I've always been a big believer in bic style lighters for fire making, and while a bic is reliable I always tell people to have another backup of some sort. Some people simply carry another bic lighter, but others choose a QUALITY flint and steel type device.
There are a lot of these "strikers" on the market, they come in various forms and wildly differing quality standards. For survival we NEED quality and we need our equipment to be simple yet utterly reliable... the Swedish Fire Steel is one such item! We've used it during dry weather fire starting and in wet weather. When you stroke the attached steel striker down the main shaft, it showers a LOT of VERY hot sparks!
This device is VERY light, small, simple and utterly reliable. With a little dry (or even semi-dry) tinder you can have an instant fire. It was made in Sweden for the military so that they had a 100% guaranteed working fire starter that would work ALL the time under ALL conditions, even the harsh winter conditions Sweden can be subjected to. Its 100% water proof and wind proof (no flame to put out). I have tested many other fire starter products in my 20+ years as a survivalist and I've found that if some other types of fire starters become wet or too cold, they must be dried or warmed before they can be used. If you fell into cold water, the Swedish Fire Steel is one item that you could pull out and immediately start a fire... and if you fall into cold water, THAT is when you need a fire MOST! You don't have time to wait for your fire making materials to dry out... even a bic takes a while to dry after submersion.
It works on grass, leaves, cattails, birch bark, small twigs, vaseline w/cottonballs, plain cotton balls, hexamine tablets, gas stoves, ect. The sparks come off at an incredible 3000 °C. (That's 5432 degrees F!!!!!). There is no flint or magnesium to crack or use up. It's made with a blend of 19 metals in all, one metal is ceridium (it’s used as the striker for high temperature welding torches!).
The Swedish Fire Steel is considered child proof because it takes some force to use it, But when the kids have a enough knowledge on fire, he or she will have a enough strength to use it.
To top it off this item uses steel on steel contact to make sparks so you can use the steel spine of a knife, the blade, or even dogtags... you name it... even a can lid will work. If you need TOTAL reliability and ease of use, the Swedish Fire steel is the way to go!
The Down Side:
None.
Would WE Buy It?:
Yes, For survival use as a primary or secondary fire starter it's hard to beat... no pack should be without one hanging on the outside!
Technical Specs:
Made from a nineteen (19) metal alloy blend including ceridium (used in strikers for high temperature welding torches)
Very compact and ultra light weight.
OTHER:
For more information on this fine product you can send e-mail to the distributor, Sgt Splatter
Send Warlord E-mail.
Address: 
Return To Product Reviews Page
