matches vs. bic lighter

[Rick]

Frosty - I picked up a magnesium starter about 15 years ago and carried it for 10 years before retiring it. The only time I ever used it was when I was sitting around playing at a campsite or in my stainless steel kitchen sink. While it does dull the knife quickly, It does burn white hot and will torch any tinder, provided you have enough shavings. I just question how difficult it is to use if you are cold, wet and/or shaking - might be easier to pull a warm bic in a plastic bag out of your inner pocket.

After the latest Survivor series on TV, when they were given these magnesium starters, I dug mine out of my gear box and brought it into work to give a my coworker a kick. She was pretty impressed when we lit up a small bit of magnesium.
(She has watched every survivor and finally got me in to watching this last all-star series - I think I will get hooked on it now)

 

[Frosty]

Frosty - I picked up a magnesium starter about 15 years ago and carried it for 10 years before retiring it. The only time I ever used it was when I was sitting around playing at a campsite or in my stainless steel kitchen sink. While it does dull the knife quickly, It does burn white hot and will torch any tinder, provided you have enough shavings. I just question how difficult it is to use if you are cold, wet and/or shaking - might be easier to pull a warm bic in a plastci bag out of your inner pocket.

Good points. I carry mine mostly in winter as a backup to my lighter. Desparately needing warmth isn't the best time to try to arrange a pile of scrappings.

But winter is tough all around when things go south. And even if you are close to cashing in but do get a fire going and burning merrily...remember that Jack London story about the campfire?

Tom

 

[Rick]

Yeah..... I don;t sit undr boughs heavily laden with snow

 

[rambler]

Frustrated by not finding a reliable surface to strike matches, I broke a hacksay blade into three pieces about 3" long and glued them together. Water proof matches by dipping them in melted candle wax which also slightly increases their burn time.. Small butane lighters sold as grill lighters are a good way to hold a flame and with the longer handle can go places a cigarette lighter cannot. REI in Mass sells strike-anywhere matches.

 

[Mountainhound]

i carry matches as backup but have never used. use my bic lighter and it has never failed if your worried that it's to cold carry in shirt pocket thats what i do along with my cigarettes. i've been smoking 25+ years and i think maybe i've had 3 lighters brake on me.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

....magnesium starter ...... While it does dull the knife quickly.... I just question how difficult it is to use if you are cold, wet and/or shaking - might be easier to pull a warm bic in a plastic bag out of your inner pocket.

For me, it's a last resort.. When teh matches have problems, the lighter is broke, there is always the magnesium starter... completely waterproof. Heck, the shavings burn real hot, and can even be lit with a lighter or match.

As far as dulling the knife.. take an ld hack saw blade, and break off a 2 inch section (with the hole in it) and keep it tied with the magnesium block. It is very hard steel, sparks well, and scrapes (IMO) better than a knife.

 

[Rick]

Pete - Thanks for the tip. I have some old blades lying around and will give it a twirl - It'll breathe life into an old piece of gear.

 

[rambler]

Those same blades make good match strikers.

 

[NYBRAD]

Back in my Marine days, we used these to start fires..
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=36071&item=2223182078&rd=1&ssPageName=WD1V

We shaved off the magnesium with our Kbar fighting knives.
The snowshoes worked very well in deep snow too!

 

[peak_bgr]

I carry both on a camping trip. Believe it or not, it was the new lighter that wouldn't light. Yes it was winter, the butane must have froze.

 

[woodstrider]

Matches

I had a bad experience with the Conklin waterproof/windproof matches about 10 years ago. I used up a whole box and not one match would light up. As I sat there, staring at the pile of broken
and useless matches, comtemplating my trip without hot food or drinks, a ranger walked by and I was able to get a book of cheap matches from him. My trip went off without another hitch, and I have never used anything but lighters since. I bring two or three, as I enjoy hot food and drinks. One for my stove, one for the chest pocket of my sleeping bag and one for my small bag of "sundrys". The only downside is that in the winter the lighters will not work unless you get it warmed up some- like sticking the lighter in an inner pocket or in your glove, for a few minutes. Even if the lighter is empty of fuel, the flint spark is usually enough to ignite my stove.

 

[whcobbs]

lighters vs matches

Wood Strider--

Below 10000 ft, cheap electronic lighters (e.g. Cricket brand) work well, especially with cold numb fingers which may balk at operating the little flint striker wheel.

Walt

 

[Stan]

I carry a couple different types of matches packed with the stove and a couple other types and a plumbers candle ... along with the tequila ... with my "survival" stuff. The types of matches I refer to include book matches, waterproof matches and large windproof matches that can be lit by your fingernail as well as a five o'clock shadow. The bic lighter I only bring to concerts.