Magnesium vs Ferro Rod: Debunking Fire-Starting Myths

Welcome to another episode on my channel where we explore survival and bushcraft tips and tricks. In today's video, we're debunking common myths about two popular fire-starting tools - the magnesium fire starter and the ferro rod.
From the supposed danger of magnesium fire starters to the belief that all ferro rods are the same, we're setting the record straight. Not only will we discuss these myths, but we'll also demonstrate the correct usage of these tools, showing you how they can be effectively used in a survival situation.

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Do you have any other myths you've heard about fire starters? Share them in the comments below!

#SurvivalSkills #Bushcraft #FireStarting #MagnesiumFireStarter #FerroRod

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[fatwoodfiresteels]

This is one of the best videos out there. You did a great job walking through the basics and explaining everything. And you are right, practice practice practice. If you send me a message, i will send you one of ours and see how you like it. Thanks, Jeff

[jelkel]

Magnesium blocks got a bad reputation when there were many cheap poor copies around. I was given one at the time and it was extremely difficult to get the things to do much of anything. Even a half decent one and they can be effective. Folks also don't take wind into account, if there's even a small breeze just scrape it onto the glue side of any kind of tape.

[ilijabosnjak]

That was a good presentation and helpful information, I will just add that when choosing ferro rod go Big and buy a decent quality one, don’t go cheap 6”x0.5”, , it will last you lifetime unless you loose it…
Well you deserve Like 👍.

[thomasmusso]

👍👍👍 .. Good advice.
I had a Magnesium Block long before Ferro Rods became the greatest thing since bubblegum. Fortunately it is of good quality, bought before the cheap knockoffs started to flood the market. I don't use it as much as in the past, but it is still around and remains part of the team. I find that mixing the Magnesium Shaving in together with the Tinder for me, works the best.
As a Boomer DOB 1950, I am very much a traditionalist. I have the Zippo, Bic, Mag Block, Ferro Rod, Magnifying Glass, Char Cloth and other I cannot recall right now .. but .. my favourite remains the humble wooden match. Why? I don't know. Perhaps having the 'Lion Match Factory' just down the road from where I lived as a youngster carved this preference indelibly into my psyche back then 😁.
Thanks for sharing .. take care ..

[johnduffy]

Very good information and well-presented. Thank you.

[cecilmadden]

I liked your information. I followed you because of your last comment.

[simongee]

I always use a ferro rod to light my Trangia liquid fuel stove. Main reason is that it always works and I don't have to worry about damp matches - ! 😅

[RS]

Every one of my fire kits has a bic, ferro rod, flint n steel, fatwood, and 3 or 4 cotton balls with vaseline. In damp or wet conditions I'm gonna have a fire one way or another. Great video.

[conservativesniperhunter]

Very informative video there brother. I would love to see you find and test as many different brands of Magnesium products to see which ones burn more intense and hotter. That be a good little experiment. I don’t think anyone has made a video on different brand/types of magnesium.. Christ is King. Cheers from Australia 🍻

[redhawk]

The two most important points in this excellent video are at 7:09 and 7:30.

[mistermac]

Great video, thank you! All your points are right on the money. Your right practice is king, we heat with wood and it a good day when my wife says in the morning, it was a two strike fire.

[EdwinDekker]

7:29 Amen! Instant sub! Praise the Lord.

[tomray]

The comparison is actually a ferro rod compared to a ferro rod with magnesium. Yes, the larger ferro rod is better than the smaller, but I've started fires without shaving magnesium with the smaller rod.

[oddsavage]

Great vid! To the point and informative! Thanks.

[AllWeatherFirestarters]

Any chance of doing a product review of our Firestarter?

[maxlutz]

I always took the "works when wet" as opposed to matches. Regular matches do not fare well when they or the striker get wet.
I have seen many people who could use a ferro rod to light a fire without problem. They tended to suffocate it though. Appears to be a general lack of fire building skills.

[geek]

I only trust the doans. The other ones have had the "sparking insert" get loose. Never had a doans come out. I have even tried to push or remove the ferr rod from a doans, and broke it is was so well secured

[oldcountryboy]

I have always packed a lighter I live in the Pacific Northwest We get about 7 feet of rain every year When it is raining it is like somebody standing over you with a bucket of water Without a lighter You are going to have a really hard time lighting a fire Those other methods Are cool But you should always sneak a backup lighter In your pocketThat way you are always sure to get a fire people are going to say what if it gets wetYou simply blow on it and it will dry out What if it gets brokenHave you ever tried to break a lighter It is next to impossibleBy dropping it falling downIf you fall down hard enough to break a lighter in your pocket your leg is also going to be broken I have used all 3 When you are in a life-and-death situation and you are cold you want that fire as fast as you can get it

[citizenVader]

The scraper is just a piece of steel saw

[ianbrowne]

ROF LOL ; and the biggest myth is you got to have these wonder tools . So what did they do before these wonder tools hit the BS marketer ? Matches ; preferable water proof matches always got a fire going . Cigarette lighters also got a fire started . For years I carried a water proof matches in a water proof container --- never failed . Bit of gun power worked wonders also ;)