Cycling UK Forum

Anyone use a fire steel to light a camping stove? Looking at one like this that I'd attach to the stove on a cord. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Light-My-Fir ... Sw5Xtc497~

Videos make it look a bit like you are asking to set light to yourself. You'd certainly not want any clothing below the elbow.


[youtube]cKK34Cpo8xU[/youtube]

I usually use a cigarette lighter, but take a firesteel as an alternative (never rely on only one method of ignition).
It works fine, once you've got the knack.

a) the striker generally has a sharp side that works, and a blunt side that doesn't (or at least not as well). Make sure you know which is which.
b) don't have the cord between the striker and the rod too short
c) if you aim at striking more by pulling the rod back than by pushing the striker forwards, it works better and is more controllable in terms of where the spark goes.

They could work for regular fires too. I've used cotton wool with a bit of vaseline on when trying it out.

That's an excellent fire steel in the link and the video.

andrew_s wrote:They could work for regular fires too. I've used cotton wool with a bit of vaseline on when trying it out.

Yes, that makes it much easier.

Jonathan

Excellent advice. Thank you. Andres_s, that sounds like it should be printed and included with the item. Brilliant, thanks.

I've never had a problem with lighters or matches so have never found the need to replace them. One of these days I might have an everything-damp fiasco and go and get one, but the advantages of a steel are a bit notional/theoretical for me.

I have a small petrol lighter on my keyring like this one. Unlike a zippo, it doesn't dry out if left for months on end (in my experience, a zippo can dry out overnight if left in the wrong place). I also have a spare disposable gas lighter in my little sewing/repair kit as a back-up. I did buy a fire steel once but tbh, it's a bit bulky and a bit of a faff compared to the petrol lighter. If I'm lighting my alcohol burner on my Trangia, I usually find a small twig or something, dip it in the fuel then light it with the lighter and use the twig to light the stove.

My stoves all have integrated piezo ignitions which have never failed, simples

These days I use a ferro rod/firesteel for my alcohol and gel stoves. My gas stove is a fastboil style one and has a built-in piezo igniter. But for most of touring days I carried nothing more sophisticated than a box of safety matches.

foxyrider wrote:My stoves all have integrated piezo ignitions which have never failed, simples

Wow!
I've had two stoves with piezos, one failed within 24 hours of first use, the other lasted whole days!

They're nice when they work, but I'd suggest a backup is always in order.

Pete.

Ta for the suggestions. I like the look of that little petrol lighter. I have to admit, there is an element of intrigue here coupled with my talent for losing things in the dark. The idea of something I can permanently tie to the cooker appeals to me as a backup.

If you use a cheapo gas lighter with the rotary wheel and small flint to create the spark it will still light the stove even when out of gas, in exactly the same way as a fire steel. (you do lose the hairs on your thumb though)

pjclinch wrote:

foxyrider wrote:My stoves all have integrated piezo ignitions which have never failed, simples

Wow!
I've had two stoves with piezos, one failed within 24 hours of first use, the other lasted whole days!

They're nice when they work, but I'd suggest a backup is always in order.

Pete.

Seconded. The one on my Jetboil works well but the electrode is easily misaligned causing a weak spark. It's not helped by the way the thing packs inside the pot, leaving the electrode exposed. Most problematic is that damp gives enough leakage to kill the spark. 20 minutes in the sun usually restores things, but that's not exactly comforting!
The piezo in my Camping Gaz Twister is much more reliable.

I have successfully started a fire in a pile of sodden Welsh sticks with only a steel and a pathological dose of stubbornness - one of my proudest 'MAN' moments, very sad [emoji23] For the stove I've got a novelty 'blowtorch' style lighter which helps preserve my hairy knuckles, with MOD 'will light even underwater' type matches as backup.

With the steel, I wasted a lot of time before someone kindly pointed out that the serrated edge was there to scrape the surface corrosion off the rod, the flakes of which are fantastic micro-kindling. Scrape them onto the contents of a tumble-dryer fluff drawer and you could set light to Atlantis!

As above; Vaseline, cotton wool (if you don't tumble-dry), and I seem to remember being told old innertube works well to get things started too. Although I realise that I've digressed into fires, not stoves, sorry, having a very unfocused day [emoji38]

Going to take the steel next time and try it out...

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my CLT-L09 using hovercraft full of eels.

Navel fluff?

mattsccm wrote:Navel fluff?

Ideal! [emoji23]

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my CLT-L09 using hovercraft full of eels.