Lighters and matches are great, and there are plenty of reasons that for many people, the EDC loadout includes a Zippo or BIC.

They are reliable, in the case of the Zippo they are windproof, and let’s just be honest, even in unskilled hands, starting a fire with a lighter or matches is much easier than any other method, especially a primitive firecraft method like a bow drill or a fire plow.

But there is another alternative, not one that should take the place of modern fire-making methods like matches or lighters, but one that is a failsafe: ferrocerium rods.

These fire starters should command a place in every outdoorsman’s pocket, or at least in the bug-out bag. Here’s why.

The Advantages of Ferrocerium Fire Starters

First things first, don’t call it a flint. Many people do, but that’s a misnomer. Rather, ferrocerium is a mischmetal that is made of pyrophoric compounds that, when shaved thin and exposed to air, spontaneously oxidize (ignite), releasing heat. 

Flint is much harder, and harder to strike. Plus, flint sparks are short-lived and low in intensity. Ferrocerium sparks can burn at well over 1000℉, which means you can use ferro fire starters with all sorts of tinder; cotton puffs, lint, plant down and other fibers, shaved wood, and so on and so forth. You can’t do that with a true flint. 

But this truly just scratches the surface of ferrocerium fire starters and the value they add. 

For one, with a match, you get one strike. When a lighter runs out of fuel, you’re more or less out of luck (although you could still use the spark wheel to ignite a fire). Technically, ferro rods are consumable, but with a good one, you can get several hundred if not several thousand strikes before the rod is used up.

This means that ferro fire starters are amazingly long-lasting, much longer than even the best lighters, and certainly better than matches. Moreover, a ferro rod can never leak fuel, like a lighter can.

But there are still other advantages. One is the utility in high-winds; it is effectively impossible to keep a match or lighter lit in high winds, but the sparks of a ferro fire starter are effectively wind proof. If anything, with the right angle, wind will actually help the sparks ignite your tinder.

Moreover, unlike with an actual flint, you don’t need a piece of steel to strike one. You can use a knife spine, but you can also use any material that’s harder than ferrocerium, which is itself a fairly soft metal.

And, on top of that, striking sparks from a ferrocerium fire starter is much easier than doing so with flint. The learning curve is shorter.

Shop These and Other Fire Starters

All of this is not to say that you should ditch your EDC lighter or replace the matches in your pack with a ferro fire starter; just that you should also have one. It is a great redundant means of striking a fire.

If you’re in the market for one, check out what’s available online at The Knife Connection. They carry a lot of ferro rods as well as knife sheaths that are designed to carry them, all at competitive prices.

For more information about becker knives and Bushcraft Knife Please visit: The Knife Connection.