Harbor Freight Magnesium Fire-starter Review

No backpacker, hiker, camper, cross-country biker or traveler should be without at least basic survival gear. And the ability to start a fire is the corner stone of that gear. With a fire you can clean water, keep warm on savagely cold nights and ward predators and flying pests away (though a fire is only a deterrent to a hungry cougar.) There is also a primal satisfaction with the ability to set wood ablaze. Pushing back the darkness, if only just a little.

Just above rubbing two sticks together is the flint and steel method for starting a fire. Adding magnesium into the equation makes it a little easier and magnesium will burn under water. So it helps in the rain (though you will still need dry tinder, or a really big pile of shavings if everything is wet) Short of a torch your not going to find a better wet-fire ignition method. Matches get soft and useless when wet and lighters are hard to use on wet tinder. But a 5,200 degree pile of shavings will do wonders for getting some embers started.

Sadly this is the first magnesium fire starter I have used. So a good comparison to other products is not possible. But in commenting on the tool itself quality seems average. The brick of magnesium has a strip of flint glued to one side, as is the style with most fire starters of this type. Compared to other flint and steel combos I have used in the past this one seemed hard to get a spark off. It might be the thin film of glue that coated the entire flint, or it might be the steel striker that was included but I didn't get a very long spark-time and it took allot of pressure to get what I did.  But in keeping with the mantra of Harbor Freight, it was adequate to get the magnesium ignited.  Nothing more or less, just adequate. Further trials to get a good spark showed the back of my pocket knife (its rounded on the back) gave not spark at all. The best spark I got was from a stubby flat-head screw driver, delivering more then adequate shower of pleasant smelling flint-bits. But still less then I have seen from other flints. But that might just be me. 

The block of metal was harder then I was anticipating. I believe that an alloy is used, not raw magnesium (a chemist might help on that) and the softness could be tailored though different alloy mixes to make shaving easier. Using a harder mix of metal may be a way these are made to cost a mere 2.99 (not on sale. 1.99 on sale I believe)  but I have no way to confirm this one way or the other. The striker/shaving tool is probably the weakest part of this trifecta. It is a black strip of thin metal, serrated ALL down one side (for maximum discomfort when gripping it tightly trying to get what meager spark you can) and rounded on one end. I don't know why it is serrated. It does not help with striking or shaving. I found myself using the flat side to actually get some little flakes. But maybe I wasn't pushing hard enough. But then I was also gripping a serrated edge. Leaving half of the striker/shaver un-serrated would have been a big plus.   Shaving off metal flakes would also be easier with a slightly thinner piece of metal that was tapered, like a knife, but with a square edge rather then a sharp one. Same goes for striking. (Sounding more and more like I should have a stubby screwdriver chained to this thing :).)

For $3 I give it my approval. But for anything more I would want to see a decent striker and perhaps a better flint. Oh, and the metal could be a hair softer ;)

Update:
If you manage to get a semi decent pile of magnesium (it doesn't really take much and bigger flakes are better if you can manage them) it will start a file quite nicely. I used a bundle of dried redwood needles and twigs, quickly placing the bunch over the small sparkling fire once it has taken light, blowing into it and placing kindling on top of that once its all good and hot. Do not use the serrated side of the striker to strike a spark, this will destroy your flint quite quickly. Its best to use the short flat end and run that down the length of the flint. Or better yet get a dedicated flint stick. They are easier, stronger and will probably last longer then the one included. But the one included is good enough if you work at it.

Here for more pictures.