Victorinox - Fire steel & Tinder

[old4570]

Expensive ??????
I will have to check that ...

 

[Wave Man]

one of youtube mates checks them out

 

[old4570]

It's Expensive ... $$
Only saw one on FeeBay ... & it's $$$

A BIC lighter is much cheaper ! ( Check these out )

 

[Randall]

There have been a similar thing - ferro rod to replace the tooth pick. I actually like the tooth pick and the small screwdriver - I carry a separate ferro rod in my kit, a peanut lighter in my urban kit.

 

[old4570]

Back in the Time machine , going way back to the 80's ..
I had a BIC lighter and some of those BBQ starters .. ( White tablet that burned for some time )

Damp wood - No problem ... As long as the wood was not wet right thru ( Rotted ) ...
And then there was always the bushman's trick , petrol .
Now I carried a small bottle of kero .. Very small , thimble sized ..
Soak the wood in kero , a little BBQ starter and that BIC = No problems !

Things have changed , now people are into Ferro Rods and doing things the hard way .... ( Fun to play with - even I play )
In a genuine 100% survival situation , ?????????? ( Who the hell want's to do it the hard way ? )
Especially if you have broken a leg or an arm / or heaven forbid your back .
At least that was my thinking when I went bush , I was thinking .... How do you do S*** with a broken arm ?

These days , would you not just buy an emergency beacon ? Especially if you go bush alone or a lot !
?????????
Ooooops , went off track there ...

 

[Wave Man]

It's Expensive ... $$
Only saw one on FeeBay ... & it's $$$

A BIC lighter is much cheaper ! ( Check these out )

that can be said about everything and is relative. Many don't even carry a Bic lighter in their fire kits (I know I don't, as I favour Clippers as IMHO they are superior)

Plus as far as fire goes I favour flint and steel, it is my default, but I always have a ferro rod in my kit as well. My primary fire kit wouldn't even have a clipper lighter in it, I am at the stage of not needing that sort of sure-fire. Of course, I would have one in my secondary kits.

 

[Randall]

I think of the ferro rod as pretty fool proof and not much to go wrong when you need it (if you need it). I carry a peanut lighter in an urban kit, for convenience - I've probably used this most for melting the ends of nylon cord or gas stove or barbecue when no one else has a match or lighter. Even though it is simple there are still things that can go wrong with it - damaged seal, fuel evaporated or leaked, the systems for flint and wick etc. Even bic lighters ideally need a zip tie wrapped under the fuel tap to keep the tap from getting depressed while stored / carried. Also, it's a bit of work if they get wet - much easier to dry a ferro rod. Lighters are a popular option and generally shouldn't be any trouble. Fire lighting for me is when something has gone wrong, so I don't reguarly make a fire. I actually practice with a ferro rod regularly (once or twice a year), but just enough to get tinder going. So, if I have to access my ferro rod in my bush kit after a year or two of not laying eyes on it (it's not the rod I practice with) I can be pretty confident that it is still going to produce sparks. I wouldn't have the same confidence with a lighter. There is a lot to be said for the convenience and general reliability of a bic lighter, especially if someone is a regular user. What I have found is that people generally need some skill getting a fire started - a lighter won't make up for poor skill especially if things are damp. I've see them with a ready make flame and they still give up. Not such an issue for you dudes in drier areas . As most of us would know - time and effort should be spent in preparing the tinder and larger fuels prior to using the lighter or ferro rod. This seems the more important factor to me - not whether I'm using a lighter or ferro rod.

 

[old4570]

Smarties Tube !
Supermarket , candy isle .. Plastic tube with a tight top ( Smarties in a tube )
These containers are great ..
Also certain medicine tubes ..
And there was other stuff that came in a Tube with a top .. Berocca comes in a tube ..

 

[old4570]

Compressed Hexamine from the early 1980's ( Vintage Stuff )
Also my 1980's BIC lighter - It's empty ... ( Of course )
Silva Compass ... ( When people actually used a compass ) Didn't everyone upgrade to GPS ?
KFC Wipes ... Also 1980's Vintage ...
Mosquito head netting ...
And cookware , Nylon rope from the 80's ..
Hay fever meds from the 90's ...

Bush belt is empty now !

 

[Wave Man]

also, I think everyone is missing the point with these ferro rod inserts/firelighters, they are meant as an emergency backup to your other primary firefighting kits. You add them to your SAK and only use them in case you have lost/are down to nothing else. They are not meant as a primary firefighting system.

Granted you have to practice with them but I would not rely on them as a primary firefighting system.

 

[old4570]

I might be overdosed on " ALONE ..... ( Survival Series ) "
Primary source of fire , is their ferro . ( In the series )

Also just watched the Swedes do their Version of Alone ( So Lame ) ... But really worth watching !
These shows are really good for a dose of reality ...

Oh those Swedes !!!! ............