Firefly Ferro rod.

[AimlessWanderer]

I've used a very small steel. 2 inches long and very thin. As you know, with each use, some of the bar is lost as you scrape it. My concern is a SAK toothpick sized steel will get whittled away in no time.


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Yup. Wouldn't be so bad if you could use it from the end rather than the side, like the wheel on a lighter does. Nail file maybe?  Probably not, but I can't think of any other way to avoid thinning it out further

[Borg]

I would agree it will wear down pretty fast and break or lose its grip in the slot, at the end of the day though if its for survival most of the time you would just need to light one fire anyway, certainly in my case where i'm never too far away from civilisation.
I am not knowledgeable about such things  but isn't the advice to stay put and await rescue? of course there are a multitude of reasons why you sometimes cant do that and that's assuming someone is coming to rescue you but its got to be better than blindly wandering around the forest, also iirc the old timers used to carry their fire with them? be it a hot coal in a bucket or a smouldering mushroom, maybe an art we need to re learn.
I plan to get one when they are on general release depending on reviews but its not something i would use a lot, however i will go along with the old adage, its better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it 

[Syncop8r]

I am not knowledgeable about such things  but isn't the advice to stay put and await rescue?

Generally however that requires that you have also followed another important rule - tell someone where you're going!

[Tired_Yeti]

I would agree it will wear down pretty fast and break or lose its grip in the slot, at the end of the day though if its for survival most of the time you would just need to light one fire anyway, certainly in my case where i'm never too far away from civilisation.
I am not knowledgeable about such things  but isn't the advice to stay put and await rescue?

It depends on how long you're lost. Lofty Wiseman recommends relocating after about one week (if I recall correctly) because, he says, your location will become soiled with your waste and depleted of food and maybe even water.

That said, once you start a fire, there are several techniques for transporting fire. Our ancestors used these methods and Les Stroud demonstrated one in one episode of Survivor Man (don't remember which episode, sorry). If I remember it (I'm not in a location where I can look it up right now), you can wrap embers in a wad of punk wood and moss and carry a warm, smoldering bed of coals. Stroud safely carried embers for several miles doing this without getting burned and was able to fan a fire at his new campsite.
 If you have to travel at night--NOT ideal--you'd want to carry a torch anyway. Stroud demonstrated that also. Once at his new site, he simply set up his fire pit and started it with the torch.

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[ironraven]

It depends on how long you're lost. Lofty Wiseman recommends relocating after about one week (if I recall correctly) because, he says, your location will become soiled with your waste and depleted of food and maybe even water.

Like all absolute generalities, it's a very vague rule of thumb. But I will say that if SAR hasn't found you in a week and all you have a tin kit and a SAK, well...

[Tired_Yeti]

...if SAR hasn't found you in a week and all you have a tin kit and a SAK, well...

You'd better have a strong will to survive and epic survival and bushcraft skills. And you'd better keep reminding yourself that your ancestors somehow managed it with primitive tools. Our chances would be poor, but we cannot give up.



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[El Corkscrew]

I want one or twelve...

[ironraven]

You'd better have a strong will to survive and epic survival and bushcraft skills. And you'd better keep reminding yourself that your ancestors somehow managed it with primitive tools. Our chances would be poor, but we cannot give up.

Yes, please note the emphasis. I'm competent, not "epic". You'd have to have lived that life style from birth, or at least spent years in intensive and immersive study. I'd also ask you to keep in mind that the archeological evidence shows that they died of old age by the time they were 40. Assuming they weren't part of the majority that died due to illness, infection, or starvation before puberty.

I'd also point out that if you are somewhere where SAR can't find you within a week, you really screwed up something or pissed off the gods if you only have an SAK and a tin kit. If you can follow a rough compass bearing for three days, you'd be hard pressed south of the 60th parallel to NOT find a road.

More realistically, if you have a SAK, preferably a 111 becuase every bit counts, and one of these in your PFD or on a neck lanyard, if you lose the canoe or your pack, this gets you to dawn. Stack the deck, hope you never need it.

[Zed]

You'd better have a strong will to survive and epic survival and bushcraft skills. And you'd better keep reminding yourself that your ancestors somehow managed it with primitive tools. Our chances would be poor, but we cannot give up.

Yes, please note the emphasis. I'm competent, not "epic". You'd have to have lived that life style from birth, or at least spent years in intensive and immersive study. I'd also ask you to keep in mind that the archeological evidence shows that they died of old age by the time they were 40. Assuming they weren't part of the majority that died due to illness, infection, or starvation before puberty.

I'd also point out that if you are somewhere where SAR can't find you within a week, you really screwed up something or pissed off the gods if you only have an SAK and a tin kit. If you can follow a rough compass bearing for three days, you'd be hard pressed south of the 60th parallel to NOT find a road.

More realistically, if you have a SAK, preferably a 111 becuase every bit counts, and one of these in your PFD or on a neck lanyard, if you lose the canoe or your pack, this gets you to dawn. Stack the deck, hope you never need it.

This kind of was my point originally, for me that Ferro rod would be a last resort ,if i was going somewhere this extreme I would have a good kit,  but if I had a sak in my pocket and some how lost my entire kit I would rather have that Ferro rod over a toothpick that I could make out of a bit of wood   

[Mechanickal]

I came across this pic online.
It's a SAK platform where a pipe has been built in.


I thought "replace that pipe part with a switchable firesteel and that thing would be AWESOME!"

[Tired_Yeti]

I'd also point out that if you are somewhere where SAR can't find you within a week, you really screwed up something or pissed off the gods if you only have an SAK and a tin kit. If you can follow a rough compass bearing for three days, you'd be hard pressed south of the 60th parallel to NOT find a road.

You've made a couple of references to having nothing but a SAK and a tin kit. Why would anyone knowingly venture far out with only a tin kit? Even Lofty Wiseman doesn't suggest that. I think that unless you fell off of a cloud into the middle of nowhere and survived, you'd probably be within just a few miles at the most from a road or manmade structure if you're traveling with only a SAK and a tin. The people who would do that wouldn't have the knowledge to survive anyway. Sounds like a very unlikely scenario to me.



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[Syncop8r]

I'd also point out that if you are somewhere where SAR can't find you within a week, you really screwed up something or pissed off the gods if you only have an SAK and a tin kit. If you can follow a rough compass bearing for three days, you'd be hard pressed south of the 60th parallel to NOT find a road.

You've made a couple of references to having nothing but a SAK and a tin kit. Why would anyone knowingly venture far out with only a tin kit? Even Lofty Wiseman doesn't suggest that. I think that unless you fell off of a cloud into the middle of nowhere and survived, you'd probably be within just a few miles at the most from a road or manmade structure if you're traveling with only a SAK and a tin. The people who would do that wouldn't have the knowledge to survive anyway. Sounds like a very unlikely scenario to me.

I think you're both saying that it would be silly (or you really stuffed up somewhere) if you had only those items with you out in the wilderness. 
You do get the odd person going to extremes to 'test' themselves.

[Syncop8r]

I came across this pic online.
It's a SAK platform where a pipe has been built in.
(Image removed from quote.)

I thought "replace that pipe part with a switchable firesteel and that thing would be AWESOME!"

I suspect that is your SAK. What are you smoking in it? 

[Mechanickal]

I came across this pic online.
It's a SAK platform where a pipe has been built in.
(Image removed from quote.)

I thought "replace that pipe part with a switchable firesteel and that thing would be AWESOME!"

I suspect that is your SAK. What are you smoking in it? 

Non smoker

[magentus]

I came across this pic online.
It's a SAK platform where a pipe has been built in.
(Image removed from quote.)

I thought "replace that pipe part with a switchable firesteel and that thing would be AWESOME!"

I suspect that is your SAK. What are you smoking in it? 

Non smoker

You bake it into brownies then Nick? 

[Mechanickal]

I came across this pic online.
It's a SAK platform where a pipe has been built in.
(Image removed from quote.)

I thought "replace that pipe part with a switchable firesteel and that thing would be AWESOME!"

I suspect that is your SAK. What are you smoking in it? 

Non smoker

You bake it into brownies then Nick? 

I'm so puzzeled right now...

[magentus]

The SAK you pictured with the pipe is for smoking illegal substances (I imagine  ). Sync was wondering if it was your DSAK (drug SAK). When you said you are a non-smoker, I wondered if you bake your illegal substances into brownies. Sorry for the confusion. OR you may just be confused because you are currently as high as a kite. 

[Mechanickal]

The SAK you pictured with the pipe is for smoking illegal substances (I imagine  ). Sync was wondering if it was your DSAK (drug SAK). When you said you are a non-smoker, I wondered if you bake your illegal substances into brownies. Sorry for the confusion. OR you may just be confused because you are currently as high as a kite. 

Man you guys go far fetched...
You sure you kept off the pipe?

[pomsbz]

I'd also point out that if you are somewhere where SAR can't find you within a week, you really screwed up something or pissed off the gods if you only have an SAK and a tin kit. If you can follow a rough compass bearing for three days, you'd be hard pressed south of the 60th parallel to NOT find a road.

You've made a couple of references to having nothing but a SAK and a tin kit. Why would anyone knowingly venture far out with only a tin kit? Even Lofty Wiseman doesn't suggest that. I think that unless you fell off of a cloud into the middle of nowhere and survived, you'd probably be within just a few miles at the most from a road or manmade structure if you're traveling with only a SAK and a tin. The people who would do that wouldn't have the knowledge to survive anyway. Sounds like a very unlikely scenario to me.

I think you're both saying that it would be silly (or you really stuffed up somewhere) if you had only those items with you out in the wilderness. 
You do get the odd person going to extremes to 'test' themselves.

It's quite possible I suppose for the unprepared whose car dies out on them with a dead battery far from civilisation just as their phone battery dies. No way to charge phone, nothing in the car but a couple of cans of coke and some sandwiches and they're a non smoker so no lighter. Most do not carry a pocket knife or know how to use one.

That said the above person is probably a teenager who went for a long drive with friends and anyone as unprepared as not to have any gear in the car is very unlikely to have any kind of survival skill set either.

[gene stoner]

Last night we watched all the episodes of Creek Stewart's new show SOS how to survive. If you haven't seen it yet it's about real survival stories and what could they have done different.  In most of the situations a small ferro rod and the skill to use it would have made a huge difference. It definitely reinforced my belief not to leave the house w/o Cordage,  fire and a SAK. If you're into that kind of show check it out. I personally learned alot watching them.

The one about the family stranded in the Oregon cascades in their car for days w\o any winter clothes was a little sad but very educational.

http://weathergroup.com/shows/sos-how-survive

[Aloha]

Last night we watched all the episodes of Creek Stewart's new show SOS how to survive. If you haven't seen it yet it's about real survival stories and what could they have done different.  In most of the situations a small ferro rod and the skill to use it would have made a huge difference. It definitely reinforced my belief not to leave the house w/o Cordage,  fire and a SAK. If you're into that kind of show check it out. I personally learned alot watching them.

The one about the family stranded in the Oregon cascades in their car for days w\o any winter clothes was a little sad but very educational.

http://weathergroup.com/shows/sos-how-survive

I saw that episode too.  Really sad ending.  I learned several things from that episode as well.

[Mactire404]

...In most of the situations a small ferro rod and the skill to use it[/u] would have made a huge difference...

This. Know how to use it. Instead of grabbing a lighter the next time you need to light your BBQ or fire pit why not grab a firesteel? Know how to find tinder and make a fire with that.
Practice by playing 

[gene stoner]

...In most of the situations a small ferro rod and the skill to use it[/u] would have made a huge difference...

This. Know how to use it. Instead of grabbing a lighter the next time you need to light your BBQ or fire pit why not grab a firesteel? Know how to find tinder and make a fire with that.
Practice by playing 

Agreed!  Before I quit smoking I would practice lighting tinder with a ferro rod to light my smoke. Having a nicotine fit while trying to light a fire was a good way to simulate stress.

[Don Pablo]

...In most of the situations a small ferro rod and the skill to use it[/u] would have made a huge difference...

This. Know how to use it. Instead of grabbing a lighter the next time you need to light your BBQ or fire pit why not grab a firesteel? Know how to find tinder and make a fire with that.
Practice by playing 

Agreed!  Before I quit smoking I would practice lighting tinder with a ferro rod to light my smoke. Having a nicotine fit while trying to light a fire was a good way to simulate stress.

Really good motivatior. "Can't reliably make fire with only a ferro rod? No smoke for you!"

[Zed]

...In most of the situations a small ferro rod and the skill to use it[/u] would have made a huge difference...

This. Know how to use it. Instead of grabbing a lighter the next time you need to light your BBQ or fire pit why not grab a firesteel? Know how to find tinder and make a fire with that.
Practice by playing 

My kids love lighting a fire camping with a Ferro rod  it's more fun than using a lighter 

[Aloha]

It really is a fun way to light fires.  I carry flares in my vehicle and I bet they'd be better than a lighter any day.  Actually see for yourself.

    

[Zed]

It really is a fun way to light fires.  I carry flares in my vehicle and I bet they'd be better than a lighter any day.  Actually see for yourself.

 

They love the ones you sent mate  they have them on there lanyards with there champions 

[Aloha]

Glad they are enjoying them  .  With the fat wood they have all they'll need to get fire going.   

[Zed]

Glad they are enjoying them  .  With the fat wood they have all they'll need to get fire going.

There saving there fatwood for our next camp trip 

[Aloha]

Glad they are enjoying them  .  With the fat wood they have all they'll need to get fire going.

There saving there fatwood for our next camp trip 

   Fat wood is good stuff.  Lots of pine trees here so we like to hunt for it.  I also take the hardened sap from the pines as well.  We've made some cool tikis melting it onto the pinecones.  Heres a neat video.