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HomeSports & OutdoorsCamping & HikingCamping Stoves & AccessoriesStove AccessoriesNesco FS373 Emergency Fire Starter |
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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 60 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
52 of 54 found the following review helpful:
The instructions are incorrect, but the item does make sparks. Jan 22, 2010
By R. Lofing
When I received my fire starter, I noticed the INCORRECT instructions on the package call this a "magnesium rod" and tell you to:
1)Gently shave a small quantity of magnesium with metal striker into a small pile of leaves or grass, paper, or leaves to start a campfire.
2) Strike the magnesium rod with striker.
3) The sparks will start the fire with shaved magnesium.
THIS IS NOT A MAGNESIUM ROD. It is a ferrocerium rod. This rod(#FS373) is only designed to make sparks. Do not shave off pieces of this rod into a pile of leaves. You will waste it and it will not work as it should.
That being said, this rod (actual rod length is only 1-5/8 inches, NOT 2" as stated in ad) works exactly as it should. I would not buy this for every day use, but I have tried it, trust it, and will keep it with me for emergencies.
22 of 22 found the following review helpful:
 Good sparks for a cheap firesteel Apr 28, 2010
By John Sawyer
Not a premium firesteel, but for the price it works well. The included striker is a bonus: You don't have to mess up a good knife blade. I haven't used it much, but it makes adequate sparks with sufficient pressure. Durability is unknown, but I'll carry this as a backup firestarter.
At first use, it will take some scraping to clear the black oxidation. Once you're through the oxide layer, firm pressure and a quick wrist will generate lots of very bright sparks.
Dryer lint is an excellent firestarter, and takes a spark well. For emergency fire kit, knead some vaseline (petroleum jelly) into some cotton balls. Penny sized pieces of this gooey mess burns quite well and for a while. lay a piece of dryer lint along side, and stuck to the cotton/vaseline and hit it with a spark!
The instructions say to scrape a pile of metal off the firesteel. With dryer lint or other good tinder, this is a waste of time....
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
 Garbage Oct 18, 2011
By el_goate
It is very cheap. It broke the first time I tried it out. Snapped at the base where it connects to the grip.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Great deal on Ferro Rod - Generic saves $$ Jul 13, 2011
By W. L. Holder
This is a great deal. I use the Swedish Firesteel Army model regularly. Not only while camping, but also to light my propane and charcoal grills. I feel they are actually easier and more reliable than a lighter for lighting the grills.
While this is a small generic version of a normal firesteel, it works in the same way. The diameter is slightly smaller than the `scout' versions of the various ferro rod firesteels, but they are very close in appearance and quality. While it is not as simple to use as the larger models, it is just as good as the smaller ones on the market and costs 1/3 the price of many of them.
My intent for this was to have one I could keep comfortably on my keychain. This works perfect for that. The knob handle is a bit large, but I trimmed it down so it's now the size of a key and does not feel obtrusive on my keys in my pocket.
Yes, the instructions are incorrect as other reviewers have stated. You do NOT shave material off of this and then spark it, which is how the magnesium firestarters work, not these. It took 5-6 scrapes before this unit started making good sparks, once the finish was worn away it worked great. Since it is smaller than many other models (which is why I bought it), it is a bit harder to use, but with a bit of practice it is just as functional.
The included scraper functioned acceptably, but I found I got significantly better sparks by using the squared back of my knife. Maybe if the thick paint wore off the scaper it would work better though.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Broke the first time it was used Aug 24, 2011
By NKB
The first time we used this the rod broke off. It's not even worth the $3 we paid for it.
See all 60 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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