Wilderness Survival: Starting a Fire with a Ferrocerium Rod - Multiple Methods

When camping, surviving, hunting - or just out for a leisurely hike - being able to start a fire for warmth, cooking, or boiling water may be necessary. Ferrocerium is a synthetic metal alloy that creates 3000'C hot sparks when struck or scraped with the back of the blade of a knife - or other metal object. Ferrocerium is what they use in cigarette and blow torch spark lighters - not flint and steel like many people may think.

Ferro Rods work just fine after being dropped in water.

They are especially sought after for survival, fire starting, and bug out kits for this reason. A Ferro Rod can also start many more fires than a lighter. Imagine a windy cold rain down pour - or a tipped over canoe where everything is soaked - a fire would need to be started for warmth and to dry off.

Water Test: Ferro Rod Vs. Bic Lighter - click below to watch the Video

Natural Sources of Tinder and Kindling

To easily start a fire with a Ferro Rod, tinder, kindling, and fuel needs to be first gathered. Tinder easily and quickly catches on fire and then burns quickly. As long as it hasn't rained too heavily, it's usually easy to find natural tinder.

In the picture below you can see the dried grasses and birch bark tinder. Pine tree sap, dry leaves, coal fungus, crushed pine cones, rotton wood, and wood shavings are all natural forms of tinder.

You can see the small sticks of wood in the picture above - that's kindling. The tinder is able to start the wood kindling on fire without much difficulty. Small dry sticks and finely split wood works well for fire kindling. The larger wood fuel is added when the fire is large enough. If larger wood pieces are added too early the fire may be smothered and become smokey from not enough oxygen for a clean burn.

Pocket Every Day Carry

On the right side of the picture below you can see my pocket Every Day Carry. Pocket flashlight, Ferro Rod with Bic Lighter, and folding pocket knife. Having these often used tools in my pockets keeps me from having to walk from one end of the property to the other whenever I need them. I don't use the Ferro Rod very often on the property, but it is a nice item to have in the pocket if it was ever needed. Canada gets cold. I always want to be able to start a fire - regardless of the conditions.

Ferro Rod with Magnesium Block

In the picture above you can also see the emergency Fire Tinder Kit - just below that is the Ferro Rod with grey Magnesium block. The magnesium block and ferro rod come with a metal saw blade to create a pile of magnesium powder. Magnesium powder burns very easily and hot. Magnesium is like a metal tinder that burns hot, even if wet.

Click below to watch the Ferro Rod and Magnesium Fire Ignition.

There are usually plenty of natural materials to only need the Ferro Rod in my pocket. I like to keep this backup Tinder Kit in the bottom of the backpack, just in case I am having trouble finding materials to help start a fire.

Backup Fire Tinder Kit Includes:

Ferro rod, rolled up birch bark, dryer lint, cotton ball, lamp wick, twine, charred cloth, magnifying lense, small knife, and a rubber band to keep the tin closed. The tin can also be used to make more char cloth.

Click the video below to watch the ferro rod ignition demonstration of these various forms of tinder.

Click the link below to watch a campfire started with a ferro rod, birch bark, dry grasses, and sticks.

Always be Careful when Starting Fires :)

Previous posts that may interest you:

• Survival Knives: Tools that Would be Difficult to Create in the Woods
• Mincing Garlic and Splitting Wood for Kindling with the Old Hickory Chef Knife
• Setup and Target Practice with 50# Take-Down Recurve Bow
• Useful Items that Find Their Way into my Pockets - Every Day Carry.

Have a great day!