Sparklite : wallet. no issues after 4-5 years.

mini-Bic : hip pocket. found empty after 2 years with only limited use. Retired.

Bic : front pocket on keychain. No problems after 2 years but only limited use.

Ronson : hip pocket on lanyard for about 3 years. Found empty once and refilled.

small peanut lighter : hip pocket on keychain for about 1 year. found empty with displaced rubber gasket. After I figured it out, it has remained full for several months.

small fresnel lens : wallet. completely scratched up after awhile (not sure how long as I rarely look at it. It was also cracked in several places. Completely useless for EDC. retired.

lightmyfire scout firesteel : hip pocket on lanyard for 4-5 years. absolutely NO issues. I retired the striker that came with it since I have several other suitable strikers (multitool, knife). I have had NO issues with the plastic handle coming off the ferro rod. This has seen a fair amount of use.

ultimate survival technology sparkie : pouch carry about 2 years. some sand got stuck in the spring mechanism and is no longer a single handed firestarter. not very useful. retired.

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In summary, I have found the lightmyfire firesteel my most reliable firestarter (no moving parts) with a fair amount of use and is my primary tool. The full size BIC isn't too bad but it is subject to the same failure that my mini-bic had. The Sparklite is likely very reliable but has only seen very limited active use.

Useful testing - thanks

TRO

I find it striking that you don't include matches, either the conventional wood matches or the "fire starter on steroids" emergency type. My experience in dicey situations where lighting a fire was critical is that matches work very well. They should be carried in a good watertight match safe and should be paired with suitable fire starter/tinder material - you are setting up for the worst of conditions, not the best.

I do carry a peanut lighter on my EDC key chain and it seems reliable. I test it every now and then and refresh the fluid occasionally. I haven't had to use it in a case where all the chips were down.

If I am out in the woods I generally have my key chain lighter, the dedicated lighter in my cook stove arrangement, plus at least a match safe in my "10 essentials" bag. The need for fire merits the redundancy and the relatively trivial weight increase.

I have found it worthwhile, either before a significant outing or on a regular basis, to check your fire making gadgets and insure that everything is working.

I agree with Hikermor in that I find the emergency, weather proof matches, to be very reliable and the easiest way start a fire under difficult conditions. I always carry them. There are multiple packaging options to fit different packing methods.

I have found that the Sparkie does have issues with the release button, and that is why I EDC the Blastmatch instead. It is larger and heavier, but I have never had an issue with it. I am still carrying my first one that I have EDC'd for over 3 years.

My Bic lighters I just replace occasionally as they will lose their fuel over time just from being in the pocket. I also have a replacement or two in each bag I carry.

I have not had any problems with my Fresnel lens either, though I do keep it in a protective sleeve.

Fair enough. I haven't found a match that I actually like.

As mentioned previously, I am not a big fan of safety matches and I lost my supply of older strike-anywheres.

I am now left with a supply of the green Diamond strike anywheres which don't work well.

I am in the middle of trying to get hold of a supply of Canadian Redbird strike anywheres which supposedly work as well as the old Ohio strike anywheres.

If they prove adequate, I will coat them with clear nail polish for waterproofing. I rather like the red plastic match case sold at Walmart.

Good list.

For the Sparklite and the ferro rods, do you carry tinder?

If not, what's your game plan?

I view "EDC" as being exactly that. It's what I carry on my person 365 days per year while I'm awake and dressed. It's not what I carry when I go camping or hiking. It's not what my car can carry.

For EDC, I carry a Mini Bic only. I don't have room for redundancy. For EDC, I stick to the "better than nothing" philosophy. By the way, I carry a man bag, unless I'm wearing a suit or tux.

I guess I don't EDC any fire stuff since my typical day sees me spending my time at work or home/on the way home. I live in the middle of the city where there's no opportunity nor need to use a fire. When I talk about fire stuff I mean for while I'm traveling or camping/hiking.

As matches go I like the UCO Stormproof. I carry them in a UCO plastic case with extra strikers and tinder inside the case. Sometimes I may have them in my Exotac Match Cap XL. Whichever container I use I carry a few less matches than could be crammed in with the extra space used for tinder/fuel. Generally I have one or two Tinder Quik, a couple strips of Tinder Card and one 4g ESBIT tablet. This still leaves room for maybe 15 matches.

Tinder:

I have one sure2burn firestarter in the wallet. I have 2-3 tinder quick type on the keychain. I am considering adding a short length of jute.

When I attend a formal event, I always give my man bag to Jeeves. It really just doesn't go with the black tie, don't you think.

A Couple of Comments on this Thread Intrigued me.

Strangely Enough MY ODDEST FEAR is getting stuck out somewhere in formal wear. I have this dream of me walking in the Boreal Forest in my Military Mess Kit, trying to collect wood without scuffing my dress shoes (more than they already are) or losing my medals while armed only with my Pocket Watch, ID, some cash, 2 Kleenex's and a Pocket lighter.

This is a Challenge I certainly hope never comes true.

At least signalling your whereabouts should not be an issue....

I just need to stand in a clearing

What do you consider to be a man bag?

Normally I believe it should be a backpack/day pack that you can carry comfortably, so weight would be dependent on fitness. Someone might have defined it more specifically.

An EDC man bag is a Maxpedition Remora or smaller. My personal preference is that it's not feminine. A bag that looks like a small woman's purse is a no-go.

I like the military messenger bag if I'm travelling lightly.

EDC.. a generic multi tool pouch can be configured to your needs, and can hold a surprising number of goodies... not necessarily easily to remove items on the run... the straw is filled with petroleum jelly cotton, and small LMF rod with the grip removed taped near the section of hacksaw blade

It's situational. A small backpack or single shoulder pack like the Remora work as would a Messenger bag. My EDC backpack is an REI branded daypack I picked up back in the late '90's. Then again, the leather attache' I have is from Coach and is much more appropriate for those who wear a suit.

Great idea - I use a digital camera bag ( on the belt) for similar items.

I have a BSA ferro rod and striker on my key chain. I've used it multiple times to start fires. Never had an issue...

I have one of those BSA hot sparks on my keychain also. very rugged and handy. Takes up about two keys worth of space.Forgot about it for recommending.Good call Mike .....

BOATMAN
John

I pent some frustrating time beating on the handle of a mill spec fire starter with a hammer yesterday. The glue holding the ferro rod in the magnesium rod is very poor indeed., the rod had simply fallen out. Getting the magnesium out of the handle was a challenge however. I intrnd to super glue them back together, drill a lanyard hole and include it in an Altoids kit. Has anyone else had this problem? And does anyone EDC these starters, especially on a keyring?

I had a few of these (mil spec) and found them relatively difficult to operate. Do you regularly start fires with this firestarter?

I had one of those mini match firestarters (basically magnesium with a ferro rod glued down it, but keychain sized, smaller than the DOAN setup) and after a couple years I was playing with one and also found the ferro rod detached! Disconcerting, especially since I did the whole "paint with nail polish" to try to help prevent corrosion. Need to epoxy it back in!

I can at least always contribute my foolishness to your collected wisdom.
Forgot to remove the travel belt from my jeans before washing them yesterday. Today the mini bic I put in several years ago still works!
And the pound notes are really clean. Good to give ol betty a wash now and then I suppose....
qjs