seen, read, and heard, you did about average, maybe a tad better. They will work, but are not the easiest way to make a fire. Add some wind to scatter those little chips and the job only gets harder...

I've always been able to light tinder with one eventually, but in any sort of wind, I collect the shavings in a container like a folded scrap of paper. Once I've got enough to make a pile about the size of 3-4 stacked nickels, it takes me 2-5 sparks to get the pile lit. I haven't tried the new-to-me advice of holding the scraper/knife still and scraping the bar across it instead of moving the scaper across the bar. But I can definately get tinder lit without too much trouble.

Then things usually go bad because I usually don't collect enough tinder and twigs to sustain it. I like the advice of collecting what you think you need, then doubling it. In my case I should probably triple it.

Watching video of guys like Les Stroud and Ron Hood, one thing I haven't done is blow a lot of extra oxygen into my tinder pile to get it really going. I usually start puffing at it when it's too late.

And for sure don't do what I saw some Marines do in a video taken at their Mtn Warfare Trng center in CA once. They worked and worked to get a fire going, had a nice big one, then it just sank into the snow and went out...

Gently blow, it doesn't take a lot of blowing, just a little air movement. Once the magnesium gets burning get your fuel on it. I like to have lots of fuel ready because I only want to use the magnesium once.

You did one thing right. You tried this in a controlled situation. 20 minutes is a lifetime, correction, potential loss of a lifetime in a real situation. I don't know how many smug people I've met with a mag block covered in white oxidation who believe they have firemaking covered. what are your alternate methods? Have you tried them too?

I too have found it difficult to use the magnesium bar and flint. The only way I have been able to make it work is to use a leaf or somthing to hold the many flakes I need and then place my tinder on top of the flakes once I can get them started. I now prefer the Light My Fire fire steel to the magnesium and flint. It is more reliable. I can make fire in much less time.

John

my alt methods are of course good old water proof matches an I also have a water/wind proof lighter in the easy access pouches. I have an ALICE gear military set with all this equipment on it, I have started them with both the matches and the lighter, it took about three matches to get it started and the lighter only one try to get a fire started. I havent used my fire starting cubes yet but will try that out soon. BTW thanks for all the responces to my question.

Lots of good diagnostic questions so far, so I'm going toss in a few more:

Were you whittling or scraping the magnesium? Don't carve it off, all you'll do is ruin the edge on your knife, scrap it with the back of a piece of hacksaw blade or something (or a file works pretty spiffy here). The other thing is, whan you scraped the ferro rod, stainless steel works but not so well. Carbon steel, or the spine of that piece of hacksaw blade I just mentioned. Even a lower chromium stainless like what Victorinox and Leatherman use in there saw blades is going to work better than any of the "brighter" stainless steels. Carbon good/chrome bad.

I know the book says the size of a nickle- try going for a quarter sized pile, and it absolutely has to be contained. It should be on the tinder, but not in it, that pile is the amount that is a solid layer.

For blowing, air is good, but think of it as VERY long puff. Or the exhale during a long kiss (best way I can describe it folks, sorry).