Side by Side Comparison of: Lifeline vs SE vs Grizzly Gear vs leegoal

This little kit lives in my tiny Camelback hike pack that I don't leave home on a hike without. I like to be the prepared one while hiking, and luckily I haven't yet had to use any of it, but upon careful inspection I can rest assured that I'll have what I need in case of emergency on a hike.It's packaging is tiny and I don't even notice it in my pack. You should never hike without at least the 10 essentials, and this is a great start. PS, don't forget water ;)

If you are looking for a kit that you can throw in your pocket and forget about this is the one the price is excellent and the added comfort of knowing that if something were to happen you would have the tools necessary for survival is priceless

The best survival gear is the kind you never have to use.It's hard to argue against spending the small amount of money on this, if for nothing else, just to have it. It's the perfect size where you can keep it on you at basically all times when camping (or even just in your car) and have it not be an annoying burden.I haven't used it, thankfully, but I feel confident enough that if I was put into a situation where I needed it I would probably not die for a few more hours than I would without it.I don't have a particularly high confidence rating in my general survival skills, but having this definitely helps a bit.

These are perfect for having the bare necessities when out in the woods. I got them for my daughters 10 & 12 so that they could learn how to start a fire, signal for help, etc. The pouch they come in is small but perfect to add to your belt or bag when going out.

Being an avid survivalist, I had very low expectations here.. However I was very pleasantly surprised with this kit.Yes the compass is cheap and the kit isn't going to save you from big disasters. But for the money I challenge you to find a better mini kit than this. It has some really nice items and is small enough to shove into any pocket or void. The compass works like it should and everything seems like it's decent quality.The shipping was very fast and the price was very cheap. I'm more than happy with this purchase and would recommend it to anyone that has survival in mind. I keep one of these in my backpack and one in the glovebox of my rig.

Got this kit for the following reasons:1) small, packed tightly in a tough plastic bag2) good, quality components3) has a tiny bit of room for extra items4) decent, affordable priceThe #3 point listed above was one of the strongest selling points for me. I added a VERY small S.O.G. knife, a lighter, a micro fishing kit, and a small firesteel to this package. A tight fit, for sure, but perfect for me in my car wrapped side-by-side with a good first aid kit. I am not disappointed at all with this little kit, and I don't think you'll be either.

I took this camping this weekend. Didn't think I'd use it but had to after I'd lost my Bic lighter. scraped some of the magnesium into a little pile, put my tinder on top, added sparks and presto! The magnesium burned a lot longer than I thought, which was great because I had to add more tinder--I'm no expert in survival so I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was. Seriously, this thing saved my bacon. Plus, I got to look like a pro in front of my boys, and had plenty to brag about when I got home!

It's a well known fact that you must proclaim, "I have made fire!" every time you make fire with this little doo-dad. It's so easy to use. I almost prefer it to matches when making a fire. It kind of gives me the caveman feel every time I strike and blow to get the kindling started up. Then sit back and relax and enjoy the roaring blaze of a fire you created with your own two hands. Just don't start a forest fire. Don't be that guy.

Bought this, along with a few other items, for my boyfriends bug out bag. This is super high quality and would definitely suffice for the potential situation where you'd be stuck in the woods without fire. We haven't used it yet, because we're saving it for emergency use only, but we've used similar products that were not as high quality as this and they worked great, so I have no worries about its effectiveness.

The flint and striker rod are fine and work as I would have hoped. It comes with this odd little green scraper which can be used to remove flint but I couldn't get it to generate a spark until the green coating had rubbed off. I usually use a knife with these (back of the knife for spark) so the scraper is of little use. However, it may be helpful to some. Just be aware the coating will have to be rubbed away before you can get a spark.

Reliable product to have in your "Get Away Bag".....I finally got to 'test' it this past weekend. Had a very windy day and first lit a waxed cotton tinder stick. 2 scrapes and the sparks ignited the cotton with no problem. I then made a small wind break and spent a few minutes shaving off a pile of magnesium 'dust'... Had some very dry grass and very small kindling close by... So easy to make the sparks fly with the scraper and when the spark hit the 'dust' pile it was like lighting a firecracker fuse...Immediately added the dried grass and very small kindling and small fire started in no time. I was\am impressed with how well and easy this worked. I just ordered another to keep in car

Hmmm, these have been around for YEARS for a reason. If you don't have one, buy one. I keep one in every camping gear setup, Bug Out Bag, etc for a reason. Magnesium burns. It burns HOT. They take up very little space and are PRICELESS if you find yourself in need of fire for warmth and/or cooking in an emergency. They are issued in different configurations, around the globe to military and survivalist school folks. Back to the burn. Magnesium commences burning at 883 degrees and can burn as hot as 5600 degrees Fahrenheit! For that reason, you can light combustibles (like wood chips, shavings, tinder) WET or DRY pretty quickly. I've used it in winds, rain, snow, as well as "normal" weather. It doesn't fail. If you have good technique and discipline to do with this mag stick, you'll have fire shortly.

Just as it says but the bag is a little crammed.

I got this kit to go hiking with my friends. I got it due to the price and compared it with other kits. I liked this item better the the S.O.L scout that was TWICE the price and did not come with that much high-quality items as the Life Line kit did. The Compass is one of the best I have seen in a survival kit, even better it is ACCURATE!!!! Something that you don't get in other kits, and that it is not a button compass. The only things that I would add to the kit is a way to cook, and water purification tablets.

I was pleasantly surprised when I got this kit. The bag is much bigger than the one in the pics and the bag appears to be of better quality (see my customer pics) than the kit in the photos. This product appears to be an updated version. Note that I ordered my kit from West Coast Mall (came in two days, even with regular shipping!!). This kit now comes with a sparker, not waterproof matches.BAG: The bag is of decent quality and has a bit of room for expansion. It is much sturdier quality than a ziplock bag or one of those heavy plastic bags with the zipper. This bag rolls shut with a nylon strap and has a clip, which is awesome - it can be attached to a carabiner or clipped to a bag or belt.CONTENTS: The label contents show the same contents as the Amazon add. But, it states that it only has one (1) fishing sinker. (see pic) I was pleasantly surprised again when I found that the little fishing kit has 4 hooks and 4 sinkers. Compass points magnetic north and seems to be of durable quality. Whistle comes with additional cord. "Snare" wire is actually piano wire, but it appears to be of decent quality. This kit no longer comes with a box of waterproof matches, which is replaced with a sparker. This should make the kit more airplane-friendly.The sparker is basically a lighter sparker - not a firesteel. I doubt it would help a ton in starting a fire unless you had very dry, very fine kindling. You should definitely find a video on starting a fire with a sparker. Dryer lint seems to be the most accessible kindling. I will put some lint in the kit in a little baggie to keep water out. Or replace the sparker with a mini bic lighter, which is almost the same size.1 star off for being made in China - the fishing kit is of very cheap quality as is the duct tape. It will do in a pinch, however and can be replaced cheaply.

Overall, this kit seems pretty comprehensive and is of pretty good quality for the price. The compass is made of a durable plastic and points north consistently. It makes for a good core for an emergency preparedness kit, since it includes necessities like matches,an emergency blanket, a whistle, duct tape/rope (though not very much of it). as well as means for catching food like the fishing supplies and snare wire (though I have not tested them, so I can't speak to their quality. The aluminum foil is a thoughtful--though easily replicated--addition to the kit since you can use it for signaling as well as to help purify water via sunlight (unless the water is contaminated by chemicals, in which case it wouldn't work). Some things to take note:The case - The plastic is thick and feels durable, but I'm worried about the sides; they could probably be split open with enough force, so I'd be careful not to stuff it with too many things if you plan on adding extra items. Also, the opening isn't the best--you just roll it down and then hold it down with velcro. BE CAREFUL when opening the velcro; after opening the case few times, the plastic split along its seam so I had to use duct tape to seal the hole. I duct taped my second one behind the velcro to ensure this doesn't happen if I ever needed it.The matches - they come in a paper box that is not waterproof; the tip of each one is covered with a red wax that'll keep it light-able even after being soaked in water, but it only covers the tip. I wanted to test the waterproof matches, so I soaked two in a cup of water for about 30 seconds, dried them off with a towel, and then tried lighting them. Unfortunately, if the uncovered wood part (which is about 90% of the match stick) absorbs water, then your match won't last very long--probably not more than several seconds. But hey, if your tinder is dry that might be all you need. The plus side is that the plastic case the kit comes in will help keep the matches dry in a rain (but probably not if it got submerged). I'd keep at least 2 other means of making a fire in my emergency kit just in case.

It's not a bad product(s). It actually worked out well for us because I can teach my kids with these items and not worry about them going through it so quickly since it's inexpensive. I think it would be useful to have in your backpacks as an absolute last resort to use but maybe be a bit more reliant on some other survival items. There are some useful items here but unless you've really practiced and mastered using some of these basic tools and techniques then probably you shouldn't rely on these items for your survival.

This is a small, very light and very portable survival kit. It is definitely a good value for the price, but it's mainly just a good start on well-stocked survival kit. All of the items come out of the container very easily and it is easy to replace them all.I'll get right down to reviewing each item in this kit:Waterproof Carry Case - This is the plastic bag that the entire kit comes in. It is composed of thick clear plastic and it should be fairly durable in most situations. It will most likely keep your kit dry during the heaviest of rains but I'm not sure if it would stand up well if completely submerged in water.Waterproof Matches - These matches come in a small box with a striker pad on each side. The matches are fairly easy to light, even with the waterproof coating. The problem is that the matches aren't completely coated. Only the phosphorous tips are waterproof, so if your matches are soaked and you can get one to light, it's going to go out as soon as the phosphorous burns away. I would say that these matches should just be called water-resistant instead of waterproof, but I will just replace them with better ones.Aluminum Foil - A fairly large piece of foil which comes tightly folded in the kit. What else can I say? It's just aluminum foil and it can be very useful in some situations.Emergency Blanket - This is a silver Mylar blanket that is about 4'x 6'. If you don't know about Mylar, it is a great insulator. They use it for spacecraft and Astronaut suits to help protect them from radiation and freezing cold. This is useful to have for emergency situations where staying warm is a priority.50' Fishing Line, 4 Hooks and 4 Sinkers - All of these come packaged together in a small bag. The back of the box says that there is 50 feet of fishing line, but I'm not going to unravel it to make sure. The sinkers are very basic, and they don't have lips on the backs of them so they will be difficult to remove from a line once they are attached. The hooks seem good but they are small, so you will be lucky to catch a big fish with them.8' Snare Wire - This is just basic steel wire which can be useful in very many situations. It can also be used to catch small game if you need to. As with the fishing line the box says 8 feet, but it would be a pain to unravel it just to find out exactly how much there is.Map Compass - A simple compass for use with maps. It seems to work, but I've had several compasses that were better than this one.Emergency Whistle - A plastic whistle that comes with a nylon braided cord so you can wear it around your neck. I haven't really tested it yet, but it's a just a plastic whistle so I bet it works fine.10' Emergency Cord - Braided white nylon cord that can be useful in many situations, any type of cord like this is a must in any survival kit.36" Duct Tape - First off, this isn't Duck brand Duct Tape. This is off-brand tape and is certainly somewhat lacking in quality, but it is still Duct Tape and it is still extremely useful for very many reasons. Duct Tape is great to have in any survival kit.Survival Guide - Not much of a guide, really. It is a single piece of paper with printed instructions on both sides, but it does offer some sound advice for survival situations. It would be good to have if you have nothing else.Reusable Zipper-Lock Bag - This is just a plastic bag. A fairly large one, sure, but still just a standard plastic bag.Surgical Blade - A single stainless steel blade which comes sterilized in an aluminum foul package. Recommended for one-time use only, but you should clean it and keep it with you if you have used it already.Wound Closure Strips - Sterilized strips for closing certain wounds. Latex free and useful for deep cuts.Safety Pins - Three Safety Pins. Useful and good to have when you need them, but most people have some anyway.Also, there is a small piece of paper in the kit with safety information on it. Not useful for anything except possibly starting fires so at least you'll have something to burn in a pinch.

I can't believe I can start a fire...I feel so...EMPOWERED! It actually worked. I wanted to put this in my 'go bag', but didn't feel comfortable unless I actually knew I could make it work. Ta-da! I used a cotton ball smothered in vaseline, which sounded like a good, cheap, easy fire starter -- it is. I threw a few of those and this in the kit and I'm confident that I can get a fire started anytime the need arises.

I thought this might appeal to my husbands hero complex - he dreams of saving me from bad guys with big swords and guns. What do you get for Christmas for the travelling hero who has everything including a full sized machete clipped to his belt?A fire starter!He loved it and wore it around his neck for a while. It now lives permanently in his backpack in case we ever happen to find ourselves turfed off a long haul bus and into the wilderness. Or perhaps if there is a zombie apocalypse and we feel like a quick BBQ.It was cheap and with our half hearted testing we think it will work to light a fire with a little effort, luckily up until now we have had lighters and matches so that we don't have to use it all up.

This product does what I need, and work like it's intended. I have not idea what brand it is. Mine says DOAN but I think it's a nockoff. I'm not worried about it, and here's why...I have never been lost in the woods (not really lost, not in any danger of not finding my way out). I've never been unintentionally stuck in the woods. I've slept outside many times- alone, in small groups and in large groups. I've been cold, I've been wet, board, scared. I don't like any of those things. If I ever got lost, hurt or stuck in the woods, there are a lot of things I'd like to have, like a fully charged cellphone, GPS, SatPhone, video game, a bunch of friends, etc. But, if I got lost, the one thing I can't imagine doing without is a fire. I've been cold, wet, board and scared enough times to know that a fire buys your warmth and comfort. It buys you comfort. It let's help find you. It can help you make water safe to drink. Never mind about making inedible food edibile, if you are so inclined.If I'm soaking wet and cold, and I can't get inside fast on my own, I want fire. If I'm really soaked, my Zippo won't light, maybe my matches won't light, maybe I don't have or can't find dry tinder fast enought (go out in some wet snow and forage for tinder you can light with a spark, it's tough and I'm not good enough at it).If I'm out in the woods, the one thing I always carry is a medium-size knife (KaBar Becker BK2)with some cord wrapped around the sheath, a firesteel, a waterproof bundle of tinder and now this firestarter on their own pieces of cord, looped securely around the sheath. I want to make sure I can start a fire. My swedish firesteel with strike a spark when wet, my tinder will probably stay dry (I've checked), but magnisium will catch from a spark and burn even if it's soaked. With that, I can get fire from kindling and wood.I got this firesteel, it was painted, and the markings were painted on, and not stamped. I don't know who made it, but all I worried about was whether it was Magnisium. I have a redundent firesteel already, that I can use either when I need to, or for fun when I can to strike a spark. This thing has a ferro rod that also strikes sparks, and seems to be adequately secured, so think it's OK. I don't know if the body is magnisum, but I do know it is some kind of metal that catches a spark and burns hot and long enough to light kindling or wood with a little prep. I'm good.If you don't know how it works, you scrape off pile of magnisium with a knife or sharp edge, (maybe a hacksaw blade but I'd get bored) Everyone says a pile as big around as a quarter. Pile the shavings on your kindling or any tinder you have and scrape, solid forceful scrape, in one direction on the ferro rod to get a spark. Aim the spark at the shavings and repeat.I recommend you try it to make sure the metal really burns and to make sure you know how to use it.

I know that no one will like this review but I feel like I have to say it. The instructions for this are scrape off a small pile of magnesium with the serrated edge of the striker and then use the smooth side to spark the pile on the flint bar on top into a fire. Sounds good until you realize that you just consumed a good chunk of your magnesium in that one usage. Should you need to use this for more than a few days you'll be screwed. If you give someone an inch of magnesium and 1/8th inch of flint and tell them to scrape off a chunk of the Mg to start a fire you are just telling them to use the thing up that much faster! This will only last a few dozen uses. But I guess china needs more of our money so they give us cheap junk that breaks or runs out fast (mine literally just has the word magnesium and china stamped into it). Dont believe me? Search youtube for "How to use magnesium emergency fire starter in a survival situation" you'll see how much the guy on there uses to get a fire going. Me personally I can get a fire going just using flint and steel so I dont need the magnesium but its nice to have it. But if you follow the instructions to the letter you'll run out of this in a month of daily use... not good if youre in a SHTF scenario and cant replace it.edit: I suppose I could just get a big piece of flint and use my ka-bar to strike it and all of that but like I said its nice to have the magnesium just in case.

The magnesium is great, but the flint rod in it is pretty lame. Since it's so easy, I simply put a small flint rod (with an actual striker) on the chain that attaches the magnesium bar to the scraper and my problems are solved, also the increased length of my other flint rod's wrist lanyard provides for more ease in getting a lot of sparks going on anyways.It's so small, I carry this product (magnesium bar and scraper), with my separate (and better) flint (and a scraper for the flint), in my pant's pocket with some other stuff every day.For those that do not know how to use magnesium and flint to start a fire:1. use the scraper to form a small pile of magnesium shavings a. the common rule of thumb is to make it about the size of a quarter b. it WILL take a while to form that much shavings2. strike flint to make sparks into the pile a. it will only last for about a second or so b. have your kindling ready to put in the flames before you strike the flintfor more information on how to start a fire with magnesium and flint (or even just flint (aka firesteel)) look it up on youtubeMAKE SURE TO PRACTICE USING THIS METHOD OF MAKING FIRE BEFORE YOU DEPEND ON IT!It's a bit harder than it sounds, but after you get it down, it's a very excellent method.

UPDATED(3-28-2011) - SEE UPDATE SECTION AT END:I tried this magnesium fire starting tool - SE(Emergency Fire Starter - SE - Emergency Fire Starter) out as well as the alternative from (from Doan Machinery & Equipment - "Genuine Issue Magnesium Survival Fire Starter" Genuine Issue Magnesium Survival Fire Starter).Both tools work perfectly fine as described and were able to light up fine fibers(cotton, moss, dried grass) and paper without a problem. The Doan tool has more precise instructions and clearly states on the packaging to scrape the magnesium portion of the bar with a knife blade PERPENDICULAR to the edge of the tool. I found this to method made for the most shavings and larger shavings at that. The packaging clearly states that you want a QUARTER(U.S. Coin) sized amount (just shy of 1 inch or 2.4cm diameter) Then holding the bar at 45 degree angle to the pile of shavings drag the knife along the flint to create sparks. The directions remind you to hold the blade perpendicular to the bar while "striking" the flint. I would advise not to strike the flint as they are brittle. However, a nice quick full length drag of the blade down the flint creates a shower of sparks for easy ignition of the magnesium shavings.Both brands work fine. They are nearly identical in shape(the SE is a few mm longer). Each brand has a different finish/coating on the bar itself is about the only difference I can tell. The performance seemed to be identical or at least close enough to not notice anything to complain about. The big difference is the price. The SE(made in China) is about half the price of the Doan(Made in USA - Patented). It appears to me that they are both the same design with slightly different execution of it, and one is just made overseas so that is why it's cheaper(unless there is less active "ingredients"(magnesium).One other note: The SE(Chinese one) also comes with a saw blade striker that does work but you need to wear through a protective layer of lacquer for it to work and it's just small enough to annoy my large hands. I just stick with a cheap staineless steel pocket knife for this. I always carry about 3-4 blades when I'm out hiking(cheap folder that I don't care if it gets ruined, sometimes a higher quality folder, always a fixed blade that is larger with full tang, and usually a multi tool(leatherman).You can't go wrong with either tool. I'd prefer to buy American(Doan - the "other" one) in the long run though, especially for something I might end up having my life depend on.EDIT: One last note on product life- depending on how much magnesium you need to get your fire going each time, I think the flint will run out long before you ever use up all the magnesium.UPDATED: 03-28-2011There have been a ton of reviews mentioning that the DOAN tool being purchased is no longer made in USA or shipped as a knock off. Be careful which seller you buy from. I will be posting pictures later today that show the SE Tool side by side with the Doan tool. I no longer have the packaging to show what they look like however.The seller I purchased the DOAN GENUINE ISSUE from was known as "CLASSICAL FITNESS & HEALTH" / "Waterglider LLC". They no longer have it stocked apparently.A GENUINE DOAN FIRE STARTER SHOULD HAVE THIS INFORMATION STAMPED ON ONE SIDE WITH AN ADDRESS ON THE OTHER. THE FIRST LINE IS THE NSN(Nato Stock Number):"4240-01-160-5618FSCM 62561MFR/PN 8702FIRE STARTING TOOLMAGNESIUMU.S. PATENT NO. 4,188,192"Reverse Side:"SPARKING INSERTMFD. BY DOAN MACH. & EQUIP. CO. INC.P.O. BOX 21334SO. EUCHLID, O. 44121SHAVING EDGE"

I bought this to go in my day hike pack as a light weight kit. I had a bunch of the other items you'd normally need and thought this looked like a good addition to replace my aging bandaids etc.My biggest complaint is that the compass is terrible. The compass looks nice in the picture but it's not well built, the needle in the water is terribly balanced and the needle falls off it's pin easily. If you aren't used to terrible compasses this is going to cause you trouble. I'd suggest trying to use it a little, see if it works for you and if not maybe buy a better one.Pros:It's a very small lightweight kit.Contains some basics of general emergency gear.Relatively CheapReally nice sparker for starting fires (it's tiny but provides a very good spark)Cons:Crappy compassDoes NOT contain some things that are also a good idea to have, for example:Mirror for signalingHand crank flash lightBandages (there are butterfly bandages "wound closure strips" but no actual bandages)And of course water and food and extra clothing but nobody expects a kit to have those.

Kinda what I expected. Disappointed that there was what appears to be a cut in the carrying case, rendering it basically useless.

Decent product bit overpriced small dry bag is a nice touch though. Would rate higher with slightly higher quality contents

Ok, you get a cheap kit...pick and choose what you really need, throw away the stuff you don't

I always bring this with me on my hikes. The only problem I have found with this is that the compass is pretty iffy. About 4" wide by 3" tall and very light-weight. Out here in Colorado the weather can change on a dime so I always feel a little better with this in my pack.

If you’re not an extreme wilderness kind of person and you’re looking for a basic kit to have on hand because you should always be prepared, then this is it. The items are basic and wouldn't hold up to constant survival use, but they would get you through in a pinch.

The magnesium bar portion works well in producing material that will easily ignite but I cant get the flint to produce a spark no matter what I do. I'll carry the device to use the magnesium but I purchased a different flint device that works.

I will start with the fact that it does work. I have started a few fires with it. What is a serious drawback is if you are using it in the wind. The shavings go everywhere and it is hard to get a big enough pile to start the tinder. If you fell in water and were cold and shaking this would be a major problem. Getting all the shavings in a pile and getting tinder and then sparking it takes time and you need your hands to be working well to operate the scraping and striking. If I had my choice I would go with a box of dry matches. Which I won't have if I fell in the water but you get the point.

I got this to bring on camping trips, but will probably just end up using a lighter.First, I watched some fire starting videos on Youtube and then followed the directions provided, scraping a nice pile of magnesium shavings onto a piece of paper. I didn't intend to start a real fire, but just see if I could light the shavings. I tried many different angles, speed, and pressures, but could coax only the smallest of sparks from the ferro rod on the side. I even tried switching hands (I'm a lefty), but still got very few, very small sparks.From what I've read now, it probably would have been better to go with a fire steel (something like the "Light My Fire" one http://www.amazon.com/Light-Fire-Original-Swedish-FireSteel/dp/B0013L2DKU/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1400708971&sr=1-1&keywords=fire+steel)--they seem to make much bigger, hotter sparks, and more easily.

Although I really enjoyed the idea of starting a fire using magnesium and flint It is actually quiet a pain. If you're outside the wind is blowing constantly so your smaller shavings blow away. You can *try* and block then wind but it's not easy. The little saw that hangs off the starter is worthless, only good for cutting yourself so you end up needing a knife to shave off the magnesium. Then you have to find a way to strike the sparks down into the pile of shavings without accidentally bumping anything and spilling the magnesium. In a true survival situation you can't afford to waste time with things like that. My emergency fire starting kit is now a sealed pack of lighters and a bottle of lighter fluid. It might not be very imaginative but no one is going to freeze to death while I struggle to get a fire started.All that said, you are burning metal! It's awesome factor is the reason I give it 3 stars instead of 2.

I bought 3 of these for gifts.This magnesium is VERY hard and comes off as tiny metal filings when I used the little hacksaw blade what was included. The tiny filings did not want to light with the included flint. I could get the filings to burn a little if I light them with my STRIKEFORCE flint.When I used a knife to shave the magnesium it came off in small shavings instead of small filings. I was able to light the shavings with the included flint.IN CONCLUSION: A knife creates SHAVINGS which are bigger and in my opinion better than the FILINGS produced by the included hacksaw blade. My StrikeForce flint was the only flint that was able to light the filings. A STRIKEFORCE flint is awesome and makes this magnesium usable especially if you use a knife to get the larger SHAVINGS. The included flint and striker was NOT impressive. The included striker does produce some sparks, but I would hate to depend on it to get a fire going in the best of conditions.I feel my rating of 3 stars is generous.

After purchasing this item for my Go Bag I saw a video on YouTube about this particular product that demonstrated an absolute failure to ignite. I knew then that I needed to give this firestarter a try.I first used the striker/scraper to scrape off shavings. This was difficult as the bar is rather hard but then again I have nothing to compare it to so I cannot say if this was different from the military issue version. I did find that a knife was able to scrape off shavings much better than the attached tool. Note: Care should be taken as there is definitely a possibility for serious injury when doing this. I scraped off a pile of shavings with no expectation that they would light. I then used the attached scraper/striker to scrape against the flint on the side of the bar. After getting through the protective coating and getting a spark I was amazed to see that the scrapings burst into flame with explosive force. The shavings ignited like rocket fuel.All I can say is that there might be a quality control problem with the Chinese manufacturer (big surprise) however the item I purchased worked as expected. If you purchase this firestarter test it immediately.One final note: Do not expect this type of firestarter to work in any wind that will blow the shavings away. Buy a torch lighter for that occasion.

Thought it would a little better put together and the products would be of better grade. Guess it could be still used in a bad situation.

This is a very basic and cheaply made survival kit. However, it is useable.

I bought kit along with several others to test them out in real world. No one who rated this kit >3 stars actually used in an outdoor environment. The flint striker device was designed similar to other brands, but worked markedly worse. It is effective at grinding the skin off your thumb though! There was no tinder included in this kit (instructions fine print say "tinder not included"). Good tinder is absolutely critical to use with the flint striker. If you don't believe me, try it for yourself (with cold hands, windy, damp weather). I found no matches in my kit, unlike other reviewers. The compass in this kit was 100% NON-functional, the pointer needle was fixed in place. The kit contained the right items for small, basic, personal kit (with exception of fire starter tinder) with room to add extra items, but the quality was too low. Question is what do you want to rely on in life/death situation? You get what you pay for.

Firestarter is very cheap and broke after striking it twice.Good thing I wasnt relying on it in a survival situation. Very unhappy with the product.

While this survival kit is better than nothing, the components are of poor quality. A fire starter is provided, but no tinder. There is no water purification capability at all, merely a ziplock bag for collection and storage. The survival blanket is one of the very thin, almost transparent ones. It does pack small, and again, is better than nothing. The fishing supplies are not too bad, 3 small hooks, some line and a sinker. The compass is very cheap. From the photo it looked like a Silva, but it is not. They call it first aid supply, but a scalpel and 4 steri-strips are not of much use. The whistle is an exact copy of the Adventure Medical Kits SOL Slim Rescue Howler, and it works fine. There is some wire, a bit of nylon cord, and a small roll of duct tape. The instructions are OK, but do not agree with the most respected and prominent teachers or resources for survival, getting priorities a bit mixed up.

Item comes as described but don't expect anything too fancy. If your looking for something to just throw in a glove box of a car or your boats tackle box then this will do. If your looking for a more complete in depth survival kit then shop around some more.

Unfortunately, I hated this little setup. I'll admit that I am not the most experienced with starting fires this way, but I would have died in the woods if I was depending on starting a fire with this! I understand the "get what you pay for" aspect with this being pretty cheap, but nonetheless I found it to be useless. Been an active camper/backpacker for much of my life, but I could not get this to light after working up a serious sweat. The kindling I was attempting to light was super dry, but the sparks this item produces are so minimal that it didn't help.

This is the cheapest fire rod out there, so I can't really complain too much. It's thin, but still sparks well. The included saw blade/edge doesn't spark as well as the Gerber fire starter edge. With a knife it should spark fine. I feel the edge you spark with is more important than the fire rod itself.The gerber fire starter sparks well, thicker rod, but too short of length. The case takes up some space, but you can include some other stuff inside it.I've settled on a 1/2" fire rod from bayite, 6" long. It's solid and sparks well. Other than losing it, I'll never need another.

I purchased this item with others I was buying from amazon. 10 in total. was super stoked at the price. and I figured I would give them away as gifts to friends and family. The product itself Is nice and not too cheaply made.I was highly upset when I realized that even tho I purchased 10 from the same seller they still charged me aside from the listed price (about $5 EACH) another $5 EACH in shipping cost!!!! FOOL MOVE ON MY PART. If I hadn't been making such a large purchase from amazon I would have seen this problem sooner. Guess I should have been more careful. And not assumed that shipping would be combined. MY fault. although I felt the way It was listed at the hime was Misleading! NOT VERY HAPPY!If your looking to buy only one! its great. but in bulk.....NOT SO MUCH.

I love fire steels, and I have at least a dozen of various sizes. I almost always use them instead of matches. However, the magnesium bar is very difficult to use. First, you need a significant pile of shavings, which takes a lot of work, then you have to be VERRRRRY careful not to bump the pile or it will fly all over the place and you have to start over.If you buy this, be sure and have a supply of alternative tinder (such as cotton balls rubbed with vasoline). They are so much easier to use than the magnesium.Just a thought, since magnesium does burn very hot and can be effective for igniting damp materials . . . there are places where you can buy bags of magnesium shavings, enough to package up quite a few single-use packs. Then all you have to do is make the spark with the fire steel. Much easier than scraping away on your magnesium bar to get a pile of shavings.

I bought this on a whim; under $5, familiar design, (similar to the Doan mag bar, which I originally thought I was buying.) I wasn't disappointed that this "SE" unit is made in China, and not by Doan, but I should have simply made sure I was buying the genuine article.I planned to leave it in my emergency trunk bag. While it works nearly as well as the USA-made Doan, my unit came covered in some kind of hard, clear glue. When they attached the ferro rod "flint," the manufacturer used far to much adhesive, totally occluding it. To make the unit workable I had to spend nearly an hour with a very sharp Mora knife to peel and chip away the glue. Now it works fine, but I should've ponied up the extra $3 for the USA-made Doan. (Firesteel.com also has a great USA-made mag & ferro bar for about $6, plus s/h.)On the plus side, with that work done, it functions just fine, and includes a scraper, unlike the Doan. Like all mag bars, it is very lightweight. But overall, it's not worth saving a couple bucks to spend an hour of labor, for me anyway, (and I'm not wealthy, lazy or incapable of DIY!)Lesson learned: make sure you just buy a Doan firestarter, and save yourself some time and hassle!

The product is exactly what is shown in the picture and as far as I can tell from what I see and smell it is magneseum, but after several strikes, really hard from various angles, I have yet to get a visible spark. Now this may be attributable to my "survivor-man" skills and my inexperience with a striker type firestarter, but this is a fact: No Sparks. I can clash together two of my metal hand tools or a hammer and nail and get a spark, but not this thing. I will look up YouTube Videos on how to use this thing because after striking it it shows real wear and so it cannot be returned as an unused product and since it's low cost it is not worth the trouble. Don't recomend unless you have very specific experience and skills doing this with this type striker fire starter.

I am giving a 1-Star review because of the Quick Spark Fire Starter in kit. This item failed on me when I needed it the most. It just stopped working after initially producing some very nice sparks. I would much have preferred just to have a basic magnesium fire starting tool that can't break. Always carry 3 different means of starting a fire!!!

This would not save my life. But it would give me a good laugh before I died.

Got the product and I read the warning on the back of the product "WARNING: Parts of this product contain a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm." Will not be using this product and will be returning it.

We received the kit, and the steel was actually a broken piece of a hacksaw blade. The larger part had a thin cylindrical shaft glued to it. The shaft was the flint. It was tough to scratch the magnesium with the broken hacksaw blade, and thee "magnesium" never burned from the sparks. Then the flint fell off a few days later,and it became totally worthless. Don't waste your money.

This this sucks. I shaved off a big pile just to mess around and test this out. I must have hit the striker 100 times and nothing was catching. I took a lighter to the shavings, and even with the lighter it would not start a fire. It is total crap and a waste of money. If you want one buy it from Bass Pro Shop or REI I know the ones they sell work like a charm

Don't waste your time on this item, I only got it to save on shipping as an Add On item. Very low quality, I'm skilled in Wilderness Survival and have used Mag Rods for many years. This is very cheap, the chain that it comes with would serve you better. I tried for 20 minutes to get a spark going and to no avail did I get more than a couple tiny ones. You'd be better off using it as a weapon to throw it at someone. Do your self a favor and buy a real one. I'd not let this thing be something I'd rely on.

Don't waste your money. Buy a Doan instead. I couldn't get the "magnesium" to light with a lighter much less sparks. The last thing you need is junk like this when you don't have a lighter or matches. I thought these were all created equal until I couldn't get this to work. After research I found that there really is a difference. There are some nice YouTube videos showing the differences. This is the one I bought after chucking this one in the garbage: http://www.amazon.com/Doan-Magnesium-Fire-Starter-Tool/dp/B0079SEGO2

I bought this starter for an emergency kit and thank God I tested it before I assumed it would work as well as magnesium starters I'd used in the past. This thing could have left me exhausted without a fire when I needed one.Not all magnesium starters are the same. This one is a cheap Chinese made alloy that is hard to scrape, which takes more time and energy, and the shavings do not catch a spark very easily, or burn very well. The flint in addition does not make much spark.Buy a genuine product with soft magnesium and a good flint/scraper: MagSlab Magnesium Fire Starter OR Gobspark Firesteel with Super Scraper, Lanyard, and Red HandleIt may save your life, or at least save you 5 minutes of struggle to do something that should take 30 seconds.

I can't say for sure but based on the picture I am pretty sure I got a knock off. The one I received did not have a logo stamped onthe side and did not work the way those who gave high marks said it would. Pretty sure I would need a chisel to knock off enoughmagnesium to start a fire. The flimsey serrated blade is not match for what someone passed off as magnesium. Good thing 12/21/12 did not meet the end if the world expectations.