OK, we’ve all seen the video demos for various fire steels and how the sparks just fly. We’re so impressed we go buy one only to discover that something seems different with the one we got. It just doesn’t put out that fourth of July shower of sparks! Why not?
Well, it is true that not all fire strikers are equal. But before you conclude that you’ve got junk, try a simple change in your technique. Most people strike too fast and with the striker at an angle. The secret for more sparks is to get the maximum surface area in contact while striking, and instead of moving fast, slow the movement down a little and press harder. You want to achieve a sort of grinding feeling. You’ve got to find the optimum speed – not too fast, not too slow and press hard. And remember, the two pieces of steel should be perpendicular to each other – not at an angle. This will give you more surface area.
, made by Ultimate Survival Technologies. Not only is this a top of the line fire steel, it’s got a great design for ease of use and functionality. The handle is sized to make it easy to hang on to and it has a cover to protect the steel when not in use. It also has a tiny storage compartment in the handle which can be used to put a small quantity of your favorite starting medium. (The size is just right to fit one cube of WetFire, also made by the same company, but you can just as easily put your own concoction in it’s place if you prefer.)