I was assuming that if the blast match broke, you could use it like a regular fire steel, not so?

Have hardly ever used mine...

Can you do that?

Ultimate Survival Technologies who makes the "Blast Match" makes the "Strike Force". I prefer that one. Easy to use, throws sparks like a flame thrower, comes with it's own striker and holds it's own tinder.

Very tough and the rod is the thickest I've ever seen, should last a long time.

I just tried using the Blast Match like a regular fire steel and it worked fine, so worry not!

Is at a 3/8 x 4 inch? Goinggear does have a nice selection of them and at decent prices. Very nice set up. Who made the sheath?

Thanks for the site...

someone should make a poll on the best or easiest fire steels or starters and see who or what comes out on top

Thicker is better. That's why I like my strikeforce. The thicker it is, the more abundant/hotter sparks it will produce.

yep that's the 3/8 x 4inch one. Sheath was made by Dwayne Puckett.

I have a leather piggyback rig on order w/ Rainwalker for my M9LE and HCLE.

On that one he's throwing a loop for a 1/2" x 6 firesteel that I got from Going Gear. The thing is a beast and throws off huge sparks that stay lit for 2 or 3 seconds it seems. Although that rig is going to be so heavy it's not going to be very practical. I'm sure I'll end up carrying the CampTramp/Swamp Warded combo much more often

I gather from the posts about it, that Fatwood will not dry out and will always remain useable as a fire starter. Is this right? BTW, got my first firesteel from Countycomm (along with a aaa maratac light) and I may be 55 years old, but this firesteel stuff is fun to play with and can turn one into a Pyromaniac (don't tell the cops though, <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> we got one guy in jail for burning his house for the insurance money now)!

I'm still using the old magblock / striker combo set-up but improved the tinder I keep in my waterproof poch.
I cut 8 4"x4" squares of heavy upholstry grade burlap.
When you lightly scrape your knife along the strands of jute, the "fuzz" comes off in a small pile and the full strings just sit on top of the fuzz. I don't even need to use the magnesium shavings. One small spark and it goes up like it was made from gasoline.
The best tinder I've ever used. It works great in piston igniters too.

So where do you get this burlap? Carpet store?