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.

I’ve personally used the Strike Force and been on long wilderness trips where we used that for all our fire starting and it performed exceptionally well.