Quote 'As for how you were scraping, let me guess- stainless steel blade, using the edge? Carbon steel works better'

This is not true and I think a real urban myth amongst survilist. The Firesteel rod whether on a Mg block or by its self is a alloy that when scrapped with any of a myrid of substances that are strong then the firesteel material will cause sparks to form. I have used a surgical blade with great success to make a fine shower of sparks, the blade is 440 stainless steel, as well as the blad off a swiss army knife. Both thes work better then the back of my Mora knife or other carbon steel knife.
Now if you are using true flint and steel, carbon steel, to start a fire then you are actually froming sparks by the action of the flint scrapping off splinters of the carbon steel. The one time I did this it worked but it took time.

I think if we look at the history of fire meaking we would see mans quest for easier and easier ways of making fire. The indians and mountain man carried the best method they had for there time, and only fell back to more primative methods when they did not have the more modern marvials.

cheers