Black Beards Ferro Rod Fire Starter

I bought 20 more of these ferro rods from Black Beard Firestarter to resell to my students, but I also personally use them and like them. I’ve been teaching survival skills in the field for about 16 years, and one thing I’ve learned is that not all ferro rods are created equally. Some rods advertise thousands of strikes, but they are so hard that beginners struggle to throw a good spark. That might be fine for someone with a lot of experience, but it is not ideal for students who are still learning the skill. These Black Beard ferro rods throw strong sparks without requiring a ridiculous amount of pressure, which makes them a better training tool for beginners. They may wear down faster than some harder rods, but I would rather have a student get reliable sparks and start a fire than own a ferro rod that lasts forever because they can barely use it. I also like the larger size. Tiny ultralight ferro rods look cool, but they are harder to control, especially with cold hands. A bigger ferro rod is easier to grip, easier to teach with, and much more practical in real field conditions. I bought these because they work, not because they are trendy or pretty. As a survival instructor, that is what I care about.

Cheap ferro rods from harbor freight work way better for less that 5 bucks

They work great which is why I use them when I built 4 emergency fire kits for the 4 members in the family.