FIRE RODS

[RAMBOCAT]

Does anyone know where I can purchase MISCHMETAL rods with NO IRON OR CERIUM in them?

 

[teddy12b]

I don't know if this is exactly what you're looking for, but I can say I've bought about a half dozen of them and they work. I took one through the pathfinder basic survival class and I was impressed.

Huge 1 2 x 5 Ferrocerium Rod Flint Fire Starter Lighter Magnesium Black | eBay

For $5 or less it's almost crazy to not try one out.

 

[natdscott]

So basically you want flint?

Farmers all over the state would be super happy to let you walk around their fields cleaning up the rocks...

? Way I understand things, you can either have a ferro rod or a mischmetal, but there isn't one without BOTH iron and cerium.

-Nate

 

[rhino]

Does anyone know where I can purchase MISCHMETAL rods with NO IRON OR CERIUM in them?

For what purpose? "Mischmetal" is from German and means "mixed metal." It could mean a lot of things, but in our context it usually refers to ferrocerium rods, which are a mixture of cerium, iron, and magnesium.

Iron is there for strength and hardness, but the cerium is what makes the sparks.

Are you wanting a magnesium bar? Magnesium will burn nicely, but it won't make sparks by scraping on it.

So basically you want flint?

Farmers all over the state would be super happy to let you walk around their fields cleaning up the rocks...

? Way I understand things, you can either have a ferro rod or a mischmetal, but there isn't one without BOTH iron and cerium.

-Nate

That's what I was thinking.

 

[rhino]

Oops! Double post!

 

[teddy12b]

For anyone wanting to understand the differences a little more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnrOhfry-0o

 

[RAMBOCAT]

Thank you teddy12b. Now I totally understand. Now I have to finish hunting a Pinto unicorn.

 

[indyjohn]

Now I have to finish hunting a Pinto unicorn.

Doesn't exist.

 

[Leo]

That was a rare Pinto even in 1977. Chevy made VEGA based panel "trucks" back then too. NCR issued them as service "trucks" for entry level techs. Could you imagine having to work out of something like that?

 

[rhino]

Didn't Chevy also make a Vega with a Ford/Cosworth engine?

 

[17 squirrel]

Didn't Chevy also make a Vega with a Ford/Cosworth engine?

Yepper.... 75-76 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega.

The Chevrolet Cosworth Vega is a subcompact four-passenger automobile produced by Chevrolet for the 1975 and 1976 model years. It is a limited-production version of the Chevrolet Vega, with higher performance.

Chevrolet developed the car's all-aluminum inline-four 122 cu in (1,999 cc) engine, and British company Cosworth Engineering designed the DOHC cylinder head. 5,000 engines were built.

3,508 cars were made. They were priced $900 below the 1975 Chevrolet Corvette.[1]

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Didn't Chevy also make a Vega with a Ford/Cosworth engine?

Yepper.... 75-76 Chevrolet Cosworth Vega.

The Chevrolet Cosworth Vega is a subcompact four-passenger automobile produced by Chevrolet for the 1975 and 1976 model years. It is a limited-production version of the Chevrolet Vega, with higher performance.

Chevrolet developed the car's all-aluminum inline-four 122 cu in (1,999 cc) engine, and British company Cosworth Engineering designed the DOHC cylinder head. 5,000 engines were built.

3,508 cars were made. They were priced $900 below the 1975 Chevrolet Corvette.[1]

One of their advertising campaigns was 1 Vega for the price of 2. My brother had one a few years back for a shot while. They were sorta quick from the factory but seriously detuned from what they can be. IIRC it was possible to get almost 300 hp naturally aspirated and pushing 450 with a blower without worrying about grenading the engine.

 

[rhino]

One of their advertising campaigns was 1 Vega for the price of 2. My brother had one a few years back for a shot while. They were sorta quick from the factory but seriously detuned from what they can be. IIRC it was possible to get almost 300 hp naturally aspirated and pushing 450 with a blower without worrying about grenading the engine.

That's not bad for mid 1970s technology and only 2 L of displacement.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

That's not bad for mid 1970s technology and only 2 L of displacement.

Not bad at all. But then again that engine was pretty much an F1 engine in detuned form put into a production car. It was designed iirc for road racing in Europe but according to the rules it had to be a "production vehicle". So they produced them. Again iirc after the 2nd year they were raced they were banned, they were putting the Porsche and Ferrari's at the time to shame.

 

[grunt soldier]

Back on topic the best ones imo are from going gear and exotac. They are the softer mischmetal rods. they throw the globs of burning magnesium lol. If you have a nice bundle set up and that glob gets in there it's a fire!

 

[rhino]

Back on topic the best ones imo are from going gear and exotac. They are the softer mischmetal rods. they throw the globs of burning magnesium lol. If you have a nice bundle set up and that glob gets in there it's a fire!

For long-term use, might the harder rods with lower Mg and higher Fe content be a viable choice since they last longer?

 

[teddy12b]

For long-term use, might the harder rods with lower Mg and higher Fe content be a viable choice since they last longer?

Fast forward to about 3:00 if you want to hear from a guru who's used more ferro rods in more situations than all of us combined. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SugRyExRpmg

 

[rhino]

Fast forward to about 3:00 if you want to hear from a guru who's used more ferro rods in more situations than all of us combined. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SugRyExRpmg

That's a great video. I never considered using glass or flint to scrape the rod, but clearly it works even better than steel.

 

[teddy12b]

Hard to argue with Dave Canterbury on what a good ferro rod is. I think all the ones I've got are the harder type that have more of a flash than a bunch of bouncing globs of lava. In his basic class he made a point of striking his ferro rod and showing everyone that a good rod can be struck while standing up and have the little hot blobs bouncing on the ground. I wouldn't have thought there was much difference between any of them until he explained it, and at another point an instructor told me to try his and I was impressed with the difference. I'm not an expert on ferro rods, I just try to buy the ones the experts recommend.

 

[rhino]

Hard to argue with Dave Canterbury on what a good ferro rod is. I think all the ones I've got are the harder type that have more of a flash than a bunch of bouncing globs of lava. In his basic class he made a point of striking his ferro rod and showing everyone that a good rod can be struck while standing up and have the little hot blobs bouncing on the ground. I wouldn't have thought there was much difference between any of them until he explained it, and at another point an instructor told me to try his and I was impressed with the difference. I'm not an expert on ferro rods, I just try to buy the ones the experts recommend.

The ferro rod in built-in to the bracelet obijohn made for me is one of the softer, higher Mg rods. I think it's ideal for a "survival bracelet" because it's intended to be a last ditch backup for when that's the only thing you have available.

They definitely work better for igniting tinder. That can't be refuted. My question was speculative and I suppose a better answer would be to just have more rods stockpiled if you need them long term.