i bought the walmart model as well, it's made in the USA. don't think it's one of the wal mart products that skimp on the quality.

I do like the blast match, it does work good but you do have to learn it. At first we were "pushing" our tinder away with it! you really have to have your pile on a solid/weighted surface.

hopefuly it will work well for me. I know it is suppose to guarantee the angle of the steel is correct against the flint.

I got the blast match and it starts fires every time with the first or second use is all. I compared it with light my fire, fire flash, hot spark, and a magnesium fire starter but it is more efficient then them all.

Just saw this post on Wal-Mart mag. firestarters & thoght it ironic. Last week I was in there & picked up a $1 pack of pressed waxed sawdust firestarters from the Sporting Goods section & then found a $1 pack of fatwood in the section that has fireplace accessories.
Cut them each into three inch sections & made a firestarting sandwich. Laid the pressed sawdust bar down first, since it's flat on all sides, laid a layer of 100% cotton balls on top of that, & then laid a section of fatwood on top of the cotton.
Tucked in the cotton balls on all sides to make it neater & then secured each end tightly with waxed dental floss. Vacuum packed to stay dry; they weigh next to nothing.
Slice open the plastic, puff up some cotton from the middle, hit it with sparks from a ferro rod, & there you go.

In the spring a few years ago I found those packs of fatwood at Walmart on clearance for $.25 a pack. I bought like 4 display boxes full. Probably a lifetime supply for me, as it doesn’t take me much to start a fire. At the time I thought it was really stupid of them to clearance them. They should have just moved them from the fireplace section to the camping section for spring/summer. Recently I saw they also sell larger 5 lb packages of fatwood at Walmart too.

Another idea you could try instead of wrapping with waxed floss is to use rubber bands. I think they’d burn better than floss.

Another item that I've found handy to have in my fire starting kit are a small package of the birthday candles that you can't blow out. They are made as a joke but can be a life saver in cold windy conditions.

Yeah, Andy, rubber bands would sure work. I just used the floss because that's what I had on hand when the urge to tinker struck. I had never really paid any attention to fatwood til then & I was really surprised when I cut it into short sections using the saw in my Leatherman Wave.
WOW, they aren't kidding when they saw it's filled with resin. So much so, in fact, that it doesn't even produce regular sawdust like other woods when cut. Just a thick, gummy paste that clogs the saw teeth. Not a problem, but it sure demonstrates why it burns so well.
I think that the next time I make up a batch of these firestarters, I'll slide 2-3 of the big strike anywhere matches in each end before I vacuum seal them.

i just picked up one of these survival laynards from tad gear. has a hot spart magnesium fire starter in the laynard.

That's pretty cool.

For what its worth, if I had one fire tool to bring with me it would be a mag flint block. It does take some practice but will get a flame almost 100% of the time.

I like the strike force too but find it bulk for small kits. I cut down the magflint block and put a small piece in my mini kits.

Hound