Is Using a Ferro Rod Hard? A Beginner's Guide to Ditching the Lighter

Pictured above: My 4-year-old son and I camping in our back yard in Connecticut. Don't worry, I supervised while he tended the fire with a metal fire poker. He asked politely if he was allowed :).

Most of us start campfires in our backyards during the summer and fall with the luxury of cardboard boxes, junk mail, matches, and lighters. There is no pressure to get the fire started, and we have all the tools to get it going easily. Frankly, I even have a torch hook-up for a propane tank that I use to start bonfires because it is an easy way to get those large brush piles going. Our family loves a good campfire and camping, but we have never really put any effort into getting them going using traditional methods. I have no intention of rubbing sticks together in my backyard or campsite just to have a small fire to roast marshmallows.

My wife and I like to watch the show Survivor and other survival competition shows where having a fire is essential. If you are familiar with these shows, when it comes down to any fire-starting competitions, the contestants often struggle to get a flame started with a ferro rod if there is a race to start it or the person is not familiar with how to use one. Now, they are under pressure with a lack of sleep and food, and these are television shows. But it made me wonder, is using a ferro rod difficult? Until recently, I admittedly had never used one, so I wanted to find out for myself. So, I bought one.

Is Using a Ferro Rod Hard? My First Impression and Trials

No, using a ferro rod is not hard at all, and you do not need special skills. The most important part is the tinder ball and having some small twigs and material to feed the flame once it gets going

I bought the Überleben Handcrafted Hardwood Ferro Rod because I was researching top-rated handcrafted makers, and they came to the top of my list by checking boxes like being handcrafted and having a sleek look. My first impression opening it was that it is way cooler than a lighter or matches. I took it outside and started throwing sparks to see how it worked. After scratching off the black protective layer on the 3/8-inch thick Sånft-korr ferro rod, I was impressed by the amount of sparks.

It was an overcast day here in Connecticut, and not very warm with a few recent rain showers, so my options for dry tinder were limited. However, I collected some with my son, and we made a small pile of dry grass and sticks. We gathered dry bark from a white birch tree, and I had weed-whacked some tall grass along the edge of my property that week that had dried out into a hay structure. It took me about 5 minutes, and I had a flame. I enjoy it way more than using matches, lighter, or even my torch (But I'm not getting rid of the torch, lol). 

How to Use a Ferro Rod in 6 Easy Steps

The steps to starting an easy fire are simple:

1. Master the strike: Strum the provided A3 high-carbon steel "pick" or striker from the base of the rod to the end like you are strumming a guitar in a slow, firm motion. That is my low-tech description of how to get the highest quality strike. If you feel confident in that, move to step two.
2. Gather dry tinder: Collect dry grass, hay, bark, and sticks to feed your fire.
3. Make a tinder ball: Create a small tinder nest that you can easily control a strike of sparks into.
4. Position the rod: Rest the tip of the rod directly into the ball of dry tinder you made, and strike small, controlled sparks directly into it.
5. Nurture the flame: When a flame bursts out, very slowly add small tinder to your flame. Help it grow without smothering it with too many sticks until it is hot and ready to be fed more.
6. Give it air: Give it sticks and air by blowing on it if you have to until it is ready for larger pieces of wood, just like you would if you had lit it with a match.

I have to say, there is something about starting a fire with this tool that just makes it more fun. I never need to worry about running out of matches again or wondering where our lighters are because this tool is hanging right on my key hooks. I love it. 

Equip Your Kit At Kempain Family Outfitters, we look for tools that honor the craft from real makers. I selected the Überleben Handcrafted Hardwood Ferro Rod for The Mercantile because it is handcrafted and a simple tool. It yields over 15,000 strikes and functions just as effectively in Connecticut as it does at a high altitude.

Pick one up today, and use code MUD20 at checkout to get 20% OFF any item from The Originals.