Light my fire Firesteel; long time review

Being able to light a fire is very important. Fire obviously has many uses as boiling water, cooking food, heating, signaling, as a tool, etc. A lighter or match are the easiest solutions. However they are not always reliable when wet, cold or stored for a longer period of time.  A ferrosium rod is a very reliable means of starting a fire.

When I started with survival and bushcraft, the now common light my fire firesteel was not available yet. The only one that was available was the BCB ranger flint. A small ferrosium rod mounted on a steel support with a hacksaw as striker. The one pictured on the left is the old model (somehow I found a unused one in the junk draw) and in the middle the ‘new’ model (about a decade old now). These BCB ranger flints where quite hard, but the hacksaw allows you to throw big sparks. The size does make it a little fiddly to use.

So when the much bigger Firesteel came out, I had to try them. I still have and use the first version of the army model firesteel. Not worn down in over a decade. The handle did get loose and was glued back. The striker has started to rust, but still working fine. I know some people have had issues with corrosion on the rods, leaving a crumbling white power behind. Mine only ever got small spots of thin white-ish corrosion which was scrapped off after striking a few times. I do keep my equipment dry and I put a thin coat of oil on the rod, when I maintain my other tools.

So after years and years of use, it’s still a good tool. Only real complain was the handle coming loose. I have tried a cheap brandless one, but noticed these rods are harder. Harder material means they are more durable, but throw less sparks. Though my firesteel is pretty old and used, I haven’t seen durability issues yet. I’m however very careful with tinder preparation, so I unusually only have to strike once. I have to say that I now use the old BCB ranger flints more often than my firesteel. I like the smaller size, which is not only useful to save size and weight, but also allows you to get slightly closer to your tinder and the hacksaw striker is more accurate in throwing the sparks. The Firesteel is easier to handle though.