DNA Leisure Fire Lighter
- By Graham Allen
- Last updated: 19/12/2016
Getting a fire going whilst out in the wilds can be very difficult, especially if you’re trying to use ‘traditional’ methods such as using any form of friction firelighting technique. One of the easiest methods (apart from a box of matches or cigarette lighter of course!) is to use a ‘fire steel’ or Ferro rod.
Ferrocerium is a man-made alloy and the first fire-lighting kits using it were made for the Swedish military but they’re pretty much everywhere theses day. The item on test here is typical of the breed, as it has the rod with a plastic handle on one end, attached to a piece of steel strip which is used as the striker.
A few scraping motions produce a shower of red-hot sparks; they’re actually 3000 degrees Centigrade, so anything flammable in their path soon catches fire. A cotton wool ball is the perfect material to use with these tools but dry grass, fluffy seed-heads etc. can also be used. Everyone should have one of these in their kitbag, as they’re great for lighting gas and liquid fuel stoves as well.
£3.99
DNA Leisure www.dnaleisure.co.