When camping, surviving, hunting - or just out for a leisurely hike - being able to start a fire for warmth, cooking, or boiling water may be necessary. Ferrocerium is a synthetic metal alloy that creates 3000'C hot sparks when struck or scraped with the back of the blade of a knife - or other metal object. Ferrocerium is what they use in cigarette and blow torch spark lighters - not flint and steel like many people may think.
Ferro Rods work just fine after being dropped in water.
They are especially sought after for survival, fire starting, and bug out kits for this reason. A Ferro Rod can also start many more fires than a lighter. Imagine a windy cold rain down pour - or a tipped over canoe where everything is soaked - a fire would need to be started for warmth and to dry off.
Water Test: Ferro Rod Vs. Bic Lighter - click below to watch the Video
Natural Sources of Tinder and Kindling
To easily start a fire with a Ferro Rod, tinder, kindling, and fuel needs to be first gathered. Tinder easily and quickly catches on fire and then burns quickly. As long as it hasn't rained too heavily, it's usually easy to find natural tinder.
In the picture below you can see the dried grasses and birch bark tinder. Pine tree sap, dry leaves, coal fungus, crushed pine cones, rotton wood, and wood shavings are all natural forms of tinder.
You can see the small sticks of wood in the picture above - that's kindling. The tinder is able to start the wood kindling on fire without much difficulty. Small dry sticks and finely split wood works well for fire kindling. The larger wood fuel is added when the fire is large enough. If larger wood pieces are added too early the fire may be smothered and become smokey from not enough oxygen for a clean burn.
Pocket Every Day Carry
On the right side of the picture below you can see my pocket Every Day Carry. Pocket flashlight, Ferro Rod with Bic Lighter, and folding pocket knife. Having these often used tools in my pockets keeps me from having to walk from one end of the property to the other whenever I need them. I don't use the Ferro Rod very often on the property, but it is a nice item to have in the pocket if it was ever needed. Canada gets cold. I always want to be able to start a fire - regardless of the conditions.
Ferro Rod with Magnesium Block
In the picture above you can also see the emergency Fire Tinder Kit - just below that is the Ferro Rod with grey Magnesium block. The magnesium block and ferro rod come with a metal saw blade to create a pile of magnesium powder. Magnesium powder burns very easily and hot. Magnesium is like a metal tinder that burns hot, even if wet.
Click below to watch the Ferro Rod and Magnesium Fire Ignition.
There are usually plenty of natural materials to only need the Ferro Rod in my pocket. I like to keep this backup Tinder Kit in the bottom of the backpack, just in case I am having trouble finding materials to help start a fire.
Backup Fire Tinder Kit Includes:
Ferro rod, rolled up birch bark, dryer lint, cotton ball, lamp wick, twine, charred cloth, magnifying lense, small knife, and a rubber band to keep the tin closed. The tin can also be used to make more char cloth.
Click the video below to watch the ferro rod ignition demonstration of these various forms of tinder.
Click the link below to watch a campfire started with a ferro rod, birch bark, dry grasses, and sticks.
Always be Careful when Starting Fires :)
Previous posts that may interest you:
- Survival Knives: Tools that Would be Difficult to Create in the Woods
- Mincing Garlic and Splitting Wood for Kindling with the Old Hickory Chef Knife
- Setup and Target Practice with 50# Take-Down Recurve Bow
- Useful Items that Find Their Way into my Pockets - Every Day Carry.
Have a great day!
So good to see these posts on how to be well prepared without lugging too much gear around. And yes, being able to start a fire easily and quickly is an old-time essential. Good to know what to need, and how to use them. Thanks for this great post!
Thanks @stortebeker - there really are few requirements for life. Water, food, and shelter is just about it. Knowledge and a few simple tools can make it much easier.
Thanks for posting the walk-throughs. I had heard of these techniques on a podcast, but I never saw how until I watched your vids.
Glad you got a chance to see how how the ferro rod is used with the different tinders. Pretty straight forward once you've seen it done. It was fun going through the tinder kit again, it's been a while. More hands on bushcraft tutorials like this are on the way - thanks @nxtblg :)
Thanks yourself.
Nice Fire Tin / Kit and something everyone should have...
If birch bark isn't available or tinder is scarce i always go to my Mag Block - I am a fan of the magnesium blocks - they are definately a winner, although i believe the rod imbedded within them is actually flint based and different to ferrocirium and so producing a slightly cooler spark.
The biggest problem i find with these magnesium blocks is that the striker always seems to wear away - way before the magnesium is used up...
I am always on the look out for one with a BIGGER striker...
This person talks about his ferro rod falling out of the mag block :) http://livingprepared.blogspot.ca/2014/12/ferromagnesium-fire-starters.html
hahaha, Zombie Apocalypse - I'm siding with you! JUST SAYIN!
Oh I'm prepared for the hordes of zombies - you might like this post about an interview where I talked about things going south :)
https://steemit.com/homesteadersonline/@jackdub/msp-waves-radio-jackdub-live-interview-recording-from-march-29-2018
I listened to that one live! But I will go and support the post none the less, was it the one where it cut out in the end? Or is it a different one?
Lol he editted the music out of it so it's just the soundwavesphoton music intro and the interview. I knew you were listening, I talked to you in the chat in the people's group and said the interview felt like hours. I was just returning your comment link favor from your big cats post :)
Much love, and I figured as much! LOL Remember - because so much slips through the cracks you can always dm me your links in discord any time...
cool, thanks myman, knowledge assimilated and incorporado a la base de datos.
Great post and very well presented.
I have been saving all my dead lighters for the spark source. Even though I dont know if it is useful, I know that having something to create a spark is essential. Please keep making these types of posts, I am digging it. RESPECT
great info and post @jackdub