The Ferrocerium Rod Thread

[Brozzy]

No, not Pau Ferro.

I recently acquired an Uberleben Zunden ferro rod. As usual, it looked bigger on Amazon than it does in my hand, but does seem to throw lots of spark.

Anybody else recommend any brands? or diameters/lengths? Is bigger always better?

Any tips and tricks about lighting in the wet, tinder, firestarters?

 

[pie_man_25]

What about inanimate carbon rods?

 

[keyboardguy]

Hi,

Plenty of youtube videos on this subject.
The best firestarter (and simplest) are Vasoline and cotton balls:

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I like the West Lake brands.
The 1/2" X 5" is a nice size, but I bought their smaller 5/16 X 3 " ones.
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https://www.amazon.com/Tactical-Fer...+ferro&qid=1632026941&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-2
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https://www.amazon.com/West-Ferroce...+ferro&qid=1632026887&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-3

I bought wooden dowels, Drilled a hole in them and glued them to make a handle.

 

[BLDavis]

I have found that while a quality ferro rod is important, equally important is the quality and type of striker. Cheap, soft , chinesium knife blades suck for all things. Especially trying to get a decent spark. The best thing I've tried is a 4" section of hacksaw blade. It makes even a chepo wallyworld ferro rod work better.
+ 1 on the cotton ball and petroleum jelly fire starters. Dryer lint and PJ works too and is cheaper.
None of them will work if you don't practice. Especially in an emergency situation. Try different techniques and see what works best for you.
B.

 

[keyboardguy]

I have found that while a quality ferro rod is important, equally important is the quality and type of striker. Cheap, soft , chinesium knife blades suck for all things. Especially trying to get a decent spark. The best thing I've tried is a 4" section of hacksaw blade. It makes even a chepo wallyworld ferro rod work better.
+ 1 on the cotton ball and petroleum jelly fire starters. Dryer lint and PJ works too and is cheaper.
None of them will work if you don't practice. Especially in an emergency situation. Try different techniques and see what works best for you.
B.

Great info B.

IF you don't have a good striker available, This video shows that you can use a rock, piece of glass, and other items to get a decent spark. Always good to know your options....

 

[fdeck]

I'm intrigued. One of those would go nicely with my Svea 123 camp stove.

What's "tactical" about it?

 

[Deeper Texan]

I have used this brand for years and have never been disappointed. FireSteel.com - Best FireSteel
Their GobSparks seem to work the best, and come in a variety of sizes. I keep one in a kydex firesteel holder with my ESEE 5. I also have several of their smaller ones that fit into the handle scales on some of my other knives, or in an Altoids survival tin.

I am OCD about redundancy. I also carry fire tape, dryer lint soaked in vaseline, waterproof matches, fire starter candles, and my favorite, a Bic lighter.
Primitive fire making is a great skill set to have, and looks great on "survival" shows. But when its 20 degrees outside, getting dark, and your fingers are numb, a Bic lighter sure makes the job easier.
Edit to add:
+1 on the hacksaw blade striker, I run a lanyard through the hole, and use electrical tape to make it easier to grip.

 

[Brozzy]

Thanks gents for the suggestions. Regrettably, West Lake and Fire Steel are not available from Amazon Canada, thus requiring shipping and customs/excise charges from the U.S.
I do like the idea of a hacksaw blade!!

 

[keyboardguy]

Here’s some handles I made for my west Lake Ferro Rods.
I bought them on amazon (links below) Eight 5/16” X 3” and two ½” X 5”.

For the smaller rods I bought a replacement broom handle at Home Depot for $1.60. I already had a slightly larger handle and used it for the bigger rods.

Cut the handles to 3 inches.
Drilled a ½” or ¾” long hole in the handles. Sanded them. Used Super glue from the Dollar store.
Applied 2 coats of polyurethane (1 per day) with a Q-Tip.


https://www.amazon.com/Tactical-Fer...ywords=ferro+rod+5+inch&qid=1632597199&sr=8-5


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MG8AP5S?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details