• Durable - Army model lasts 12000 strikes
• Produces a 3000°C (5,500°F) spark
• Works when wet
• Bright spark - can be used as emergency signal
• Available with Black or Oak handles. For backyard use, look for the Barbeque model.

Originally developed for the Swedish Department of Defense, Swedish FireSteel is a flash of genius. Its 3,000°C spark makes fire building easy in any weather, at any altitude. Used by a number of armies around the world, Swedish FireSteel's dependability has already made it a favorite of survival experts, hunters, fishermen and campers. It has also found its way into cabins and backyards as a fool-proof way to light stoves and gas-barbecues.

If your plane goes down in the middle of a forest or a desert island, you'll be glad you have one of these babies :) I tried it on dry leaves, wet leaves, fatwood, it lit everything. Way to go, Light My Fire!

The first time I used this product it worked as advertised.
The second time, while sparking, the item came apart. It sliped out of the tan handle(knob remained in my hand) I searched in the dark umg. Found it and started my fire. Could have been ugly. Will try to glue back into handle because its hard to hold onto without it.

The item shipped quickly. It took a while to get the hang of it but it works great.

$15 should buy about 1500 strike-anywhere matches. The Firesteel's 12000 strike lifetime is about equal to that, perhaps a little longer, without the bulk but also without the builtin kindling of the matchstick. It's easy enough to waterproof matchheads in candlewax. With that said, the Firesteel, striker, and a dozen cottonballs soaked in Vaseline fits in an old McCormick spice jar. 6 boxes of 250 matches each is significantly bulkier.

The firesteel comes with a protective paint coating on the stick. This needs to be scraped off before use. This is undoubtedly the reason for the complaints of difficulties. It strikes easily and consistently once the paint has been scraped off.

There's something primally satisfying about striking a fire without benefit of pre-packaged combustibles, but the Firesteel's magnesium body and chromed steel striker is anything but primitive. Nonetheless, the modernity doesn't dampen my satisfaction the slightest. I'm averaging about 3 to 5 strikes to light well prepared tinder in ideal, still air conditions. The small size and easy packability makes it a winner here.

I like how rugid and thick the firesteel is, the striker could be thicker but other than that its a great combo.