Tortoise Gear FireAnt Kickstarter Campaign

[McStitchy]

Thanks for the pics Kama!
And the testing 

... can't wait to receive mine 

[kamakiri]

Thanks for the pics Kama!
And the testing 

... can't wait to receive mine 

No problem!  Still have to test the wind proof tinder and maybe some casual comparison testing against the Firefly.

[McStitchy]

    

[kamakiri]

Got some wind on Sunday and can report that the FireAnt and Wind-Proof Helix Tinder works very well together! Lit it with my first try with a teeny 1/8(!) piece of the short tinder size. As I guessed, the tinder is loaded with a material that sparks like a re-lighting birthday candle. I could see little metal bits looking through a loupe. My little test piece re-lit itself a couple of times. I’m really impressed with these two as a backup ‘system’.

I’m still using the older stock of Fireflies so I’m not sure a comparison would be ‘fair’ since those were updated which I believe was to a softer, easier to spark compound. And with the FireAnt lighting the wind-proof tinder in the first strike, what is there to compare?  Technique and practice and how the tinder was ‘fluffed’ will skew any test procedure. So I will just report that this stuff does work as advertised.

[McStitchy]

That's fantastic Kama and all I hoped it to be 

[kamakiri]

That's fantastic Kama and all I hoped it to be 

  No problem and 

My only issue is with the bonus red ones...they barely glow. I actually thought that they didn’t when I first charged all four colors in the sunlight. All the other colors glow enough that I could spot them in the dark at 6 am the next morning. I don’t think I could find the red one 15 minutes after I turn the lights out. Even if it’s blasted with UV LED, it doesn’t last. The quantity of red dye to try to match the cellidor red blocks the charging and radiating glow.

And on that note the yellow-green is brightest, quite a bit brighter that Victorinox Stayglow. The blue is maybe brighter than stayglow. And the orange is maybe the same as or a bit less bright than stayglow. Going forward I’d only order the yellow/green and blue.

I’d like to hear other opinions too!

[kamakiri]

Some other random thoughts...

Tinder cuts easily with a blade. And retains its shape if cut carefully.

As little as 1 coil (half of the smaller tinder and 1/3 of the larger tinder) can remain secured in the corkscrew. Less than that and I don’t think it’ll stay in the knife for any kind of carry. About 1 coil is pictured in the top knife.

The ‘C’ shaped piece is ~1/4 of the small tinder or 1/2 a coil. The other bit is a 1/8 chunk, same size as the piece I opened and lit earlier.

The mini SD fits with the small tinder. A bit tight, but fits. The mini SD hsndle is just a bit longer than the FireAnt’s handle. So FireFly users can fit a small tinder and keep the mini SD.

The diameter of the FireAnt rod is too big for many ‘70s 4 loop CS.

Nice little TG logo.

FireAnt can be secured or held in use by the corkscrew. Be cautious with pressure if you do this. But might make use easier for those without good grip strength or say an injury.

[McStitchy]

Great review Grant, thank you very much 
Now, which colour did I order? 

[Echotech]

Great to hear got mine on the way, always thought the firefly’s were great. Also want to give a shout out to Eric from Tortoise Gear. He replaced a broken firefly which was unused new out the packet without any fuss and tells me he’s also sending me a couple of extra fire flys free as compensation. Great service


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kamakiri]

Nice that they’ll take care of you Echotech! Not really pleased about the red/glow issue, but it’s not TG’s fault that people voted for Vic Red. They obviously tried hard to make it match and glow.

Great review Grant, thank you very much 
Now, which colour did I order? 

 
Well, you’ll also get at least three bonus Red ones!

[Sos24]

Mine arrived today, along with the Morse Code Huntsman that I added to the order.

[McStitchy]

Good news guys 

[Echotech]

Mine arrived today, along with the Morse Code Huntsman that I added to the order.
(Image removed from quote.)

Love that Huntsman


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[kamakiri]

Nice Sos!  Good to see more orders filled. 

I wish those Morse code scales were available loose. Looks great!

[Sos24]

Nice Sos!  Good to see more orders filled. 

I wish those Morse code scales were available loose. Looks great!

I was excited to get them.  Need to go out and play a little.

If the scales were available separate, I probably would have gotten a couple sets.

[pfrsantos]

I was excited to get them.  Need to go out and play a little.

If the scales were available separate, I probably would have gotten a couple sets.

+1

Never saw those before, but the idea is brilliant! And so simple!

 

  ...---...

[kamakiri]

I was excited to get them.  Need to go out and play a little.

If the scales were available separate, I probably would have gotten a couple sets.

Playing with them is the best part.

And I think these would look great with those glow scales from comis!  (Assuming it’s a corkscrew model)

[Sos24]

Playing with them is the best part.

And I think these would look great with those glow scales from comis!  (Assuming it’s a corkscrew model)

You mean like this
The tinder even fit with and holds in place the thread from my needle.



Can see the scales with the tritium, FireAnt, and tip of Firefly all glowing

[kamakiri]

 

Awesome, Sos!  Looks really great in both the light and dark! Thanks for sharing the pics!   

[ElevenBlade]

You mean like this
The tinder even fit with and holds in place the thread from my needle.

(Image removed from quote.)

Can see the scales with the tritium, FireAnt, and tip of Firefly all glowing
(Image removed from quote.)

 

[McStitchy]

+1 

[39hotrod]

 

[Sos24]

I went out and experimented some with both the FireAnt and tinder.  I also had a FireFly as well for some comparison.

I just used the one tinder cut up into three pieces and it worked nicely.  It didn’t even take that much of a spark to light and stayed lit.

I tried the FireAnt with saw, blade, file, and scissors.  For me, the file had the best result, produced the most sparks in fewest average tries.  What was a little surprising to me was the scissors also worked real well.  I opened the scissors about 45 degrees then opened the jaws wide.  Striking against the connected arm near the joint of the two arms produced a nice spark.

I also wanted to see how well the FireFly lit the tinder and compared to the FireAnt.  When I use the FireFly I tend to use it by striking it in the wire stripping notch of the cap lifter or combo tool.  I find for me that tends to get the best sparks with the least chance of cutting in too deep and potentially breaking.   For me, despite the FireFly producing more visible sparks, it was easier to light the tinder with the FireAnt.  I’m not sure why, but possibly because of the direction of the sparks produced.

Here is a picture of how I had the scissors when using as striker.

[kamakiri]

Great comments Sos. Really like the glow mod pics too. Very interesting how something so short provides a decent spark. I’m finding I can even throw sparks using only about the last 1/8” from the tip. Crazy...since it’s something I wouldn’t even try or bother with a larger Firesteel. 

[pfrsantos]

How do you guys use your firesteel? I used to keep the firesteel still and run the blade/striker along it, towards the tinder.

I saw a video where they did the opposite: keep the blade/striker still, near the tinder and pull the firesteel away from it. It prevents your hand to hit the tinder and disturb it.

I think this is the best way, although it may require some practice.

 

[Sos24]

How do you guys use your firesteel? I used to keep the firesteel still and run the blade/striker along it, towards the tinder.

I saw a video where they did the opposite: keep the blade/striker still, near the tinder and pull the firesteel away from it. It prevents your hand to hit the tinder and disturb it.

I think this is the best way, although it may require some practice.

 

I find it does work real well if you hold the tool being used as the striker still and pull back on the FireAnt.  As you mentioned it does take some focus to do it that way, but I think better at least for the FireAnt.

[pfrsantos]

I find it does work real well if you hold the tool being used as the striker still and pull back on the FireAnt.  As you mentioned it does take some focus to do it that way, but I think better at least for the FireAnt.

It awlso protects the slimmer firesteels, because they can rest against your finger and it gives them more support.

[kamakiri]

How do you guys use your firesteel? I used to keep the firesteel still and run the blade/striker along it, towards the tinder.

I saw a video where they did the opposite: keep the blade/striker still, near the tinder and pull the firesteel away from it. It prevents your hand to hit the tinder and disturb it.

I think this is the best way, although it may require some practice.

 

I’ve done both. Generally, I will give more distance and move the striker. As you suggest, this does often result in moving the tinder. But if I need to be close to or in the tinder, I might pull the firesteel back as they have shown as an alternate method. Both techniques seem to work fine for me.

[ElevenBlade]

I’ve done both. Generally, I will give more distance and move the striker. As you suggest, this does often result in moving the tinder. But if I need to be close to or in the tinder, I might pull the firesteel back as they have shown as an alternate method. Both techniques seem to work fine for me.

While my natural tendency is to move the striker, I've been making the concious effort to hold the striker still and pull the firesteel.  The precision seems to be worth the effort.

[kamakiri]

Sooooooooo many posts gone. Lol. Uploaded pics seem unaffected tho.

With a Spartan PS:

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