Best Magnesium Fire Starter

Check out a brand called COLGANS they make a small Magnesium Bar with a built in steel rod for about $2.00...
Walmart, Canadian Tire have them

It's not magnesium, but check out a fire piston.

[link to www.survivalunlimited.com]

i like this one

[link to www.rei.com]

this is a very important item so you should have redundant systems, 3-4

I have yet to get the magnesium to work. I make really fluffy kindle.

The idea is quite simple make a small pile of magnesium shavings and then use your knife to create a spark on the flint steel provided...it works like a hot dam...be careful!

I live in the rockies sometime shit is just to wet for a hot spot start. It snows too.

Hair works better. Alot of shit works better.

Forgive me but, you got a lot of camping over there.

Here's one I might try, looks interesting and reasonably priced

[link to beprepared.com]

Magnesium on one end, hardwood on the other and a striker rod. Theory is, you shave the wood when no natural tinder available.

In wet conditions try to find small logs protected from the wet, and never what's on the ground, take dead wood from standing dead trees. Split the logs (into quarters is better) and take dry shavings from inside.

Also, make sure you have a 'striker' that works. I thing stainless steel will not work. I'm gonna try hard steel like a hack saw blade. If it works it would be easy to make a small striker to carry

Hey OP

Go find yourself an old VW Beetle engine. The whole block is Magnesium. Bust a hunk off with a hammer then you can use a knife to shave it.

We used to light them on fire when they either cracked or were machined too much.

Also keep a big baggie full of dryer lint too. That crap fires up hot and fast.



Last Edited by Hitndahedfred on 04/01/2010 12:35 PM

Consider char cloth...it will take the smallest spark and can be blown into fire using any of a number of tinder. Easy to make...youtube videos and survival site have information

Im australian but after fucking around with many chinese made copies and considering buying the same damn thing but overpriced locally ive settled for www.firesteel.com and there bunker type firesteels, ive not ordered one yet but the bloke has a few good videos ive seen and he DOES sell a 'huge chunk' of magnesium to go with it for tinder..

im pretty much sold by what ive seen.. but for the price its better than spending 50 locally for something 3/4 its damn size.. ive spent 2 hours trying to light a fire with one of them smaller damn things and the thing broke in two

so i'll be happy to get this one I think.. but I must stress I got no experience and im only going by his videos

Got one of these in every go bag.

The magnesium kind too. Plus a lighter, and matches. And steel wool.


WOOT

And tinder? Vaselene cotton balls are good, in film canisters take little room, burn long enough to get fire in most conditions

steel wool and a battery is pretty slick