Chris Venti, with a management background from General Electric, has purchased the assets of Survival, Incorporated, maker of the StarFlash signal mirror, BlastMatch and StrikeForce firestarters, WetFire Tinder and SaberCut Saw, among others. These were also marketed to civilians under the Ultimate Survival brand. The new company is called Ultimate Survival Technologies.

More: http://www.equipped.org/blog/?p=60

Good news these are quality products.

We (LifeView Outdoors) have recieved an early shipment of five Survival Inc. products. They are in inventory and available for sale now.

JetScream Whistles
3" x 5" StarFlash Mirrors
StrikeForce FireStarters (black)
WetFire Tinder
SaberCut Saws

Blastmatches are still a few months away, I'm told, as are the civilian version of 2" x 3" mirrors and a few other items. The website is LifeView Outdoors Survival Inc.

Gents and Ladies, I hope they get their act together. I purchased both Blast Match and Strike Force from them along with a good supply of their Wet Fire Tinder. I will teach/preach the gospel of preparedness to any and all that will listen. One evening while waiting for a soccer practice to end, I got one of the dads into a conversation about preparedness. I took out the Blast Match and some Wet Fire tinder out to demonstrate. I crushed the cube as prescribed and sparked at it, over and over without ignition. I got another cube with the same results. I even tried lighting it with a lighter, nada. This was under perfect conditions (T@75F, no wind, on tarmac) I checked the packaging for expiration dates and found none. The next day I called the manufacturer and described the problem. The lady I spoke to mumbled something about maybe they expire, and when I said that there were no dating on the package, she said she didn't think she should say anything more, and she hung up.
I have not dealt with the company since and I doubt I will ever again because they've lost my trust. I hope they have gotten their act together, and wish them well, but my concern is that what if I was in the majority of folks that buy survival kits, first aid kits etc., and never practice with them but just put them away as an insurance policy for a rainy day. What if that day came and JohnQ needed to get a fire going. This could cause his demise. Maybe I'm still an altruist, but I hold certain industries to a higher standard. I hope the new management sees it that way too. Regards, Jim

One of the drawbacks to WetFire Tinder is the fact that it loses its effectiveness if exposed to air. If the foil wrapper that it comes in develops a pinhole the tinder will, over time, be rendered useless. That is one of the characteristics that separates Tinder Quik, Coghlan’s Emergency Tinder, or plain old PJ cotton balls from the WetFire. The WetFire works quite well if it has remained sealed and tends to burn hotter than the other tinders.

The other Survival Inc./Ultimate Survival Technologies products (BlastMatch, Strikeforce etc.) have always performed well for me. The folks that I have spoken with at Survival Inc. have largely been responsive and customer oriented. I’m sure that the new management is as well.

Good morning all, Lifeview. I'm glad you've had positive experiences with their stuff. I didn't check for pin holes, but the packaging seemed to be intact, and it was certainly stored in such away that it was subject to less "abuse" then it would receive in the field. Based on their employees comments, I get the impression that they knew there was a problem.
I know no manufacturing process is without flaw, but I just don't want folks depending on something that might let them down. Maybe I just got a bad batch. Regards, Jim