The Friendly Swede Ferro Rods: The Ultimate Fire Starter Survival Tool For Camping & Hiking! Review

The handle on the rod makes a huge difference and is very comfortable to hold. The provided chain is long enough to scrape full length and help keep them together nicely. I may use paracord shell as a covering for the chain to prevent rattling. Unlike other rods I've used previously, this scrapes smooth and doesn't leave behind bumps or ridges. It also gives off lots of spark and in testing on tissue paper, it caught on 2nd attempt. Bought two, may buy a couple more as backups. After…

First of all let me say that this ferro rod is just amazing. Don't listen to all the bad reviews, whatever complaint they have, they must be using it wrong.This soft ferro rod is great for starting fires, it gives an insane amount of sparks with the included striker and even more amount if used with a sharp spine of a knife.It doesn't take much force to get sparks so becareful. Out of all the firestarter I have tried and I own like 18 or so this one is well balanced in terms of durability and…

The ferro rod is only 3 inches long, and about 4mm diameter. That doesn’t give much length, or surface area, to get a spark. The striker is less than 3” long. It doesn’t give much spark.You work pretty hard to get a spark. If you are *planning* on camping, or using this to routinely light a fire at home, you’ve chosen the wrong ignition system -- you should use a larger, more friendly system, requiring less effort. But for emergencies, this is compact, lightweight, and it works. Pack one in…

I had seen these used in a couple of wilderness survival TV shows and on line videos. Previously I had always just carried a disposable butane lighter as my primary fire starter. But on a recent camping trip I managed to spill some coffee on the lighter, it wasn't much of a spill but it apparently was enough. As the flint got wet and the lighter would not light. I also carry weatherproof matches, but I am finding these to be more cheaply made in recent years and not as reliable; difficult to…

This fire starter is an excellent addition to my camping gear. I know it’s not amazingly small but you should be able to find a small spot for it your gear. I do want to say that remove part of the black covering on the rod and you will have found that you can get a really nice spark. But don’t remove all the black from the rod just as much as you need to get the sparks going. I think the reason for the black coating on the rod is to protect the rod, stop any rusting or accidentally gettin a…

I have been putting together 72hr emergency car bags for my family. In the event of some emergency we will likely all be in different locations and could need a variety of items. I wanted a least two sources to ignite fuel for cooking or heat. I went with waterproof matches and these magnesium /flint starters. I received the product quickly and as described. I have never used magnesium or flint to start a fire in my life, a true newbie. I figure I better know how to use it. So after the product

I've owned and used many different ferro rods since the early 80s. I never noticed much difference between them and thought all ferro rods were about the same - until I tried these ferro rods from The Friendly Swede. All the great reviews are not just hype, these really do work A LOT better than all other rods I have used for the last 35 years. The big hot sparks travel several feet instead of just a few inches, and burn for several seconds. I find this is MUCH better for igniting natural…

I bought these for our son who is in Scouts, he loves starting the campfire now! Once the protective finish is off, it provides a good spark that usually ignites dryer lint in only a couple tries.

I've made fire a lot of different ways. This Extra Length (3 1/2 inch x 5/16 inch) rod is much easier to use. The extra 1/2 inch means a lot. Some practical advice though. These strikers are far more aggressive than others I've used. That means they'll throw more spark but wear out the rod faster. But, that's ok. When I'm cold and wet, I don't care if the rod is good for another 500 fires or another million fires. I'm only interested in the first one. So the more intense spark is what I need…

Awesome product! Especially after the experience I just had while visiting family over thanksgiving. One of the nephews is a budding survivalist and just got his first magnesium fire starter. He was quite eager to show it to me and guide him in the proper usage. "Piece of cake", I thought to myself since I had recently introduced my girlfriend to the wonders of magnesium. She shaved of a little pile, and got it going with the first shower of sparks, just as it should be and always has…

These are sturdy and comfy and I -- despite never having used any fire starter before -- was able to get a lot of sparks instantly! Didn't even have to scrape the black stuff off first. The only way I could see that a person would have trouble getting sparks is if he/she were holding the striker so that it's perpendicular to the rod, rather than being nearly parallel to it. (Like my BF was doing. But even he managed to get sparks nearly-instantly once I corrected him.) With the way the grip is…

I purchased these for our packout kits (bugouts packs in packout toolboxes), and thought I had made a good choice; however, the short version is "don't coat magnesium with paint. it ruins the whole block."The long version is: As an eagle scout (with all three palms) I was blessed to have been taught a great deal about survival and emergency skills. It also helped to grow up in rural Utah, where I have been able to put many of those skills to the test. I generally camp a couple dozen times per…

The Friendly Swede provided excellent customer service and value. The Friendly Swede's communication via e-mail to make sure the product was satisfactory and their attention to service was at a level usually only experienced by people who purchase a luxury vehicle. The 2-pack ferro rod set was surprisingly high quality and functional. The handles on the top of the ferro rods are very ergonomically designed, and they have a very classy looking crown logo. I used one of th

I got these last night and opened the package straight away (packaging was very good btw). One of my friends had come with me so I gave her one. Of course when I got home and I had to try it :) I kinda scraped the striker against the long piece to make sparks and cleaned off some of the black stuff that protects it. Turned the striker around and whooshed it down the long piece. Wow! It was very big sparks! It even made a little smoke and I could feel the heat from it! I was excited :))) I know…