How to Use a Fire Steel

Learn how to use a magnesium fire starter rod and striker to light a campfire. A practical Scout Bushcraft guide to magnesium sparks and fire lighting.

A Fire Steel is a useful modern tool for learning traditional fire-lighting skills. It combines a block or rod of magnesium with a steel striker, allowing Scouts to create very hot sparks and use finely shaved magnesium as an additional source of heat.

Magnesium burns at a very high temperature, making the shavings particularly useful when lighting difficult tinder. Learning to prepare the magnesium, to create sparks and build to a sustainable fire is a valuable bushcraft skill.

A modern fire steel, or ferrocerium rod, works by scraping a hard striker against the rod. This produces tiny, extremely hot particles of ferrocerium that ignite as they come into contact with oxygen, creating a bright shower of sparks that can be used to light suitable tinder.

For a new fire steel, you may need to remove the protective black coating from the ferrocerium rod before it will produce good sparks. Scrape the rod a few times with the striker until the shiny metal underneath is exposed. Once the coating has been removed, the fire steel should produce a stronger shower of sparks.

Steps to Use a Fire Steel

Prepare Your Tinder

Prepare a small bundle of dry, fine tinder before striking the fire steel. Wood shavings, dry grass, birch bark or suitable prepared tinder can work well.

Prepare a New Fire Steel

If your fire steel has a protective black coating, scrape the rod several times with the striker to remove the coating and expose the ferrocerium underneath.

Position the Fire Steel

Hold the fire steel close to your tinder, with the end of the rod positioned so the sparks will land directly on the prepared tinder.

Strike the Fire Steel

Use a firm, controlled stroke along the rod.

Scrape the striker away from your tinder or, depending on your preferred technique, hold the striker steady and pull the fire steel back. The important thing is to maintain firm contact and direct the sparks onto the tinder.