Question 1

"they" recommend the use of a "art knife" as a striker -- what is a art knife??

Accepted Answer

Don't know what an art knife is but THE BEST thing i have found to use for a striker is a 3 inch piece of either a hack saw blade or sawzall blade, use the edge of the SMOOTH side of the blade at a slight angle (press against it hard). practice with it you'll get it,, and it will shower sparks !!!

Question 2

What do you suggest for the striker?  The back of a pocket knife?  Can a hard stone be used?  What type of "striker" does this need?

Accepted Answer

Any piece of HIGH CARBON STEEL will work just fine. Just use extreme caution if you find yourself with only a folding knife to use as a striker. The blade can close as you scrape the rod with the back of the blade and can cut you, adding to your problems. I usually use the back (spine) of my Becker bk-2. I used a wire brush on a grinder to take the finish off of the spine. It throws good sparks. A piece of an old hacksaw blade works very well too! Just anything made from high carbon steel. If you’re like most of us and don’t have a degree in metallurgy there is a simple way to find out if your metal is high carbon steel. Simply test it with a bench grinder (preferably) if it throws a ton of sparks when touched to the grinding wheel, then you have a piece of high carbon steel. Try different steels. A lawnmower blade, old gardening tools, etc. the more surface area you have contacting the ferry rod the more sparks you will have. Ideally a couple of pieces of old hacksaw blade welded, epoxied, or riveted together with a contour matching the rod will amaze you with the amount of sparks produced. Make a few extra. Strikers have a knack for disappearing when you need one. Just set the flat end of the ferro rod down on the metal and trace a half circle onto the metal. Then you can use a dremel, drill press, metal punch, or whatever you have on hand to cut out the half circle matching the ferro rod. Then unleash the sparks!

Question 3

Is this ferrocerium all throughout the bar? I’ve seen some where the core is just steel and only a thin outer layer will make a spark

Accepted Answer

I am seeing this as well, that it seems to be a steel rod with only a thin outer coating of ferrocerium. It is not only that the sparking stops after a few dozen strikes in the same area, it also becomes wavy and hard enough to mar the ridge of my knife causing metal burs.

I do not trust this product anymore after this experience recently backpacking, which is a real shame because I have several sets.

Question 4

What does Each rod weigh?

Accepted Answer

The weight of one 1/2" x 5" ferro rod is approx 115g.

ASIN	B00S6F4MO6
Best Sellers Rank	#77,590 in Sporting Goods ( See Top 100 in Sporting Goods ) #193 in Camping Fire Starters
Item model number	1A207
Manufacturer	bayite
Package Dimensions	16 x 3.61 x 2.21 cm; 230 g

Heavy Duty Rod

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