Lately, I’ve been playing around with some different fire starting methods including Ferro rods. With the right tinder, I have been really impressed with the results. While I still enjoy the simplicity and ease of use of a Bic lighter – I see the wisdom in more primitive fire starting methods as well.
A good friend turned me on to a set of large 1/2″ x 6″ ferrocerium rods. They include a lanyard hole and due to their size are easy to hold. Their sheer mass provides a lot of material for starting hundreds of fires.
Here are a few pictures demonstrating the use of the Ferro rod along with a Blue Hawk Tool Sharpener. For a tinder medium, I have dryer lint soaked in some petroleum jelly which is my favorite for fire starting kits.
Blue Hawk Tool Sharpener / EricX 1/2″ Ferro Rod
Dryer Lint with Petroleum Jelly
Using tool sharpener to scrape some shavings onto the dryer lint. The shavings are not necessarily needed.
Here is a close of the shavings which burn extremely hot.
A quick strike of the tool sharpener sends a shower of sparks onto the lint – FLAMES!!!!
The dryer lint/petroleum jelly combo burns for several minutes which is excellent for getting a fire going when needed.
These EricX Ferro rods combined with a good tool sharpener work excellent. At $14.95 with free shipping for two rods, they should fit within almost any budget. Putting together a few fire starting kits? Check these out – you won’t regret it.
Rourke
NOTE: Items featured in this article:
Tool Sharpener – LINK
EricX Ferro Rod – LINK