Genuine Issue Magnesium Survival Fire Starter Reviews

• Great tool for camping and survival situations

  
  By A1DMY6MZVYKHV2 on 2006-04-20
  This is one of the best fire starters you can carry. Another reviewer indicated it wasn't much good unless you have a sharp knife. Not only is a sharp knife not required, it's a very bad idea to use one. Shaving the magnesium then scraping the metal match insert with your knife will certainly work, but it will also dull your knife in short order. It is a much better idea to attach a piece of a hacksaw blade to it for this purpose. It works as well and lets you save your knife for its intended purpose - cutting. Even if you have no or hacksaw blade (or knife), a sharp piece of broken glass will let you shower sparks from the insert. That alone will get your fire started (though if your tinder is damp it's easier when you can also use magnesium scrapings). A cotton ball smeared with petroleum jelly makes excellent tinder to use with this device. A dry cotton ball also works; it just doesn't burn as long. Put several into an old film container then drop in it your pack with the magnesium fire starter. The bottom line is this tool is small, light weight, inexpensive, reliable and easy to use. These attributes make it an excellent tool and an outstanding value.
  
  

• When you're really buggered, this will work.

  
  By A24RT6AVJXJZHF on 2006-12-27
  Even mountain biking, where you plan to be in the woods for only a few hours, things happen. You break a leg or taco a wheel and you're stranded miles and miles from the closest food and shelter. Sometimes you just get spun around or bonk and the best thing to do is lay down, call for help if you can and weren't so dumb as to not bring a cell phone, and do your best to keep comfortable until help arrives. And of course, this is all more so the truth when you're hiking, camping, or even taking a little day trip in an national forest area.
  
  If you have a knife, some kind of water container, and this fire starter, you're set to make it through all but an absolute catastrophe--and even then you're better off than you would be without it. Fire is the first and foremost feature of civilization, which is where you ultimately want to be.
  
  Magnesium lights up at roughly 1000 F, so this will start a fire on the first attempt if you've got the shavings in a nice little pile amongst some kindling. If you mess it up, no problem; you've still got a few hundred chances worth more of magnesium to fumble with. This is also a product that's been on the market likely longer than you've been alive, so don't think you got the last one they'll ever make.
  
  With this, you just take your knife (the back works as well as the blade really) scrap off some magnesium in a little pile, put your little wads of bark or other hairy kindling (or pine cones, bits of cloth, or whatever you can scrap up as you can anywhere) along with your regular kindling, strike the flint side of the fire starter with the back of your blade or anything made of steel, and make sure to look away when it starts because the light is bright white like a halogen lamp on full.
  
  If I had to compare it to anything, it's like setting off a flare.
  
  The sparks from the magenesium catching fire don't go flying, so no worries about one shooting up into your face, but also don't be under the impression that you or your friend can hold the magesium and kindling while shooting sparks at it so that you can immediately blow on it. When it lights, it lights instantly, and it's so hot that it will burn right through to the bone if you light it on skin. If you've ever seen sugar on fire, this is far more serious, but it's safe so long as you don't do anything stupid.
  
  Bottom Line: It's so small it can go on your keychain or be thrown in your backpack as one of those things you always have just in case, but forget about until you really need it. Its of negligible weight for you weight weenies out there. And it's so just plain cool that you'll find yourself using it not just for that moment when you're in trouble and panicking about the fact that everything they taught you in Boy Scouts was entirely wrong, but when you're 'out there' and there's absolutely nothing wrong.
  
  If nothing else, it's a neat bit of science (kids go crazy for this stuff) that just might end up saving your caboose some day. It's small, cheap, light, and effective--which is something we can rarely say about anything truly useful these days.
  
  

• Excellent item for everyone!!

  
  By A1WEZVOXH50MI9 on 2006-07-12
  Previous reviewer mentioned the cotton balls. Try saving dryer lint and put it in egg cartons and then pour melted wax on it from candles that are burned down with no wick. When a fire is needed, break off a section of the egg carton to use as fire starters, regardless of whether your kindling is damp it will light. And there is no expiration date on these once made! It works well and it achieves the desired results of a fire when needed. Everyone should add these items to their survival kits for home and camping gear.
  
  

• Works great, but like all tools can be misused.

  
  By A1EI59KNWIX3LV on 2007-07-22
  I bought both this and the Swedish Firesteel (Army model) because I like to compare inexpensive tools I will depend on to save my life. I prefer this tool to the Firesteel because it will ignite tinder easier due to the magnesium shavings (but the Firesteel would be a rugged alternative in areas where you could easily get tinder - see my review on that tool). Regardless, I had immediate success with both tools.
  
  I believe other reviewers that gave this less than five stars were using this tool incorrectly. These are points of use I believe important:
  1. You do not need (or want to use) a sharp knife. I use a basic metal jigsaw blade attached to a cord I put on this starter instead of the little chain. A short or broken hacksaw blade may be even better because it has a hole you can thread a cord through.
  2. SCRAPE the magnesium into a pile, don't CARVE it. I bet the people who try to carve the magnesium (to make the pile of shavings) were butchering their knives.
  3. You do NOT need to scrape it for ten minutes to make a pile (unless you are using a wet sponge for tinder :(). With good tinder and a piece of paper I made a pile smaller than a dime and got a fire going in under a minute. In fact, I bet with really good tinder you could just use the flint and start a fire. Experiment at home to see how little a pile you can make of magnesium and still start a fire. The key is to keep the pile together so you must obviously have some shelter from the wind. I do not reccomend making a fire in very high wind unless you have the means to put out a forest fire (dig a pit or camp dark or FIND SHELTER!!!). It really helps to have something to collect the shavings on like a piece of plastic or paper, then you can funnel them into a little pile on a piece of bark or rock. If you keep scattering the shavings try not to rest the end of the magnesium bar on the paper/plastic/coat/whatever or get a bigger piece and let them scatter then funnel them into a pile. EXPERIMENT!
  4. SCRAPE the flint rod, don't WHACK it like they do in the movies with older means (like in Jeremiah Johnson). It's a little rod and if you give it to kids without instruction they will probably whack it and break the rod.
  5. As per the instructions given with the tool hold it steady and scrape shavings of magnesium or sparks from flint. You could probably hold the scraper still and move the magnesium, but this seems silly (although I will try it). Slow steady pressure scraping the flint seems to work well. Note that when you are trying to ignite the magnesium shavings you shouldn't place the end of magnesium bar on the surface holding the shavings as the vibrations will scatter them. You must hold it firm and steady and near the shavings. Practice a little, it shouldn't be too tough.
  
  I wrote this long thing because I was confused by all the negative reviews before I bought and tried this. It seems for evey product there is at least one bad review. Remember there are also bad reviewers. This is a very good basic tool that is easy to use if you take the short time to learn how to use it correctly. It is meant as a backup survival option to matches/lighter (which are your normal means for firestarting). Also carry good tinder (I like cotton mushed with vaseline - cheap and effective).
  
  

• Beats using a bow and spindle - I guess

  
  By A23PRGE14NPEDK on 2008-01-29
  I wonder if the folks who gave this a positive review have tried using it in real life extreme conditions. I have done winter-time camping in the rugged Adirondak wilderness not far from the Canadian border and would NOT want this as my only fire-starting resource. The mag-block style starters do have a piece of "flint" attached to them (a thin, frail one). So you CAN start fires with them. But there are better and easier ways, believe me.
  
  Why don't I like these?
  
  First, the magnesium shavings tend to blow away, making that "dime sized pile" hard to come by if it is windy (which it usually is at the times you need fire most). Also, in a real survival situation, you may have cold, numb fingers and don't want to be playing time-consuming (and potentially dangerous) games with your sharp knife. Speaking of knives, few things will dull a them faster than shaving soft metal. If you do happen to get that "dime sized" pile of magnesium to stay in one place, it will burn up in about the same length of time as a good match head. Good luck.
  
  The bottom line is if you have good tinder you don't need the magnesium. The sparks from a GOOD flint will do (though a wimpy little flint like this may not give ENOUGH sparks). And if your tinder is WET, the magnesium probably isn't going to light it anyway. If I ever feel that I need some magnesium to start a fire (unlikely) I can shave a gram or two off of my pack frame.
  
  My advice:
  
  If you are really going to be OUT THERE be prepared to start a fire in two or three ways . I carry waterproofed wooden matches (OK), a Brunton Helios windproof lighter (better, so long as the fuel lasts) and an Aviation Survival Spark-Lite kit (best - pilots get better stuff issued than the poor grunts do). The Sweedish Firesteels (with a heftier chunk of "flint") seem to be quite good also and I plan to get one.
  
  But MOST IMPORTANT is real TINDER, stuff that lights easily and burns a while (not in a hot flash like magnesium). I always carry some cotton balls, which compact easily, and a dab of Neosporin ointment from the 1st Aid kit makes a good accelerant IF NEEDED. Pine needles & shredded birchbark are hard to beat as natural tinders. They can usually be ignited even if a little damp. Even in a 35 degree driving rainstorm (been there, done that) you can carve into the leeward side of standing deadwood and crumble up the dry-rotted wood, which will also light easily.
  
  
  
• Great for backup or using as a main way to light fires.
  By A1VT25YESO69SI on 2007-01-02
  I've been using my Magnesium/Flint bar for about 15 yrs. You do not need a sharp knife or even a knife at all. You just need something with a good solid hard edge. I always use mine by using the back of my knife to scrape the magnesium into a pile for semi-damp tinder. I use the back of my knife as well to spark the flint onto the tinder. I highly suggest getting one of these, and I also like my "Swedish Firesteel" as well for lighting camp fires.
  
  
• FIRE!
  By A1MM30YDKJPG06 on 2007-06-16
  Listen...not much to say here...This works as it has for over 50 years.
  
  Scratch one side for the magnesium
  
  Scratch the other for the flint
  
  *poof*
  
  fire...
  
  for $10, having instant fire that is waterproof and lightweight is priceless. Every human that has an adventurous side needs this!
  
  
  
  
  
• Almost idiot proof
  By A3HBPQ607NGWJT on 2007-03-15
  Works great. You just gently scrape the sides until you have a small pile then strike the flint. My only bit of advice is to make sure you use it in a location out of the wind and on a stable surface.
  
  No Hacksaw blade needed, no broken/dull knives necessary, you only have to be smarter than a chunk of magnesium.
  
  
  
• Disappointing compared with other firestarters
  By A4H5Z13FBMQ79 on 2007-11-25
  I start alot of fires while camping to keep dry and warm and I wanted to see how this "classic" compared with the Firesteel I have bee using.....boy was I surprised.....how can the military issue this thing with such better tools available....its a pain to use and if its windy, FORGET IT! your shavings will blow away. It also appears to wear quite fast. I recommend Swedish Firesteel or another Firesteel product.
  
  
• Works great.
  By A2NBWD4E3UYKT3 on 2007-01-24
  This is the best fire starter you can buy. As one of the other reviewers indicated it is better to use a hacksaw blade than ruin your knife. Even better is a reciprocating saw blade. It's stouter and seems to work better. Overall the product is fantastic.
  
  
• Gets the job done, and fast.
  By A1QPQ6Y3ZB4Z8D on 2007-07-16
  Used this fire starter on several occasions. The ease of use and effectiveness of this tool made the butane lighter redundant for fire starting. You can trust this tool to light the fire the first time.
  
  
• Handy, but not easy
  By AU4J6NRWNPMO0 on 2007-11-17
  For the weight, there is no reason not to carry this. It is effective and it does work. It also takes more magnesium scrapings than the unitiated will expect and the flint can and does break. Proper use is the key. I agree that I do not want to buy a tool and then add another piece to get it to work (hacksaw, router blade, etc). The back of a pocket knife works to scrape the magesium (so will your car keys) AND to use as a "striker" for the flint. Keys to success: SCRAPE the magnesium, do not cut into the magnesium. The smaller the scrapings the easier to light with the sparks. "Striker" is a bad term to use with this flint. It is small and can be broken. Hold the back of your knife blade (keep it closed) at an angle that puts the corner of the metal against the flint and press down while scraping toward the magnesium scrapings. It will take a little practice to get striking down, but it will work. After one or two uses you will be proficient in using this tool and more confident in yourself.
  
  
• Impractical tool
  By A12U7GG3PIK63Q on 2007-02-17
  I've had 3 unsuccessful use of this on 3 different occasion.
  1. In an empty house that I was renovating. Spent 10 min trying to scrape the magnesium with an exacto blade and trying to strike a spark with a screw driver. It was so aggravating that I drove 7 min to the store to get a lighter.
  2. My sons & their cousins tried to start a spark lit fire for practice in the back yard with this new fangle mag block that they purchased. Result... damaged pocket knife, flint broke, and no fire.
  3. I tried this with my sons in our driveway with my camping knife. Result... dulled the knife, the itty-bitty flint dowel shattered, and no fire.
  
  May be if I had used a hack saw blade like others suggested but what's the point of buying a tool if you had to furnish the other half of it? And who wants to carry a hack saw blade with them on their key chain?
  
  
• Great item
  By ADUEAS0VW237Z on 2007-02-23
  I sent this to my 18 year old brother for his birthday and he loved it!
  
  
• Great and A must to have
  By A1OBXQ7XYFAZUP on 2007-05-12
  This fire starter is a great device to have. It's light weight and easy to carry and operate. Definately something you would want to have if ever hiking, camping, hunting,or lost in the mountains.
  
  
• Happy Camper
  By A2NI6TDI2DC2MA on 2007-06-14
  This product works exactly like the say it should. How anyone could have a problem getting a spark from it is beyond me.
  
  
• It Has some Drawbacks
  By A3CZFGP5QOT3JK on 2007-06-25
  From my experience:
  It takes a long time to get a useable pile of magnesium using a knife blade - maybe 10 minutes.
  If you do get a pile, in all likelihood it will scatter when you try to get a spark to it using this tool. Then you start over.
  Maybe something else besides a knife will scrape off magnesium faster.
  And maybe a different sparker (Blast Match) would keep the pile from scattering.
  
  
• Great Fire Starter
  By A1QZT48S3S311C on 2007-08-03
  It's not as easy as others make it out to be, but once you figure it out, it works very well. You have to understand that one side (the top side in the picture - black color) is the flint, and the whole silver looking thing is magnesium. You have to shave off a good amount of magnesium onto your target (a piece of towl or tissue works awesome), and then you strike the flint side (which makes the sparks) onto the magnesium, which is on the twigs or tissue which catches the fire. To strike the flint, I've tried rocks and some back sides of knives with little success. I've noticed that if you use the back of a knife, it has to be a somewhat sharp corned dull side. What I end up using is the descaler on a pocket knife. This item would be nice if they sold it with a striker, like the swedish models do.
  
  
• Handy with the right striker
  By A1QMQ2AXURPVRN on 2007-09-15
  I was frustrated trying to get a spark using the back side of a fixed blade knife. I tried rubbing, scraping, even whacking the flint with only a few feeble sparks. But when I grabbed a pair of regular scissors, the sparks came easily with just a quick hard scrape, as if lighting a match. I'm not sure what made the difference, the material or the shape of the scissors, but from now on, I'll use my scissors for striking.
  
  
• Doesn't work easily
  By A19NR0ITMHOI0G on 2007-12-08
  Try another firestarter as this one doesn't do the job. Wears out quickly and ineffective.
  
  
• This was the hands down best in the Boy Scouts
  By A2Z01X6BIVQYYM on 2008-03-20
  A decade or so ago when I was in the Boy Scouts this was, in the opinion of my troop, so good it was like cheating. It was more difficult to start a fire with a single match (which is how the scouts roll; one scout one match) than this. Also it put my little firesteel flint to shame.
  
  I cannot for life of me figure out how people can think this is not the greatest fire starter. We used the backs of the blades our 3" folding knives to scrape off a decent pile of magnesium and then scrape the flint for sparks. The result was always white hot sparks and fire. It never failed. YMMV
  
  
• When i need fire it's there
  By A33V6GHIOPIPW4 on 2007-01-31
  With just a scraping tool I get a 700 degree F fire from this, burn a tire to put up a smoke signal in the rain!!! This is the hottest fire on earth, sweet, I can start wet tinder, I think with carbon this thing melts metal....
  cool tool gang!!!
  
  
• The greatest little thing ever!!!
  By A3OYUQ8IWH9ALS on 2007-04-11
  I love this thing. It makes starting fires a snap. Just make sure you have a sharp kinfe or else you'll have a hard time cutting off the magnesium.
  
  
• TERRIBLE!! DO NOT GET THIS IT WILL NOT WORK!!
  By A2NA6OQR8D7CQL on 2008-04-05
  It is impossible to get a pile of shavings from the magnesium with you knife and even if you do get a pile it will not light with the flint. The flint sparks great but the magnesium does not light I put a match to it and it burned for a mili second it is useless!!!!
  
  
• Very reliable if used properly
  By A13Y0V0IZT243T on 2008-05-17
  This and a Swedish Firesteel are my primary fire tools and have been for the last several years. As long as you patiently create a nice pile of magnesium shavings and strike the flint properly, it is very reliable and you can ignite just about any type of tinder. If you are in a wet climate, I'd recommend this over the Firesteel. Unless you are constantly dealing with wet tinder, you'll find the Swedish Firesteel quicker/easier to use (hotter sparks, as well as greater volume of sparks on the Swedish). I recommend carrying both, as well as a cheap BIC lighter.
  
  

• SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea
• US Military Water Purification Tablets
• Swedish Firesteel- Army Model
• Lensatic Military Marching Compass
• US Army Survival Manual: FM 21-76