Never owned or used a fire starter before and this thing was so easy right out of the box with plenty of sparks flying. Happy with the purchase so far and glad I’ll have this tool with me for the outdoors.

the striker is a bit hard to hold. making hand cramp if you can't get a good spark. 3 of us "experienced" backcountry adults tried to get sparks. sparks aren't a given even with deliberate effort. maybe the magnesium is weak, but we all eventually got a fire, but took 35-50 strikes to get toliet paper and dried leaves to finally catch.

Just used this Ferro rod on a camping trip in the high sierras and it worked like a charm in all sorts of conditions from the easy hot + dry to the hard cold + damp. It worked in 16 degrees at 8k feet. I will say it's important to have a good starter kindling like dryer lint on hand and it's often easier to keep the kindling within inches of the strike area and then place in the "stick teepee" to get a fire going. But this was easy to use, reliable, and impressive. First time using non lighter,

This works a lot better than many flints I have used in the past, although it isn't magic, so you shouldn't discount the use of quality tinder.

Perfect for a bug out bag, everyone needs a survival bag tucked away in their vehicle. And this product should be first priority for your bag. It's easy to use. I recommend either dryer lent or cotton balls for an instant fire starter. And have a few pieces of lighter wood. "Fat wood".

I believe this an excellent survival tool. It works beautifully with great sparks. One point to be alert of is that the sparker is coated with black paint. You must scape off the paint around the entire shaft and then spark it. If you do not do this , it will appear that the tool does not work(spark), but does beautifully!

Good size and good sparks great for budget rod. The lanyard is a nice addition.Takes a bit of practice to use on of these, pretty good tinder is needed just like most rods.

I compare this to a unit I purchased from Walmart. The striking surface is much larger and generates much more sparks than my other one. It's too good not to have as a backup fire starter method.

Used it on a sailboat where the electronic spark solenoid wasn’t working and I was able to light the propane stove easily. Since you need two hands to create a spark, someone else needs to hold the propane stove knob.This tool has earned a permanent spot in my sailing go bag.I wish someone would invent a one handed version of this, like a mechanical lighter.

The rod comes with a striker to draw sparks and it works just fine in that regard.Just note that the rod is probably longer than it needs to be and is probably thicker than it needs to be which means it's heavy for what it is .If you're not that concerned about weight then it's just fine and works great and it is a good price but if you are counting grams you're probably not going to be happy with this purchase.

I use this to ignite Vasoline soaked cotton balls and it works great. Easy to hold and use and the striker is very effective.

Very high quality, definitely takes me back to my Boy Scout days. Produces a lot of spark to get you going quick, I keep it in my backpack at all times.

This lil rig fires a venerable amount of sparks with just a strike or two. Those magnesium blocks? Drill into it for 15min with a 1/4” bit and collect the shavings in an Altoids tin or similar container. Then you have a decent amount in which to crank a fire. I’ve started a fire with literally ONE strike/scrape on this ferro rod into mag shavings. I store the rod, mag shavings, and some fire-starter material in a small heavy-duty plastic snap-lock container. Creating a fire like a scientist has

I am so glad I bought this. Twice today I was successful in starting my first fires using the rod kit and dryer lint for my tinder. The realization that I can bring about fire without a lighter or flammable aid is beyond satisfying and has got me feeling quite empowered. I had no issue getting good sparks, and the size was good, although I have tiny hands. I am not sure how it would work for someone with large hands. I highly recommend this.

Easy to use, and takes up very little space. I keep it in my truck for emergencies. Works great and throws a nice spark. That's my feedback.

I love this product. I have another type that is similar to this that is the magnesium block with the flint on the side. to use that one you shave off some magnesium with a knife and then use the flint to light the shavings. This one is a little different. When you strike this one there are sparks that fly off of it immediately. The materials used in this type fire-starter is an alloy. I was able to light a "Kleenex"on fire with only a couple of swipes of the rod. I like that the lanyard keeps…

This Winter we had an unexpected, week long ice storm in Texas. I found myself in single digit temperatures, without power and water for a roughly a week. It got real. Unfortunately, I did not have matches nor a lighter. I did, however, have this ferro rod in my go bag. It may have well been a life saver. With it, I light a fire, cooked meals and heated water in my apartment fireplace. This product served me so well I am buying another for backup. Protip: torn up bits of toilet paper and/or…