Magnesium Fire starters - thought this was interesting

[Artful]

Most everyone has seen these on the shelves of most every camping supply center and even sometimes at the tool supply locations. This is found together with a portion of metal saw blade used to file off small metal pieces of both bars to create a pile of burning metal when ignited. Ignition is achieved when the saw blade is quickly rubbed with significant pressure against the flint rod and into the metal collection made in the earlier process, creating a spark. This may be a learned process for some individuals. I am not here to address the possibly inept individuals who find themselves in the possession of this tool and think they are ‘Woodsman of the World’ and cannot make fire with the magnesium bar fire starter. I am here to disclose the magnesium bars are Mg metal to 99% without regard to where they were purchased.

I gathered four of the currently available brands of fire starting bars made with magnesium laminated together with a bar of flint. These brands were purchased off the shelf: REI, Coleman, Coghlan’s, and Harbor Freight. The REI magnesium bar did not include a metal saw blade to file the metal into ignitable fillings. The REI bar was also the most expensive. All bars were subjected to same x-ray diffraction analysis from 12 to 80 degrees 2 theta with copper radiation and analyzed with software that includes the current know database of diffraction patterns for the 675,000 plus defined crystal structures for know materials.

The analysis showed all of the bars to be 99.5% (with accuracy of +/- 0.08%). The diffractograms were checked for residual stress to ensure that there was no significant difference in the hardness of the magnesium due to cold working of the final product. No discernable stress was noted so the bars were most likely cast and cut when cold with a saw. The diffractograms will be provided on request for those who have the direct need, along with the software to view the files for a nominal fee to help defray the costs.

Note: The cold working of metals can make the material harder near the surface, which can make it more difficult to shave into small pieces for the purposes of ignition when using a knife

Guess I'll still be buying the Harbor Freight when on sale

[MUSTANG]

I keep one in each of the vehicle glove boxes, and one in my day pack for when we are out in the desert or mountains.

[aspangler]

The HF starter works if you know how to use it. if you don't, you need to learn before you need it.

[Omega]

These work in a pinch, but there are so many other better ways to start a fire that these may be my last resort. Their only saving grace is that they pack and store well, so unless you lose them they will last forever. I have a few left over from my army days, and a few of the green plastic firestarter kits too, of the two I'd use the green plastic one.

[Artful]

Biggest problem with most of them is the Ferro rod is small.
Biggest problem with people who don't try them is they have
stainless blades on their knives which won't spark -
(I had to work over my carbon steel Mora to get it to spark.)
And they have no idea that they need something good to spark into.
Magnesium is flamable but better have other stuff ready to keep the flame alive.

[koehlerrk]

Ahh, magnesium fire starters....frustration in a small metal package!

They're not bad, if you know how to use them. Like any survival skill, if you haven't done it at home, you probably can't do it in the field, usually under much worse conditions. This is why I teach my scout troop to practice their skills every chance they get. One of them, not my son BTW, said he had lit fires with a magnesium starter in the rain. Well, last summer, on a camping trip, it was raining. Some of the boys were whining. I asked Jake to prove his fire lighting skills.

About a minute after he started, he had a small fire. Ten minutes later it was a nice big campfire. Like many things, they will work, if the human knows how to use them properly.

[GhostHawk]

Not that hard, mostly requires patience when you are cold, wet, tired, miserable to keep shaving at that bar.

Magnesium burns very hot, but fast which really means a big pile directly under something burnable.

Want to make it easier, more everyday usable? Add a piece of fatwood with a hole drilled in it.

Take a sharp knife, scrape a pile of fatwood shavings about the size of a silver dollar. Add some mag shavings on top.
Make sure the ferro rod is CLOSE to your pile of tinder, hit it 2-3 times and it should fire right up. Fatwood is an easy start, and it will burn long enough for something else to catch. Magnesium will ensure that once lit it will stay lit.

You can find cheap fatwood at walmart. But the difference between that and the good stuff is pretty big.

And a larger ferro rod and some practice will increase your chances of lighting quickly and easily.

Still the mag bar, rod, and saw blade is a handy backup.

[Petrol & Powder]

I've used them and they do work but it wouldn't be my first choice. The advantage to a magnesium fire starter is the simplicity. It's about as water proof as it can get, the only moving parts are the user and it's fairly safe to carry. Like Omega said, about the only failure you can encounter is losing it.
As a back-up it has some real strengths but there are so many better ways to start a fire, including ........wait for it......a Bic lighter.
The Bic lighter is not cool, it is not tactical, it is not cutting edge but they are amazingly reliable. They are cheap, lightweight and readily available. A real close second is a match safe with waxed strike anywhere matches.

[OS OK]

I found that being an 'old Fart' full of 'hot air' really helps too…that 'tender' needs a little 'breeze' to get it up to temp. quickly! Ha!

[dverna]

Magnesium rods are cheaper. One scrounge source is the anode rods out of RV water heaters

[HawkCreek]

What I dont like about the mag bars is that the ferro rod is so small on them compared to how much magnesium you get. Also the ferro rods won't last forever unless you seal them with clear nail polish or something. I had one in a survival kit I had in the military that I found a few years ago. It was pockmarked all over from corrosion! Cleaned it up and it works fine now but the divots acted as speed bumps and messed things up until I scrapped past them for a while.

Biggest problem with most of them is the Ferro rod is small.
Biggest problem with people who don't try them is they have
stainless blades on their knives which won't spark -
(I had to work over my carbon steel Mora to get it to spark.)
And they have no idea that they need something good to spark into.
Magnesium is flamable but better have other stuff ready to keep the flame alive.

Stainless will throw sparks off a ferro rod, you can do it with a broken piece of glass if it's got a sharp enough edge. Biggest thing with a ferro rod and using a knife as a striker is having a square (sharp corner) spine, the rounder it gets the harder it will be to throw sparks.

[dtknowles]

You guys made me go out an practice with mine. I need a goodly pile of magnesium and good tinder but then it worked even with the hacksaw blade.

Tim

[Artful]

Stainless will throw sparks off a ferro rod, you can do it with a broken piece of glass if it's got a sharp enough edge. Biggest thing with a ferro rod and using a knife as a striker is having a square (sharp corner) spine, the rounder it gets the harder it will be to throw sparks.

Didn't work with my Swiss Army Knife, I'll have to see about the square corner thing.

[badbob454]

small pill bottle with cotton balls with vaseline rubbed in and a ferro rod my wife starts a fire with the first strike ... spark poof flame now Magnesium .....not needed

[GhostHawk]

I agree badbob, quick, easy, no scraping required, cotton balls and vasolene both available at the dollar store. Total cost is going to be something less than a single primer per fire. Somewhere in the 1-2 cents range.

It does not take a lot of vasolene. I like to partially unwrap the cotton ball, about halfway. run a smear of vasolene down the unwrapped ball then wrap it up again. Leaving a dry fuzzy center surrounded by fuel.

Grip opposite sides, rip in half, apply spark, apply fuel to burning cotton ball.

If you are really cheap, hit the lint trap on your clothes dryer after your wife has been washing towels.

That stuff is free and fires up if you look at it hot. And again, a bit of cheap vasolene keeps it waterproofed, adds fuel to make it burn longer.

Small screw top bottles, food saver bags, ( I used a small piece, ran a seal down the center, then divided twice the other way, gave me 6 sealed water tight compartments each holding 2-3 cotton balls)
Small tins, match safe, Pill vials, you name it you can figure out a way to make it work.

Just remember, any 1 system can fail, so backup your backup. 1 is none, 2 is 1. Stuff happens.

[dtknowles]

small pill bottle with cotton balls with vaseline rubbed in and a ferro rod my wife starts a fire with the first strike ... spark poof flame now Magnesium .....not needed

If you were going to carry a small pill bottle and a ferro rod why not just carry matches. I have a small floating water proof keychain bobber thing filled with matches. Hey, not critsising, you have added a good idea to the mix. I would think with fire being as important as it is that belt, suspenders and an elastic waistband might be a good approach.

Tim

[HawkCreek]

If you were going to carry a small pill bottle and a ferro rod why not just carry matches. I have a small floating water proof keychain bobber thing filled with matches. Hey, not critsising, you have added a good idea to the mix. I would think with fire being as important as it is that belt, suspenders and an elastic waistband might be a good approach.

Tim

Cant speak for the others but my reasoning is because a "metal match"(ferro rod) has a lot more tries than conventional matches. If I carry 50 matches once they are gone they are gone while most ferro rods of all but the smallest sizes are good for thousands of strikes. Once the cotton balls run out you can find natural tinder to light so you're still able to make fire.

[Artful]

Any of these beats trying to use a hand bow in the rain.

[NavyVet1959]

I've made firestarter candles out of sawdust and paraffin wax poured into a small paper dixie or condiment cup with a wick in the center of it.

[trebor44]

Some things to think about:
Cold (extreme) - does affect both matches and the Bic.
Wet - affects all if your start is not protected.

The most inexpensive and perhaps the most effective short of a liquid accelerant is the cotton ball Vaseline combo. The creation of fire does depend on heat, oxygen and fuel. Often it is the heat that is the most difficult to provide. Multiple sources (backups) are essential in the outdoors. If you spend time in the outdoors, practice fire starting in all conditions to find what works for your environment. Me, I like Coleman fuel and the Bic lighter (done carefully)!