The Best Fire Starter Ever Invented

The ability to start a fire is the number one survival skill you can have, without which you will likely be in serious trouble during an emergency survival or disaster situation.

But there is a problem; those butane lighters and supposedly “waterproof” matches you use in civilization may very well fail you in an emergency when you need them most.

There is a solution to this problem, one that I stake my life on for always being able to start a fire any time I need. This incredible product has never failed me, even under the most adverse outdoor conditions.

The best fire starter ever invented is the Survival Topics firesteel.

Common Fire Starters and How they Fail

Before we explore why Firesteels are the most reliable way to start fires, let’s cover several of the more common means people use:

• Matches – few people realize that matches have a shelf life, which is often listed as only several years. Old matches, especially if exposed to dampness, may not light when you need them to. Even “waterproof” matches will often not hold up under extended wet conditions. This means that you cannot safely store thousands of matches with the idea you will be able to use them to start fires in a future emergency. Should your matches become damp or a long term disaster emergency occur your matches will be unreliable.
• Lighters – butane lighters are problematic for use in starting fires; they run of fuel (which also has a shelf life) that may not be available during a survival emergency, wear out flints or even break. It has been my experience that anything with working parts is subject to failure and is never totally reliable. These problems limit their use of lighters to only a short term solution for starting fires.
• FireSteel otherwise known as Flint and Steel – closer being the perfect fire starter is flint and steel. You can dunk this firesteel in water, pull it out and still produce sparks. You can make untold thousands of fires with just a single piece of flint and steel. What’s more, this firesteel has no shelf life – twenty years from now it will still have the ability to start a fire.

What to Look for in a Survival Fire Starter

As a survival expert I have constantly been seeking the perfect fire starter that:

• Will function reliably in all conditions no matter how wet, windy, or cold.
• Has a minimum of working parts that can fail.
• Requires no fuel that can run out or become unavailable.
• Can start thousands of fires.
• While being compact enough to fit into a small survival kit.
• And be stored for many years and still start fires whenever needed.

A tall order indeed – matches and lighters DO NOT pass the test and I would never stake my life or that of my family and Survival Topics readers on their reliability.

The Best Survival Fire Starter Ever Invented

After years of searching I have found the best fire starter ever invented. Firesteels. I carry FireSteel.com firesteels wherever I go and they have never failed me even under the most adverse conditions.

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April 9, 2010

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