Classic Size Rod

We got this fire starter for my 10-year-old son who just joined the Boy Scouts, and it’s been a fantastic tool for teaching him basic outdoor skills. It’s the perfect size for his hands, and easy enough to use with a little guidance — but still gives him that sense of independence and accomplishment. The sparks are strong and reliable once he got the hang of the motion, and it’s great practice for learning fire safety and survival basics. The materials feel sturdy, and it’s held up well after multiple camping trips and backyard practice sessions. Most importantly, it strikes a good balance between being safe for a beginner and still functional enough to actually start a fire when needed. Pros: Kid-friendly size and design Sparks reliably with practice Durable and well-made Great for teaching outdoor safety and skills Fun and confidence-building for young scouts Cons: Requires supervision at first (as expected) Highly recommend for any young Scout or beginner learning outdoor skills. It’s a great starter tool that builds confidence and responsibility!

As a big fan of Survivor and The Walking Dead, I picked this up mostly “just in case,” and I’m really glad I did. The quality of this ferro rod is excellent—it’s solid, well-sized at 4 inches long and 3/8 inch thick, and feels like it will last through countless strikes. The included striker works great, producing a huge spark every time with very little effort. I tested it on some dry tinder, and it caught quickly, which gives me confidence it would perform in a real survival or camping situation. The drilled rod and paracord lanyard make it easy to carry, and the handle provides a secure grip for consistent strikes. Overall, this is a durable, reliable fire starter that’s fun to practice with and practical to keep in a pack or emergency kit. If you’re a survival enthusiast—or just want to be prepared—it’s a simple, effective tool that really delivers.

We got this for a camping trip to Boundary Waters Canoe Area as a back-up fire starter. I am so impressed with the amount of spark this thing throws with just minimal effort! It is now my primary fire starter. If I could only take two items in a survival scenario this would be #2 next to a great water filter. Here is the rundown on why I love it: * It is an insane value given it's quality and ability to start a fire. I have payed more and gotten a lot less in other products. * This works even when your gear gets wet. Just keep some dry tender and/or companion magnesium powder. * Operation is simple and predictable. My kids can even use it. * The thing is sized so you wont lose it but small and light enough that it will not encumber you. * Packaged well, shipped promptly, great product/customer support. The only wrinkle I had with it was my own fault. The ferro rod comes with a protective coating/paint that has to be scraped off before it will spark. Took me like 4 seconds to realize this and then it was no factor. I hope this helps you make an informed decision or maybe a deformed incision... ~Mahalo 2/4/2021 FOLLOW UP I lost my ferro rod! I was going to shoot a video of this thing in action and realized I lost it on my last camping trip.. Without a doubt I will order this one again, I love it so much. Other rods out there don't even tempt me after using this one. I see a lot of reviews condemning the striker. The striker may not be the most ergonomic but please keep in mind it is an intentionally engineered product. The steel in the striker is a specific steel with a specific composition and hardness. A different striker may not produce the same shower of sparks.

There is really nothing special about this rod. The reason for buying this kit was to try it out, looking for a really good ferro rod and striker. If it worked out I was thinking of a larger rod. There are a lot of reviews on YouTube many of them telling the values of the bayite brand. The rod gives off a good amount of short term sparks. When used to fire up a paper towel it didn't lite it as it should. When used to lite Maya dust there was the same problem. It worked fine when easy tender was used such as toilet paper, cotton balls or dryer lint. I have other cheaper rods which do much better. This is a good general use rod but not the one I'd prefer in my survival kit. As for the striker it is ok. The rod is in the "hard" rod category requiring a long fast scrape to generate sparks. If it is fixed in place on the tinder or otherwise, because of it's short length I crack my nuckles with each strike. I have several longer, multi-function scrapers that I prefer to this one. The paracord lanyard makes a good "handle" extension to the rod. I have no problem using the scraper with them still attached to each other. As the purpose was to try it out, I don't regret the purchase. Investing in a Light My Fire rod would have been a better idea which I'll remember. I'll practice with this one and try improving skills. I don't plan to buy another bayite ferro rod. Update I'm going to try and add to the above which was already submitted. I feel I was unfair in one respect. That is with the striker. I still believe I have better strikers for two reasons. First, they are multi-functional. Second, and more important, they have a burr on the edge where they were stamped out. The problem is, most strikers are junk. Where this stricker shines is as a scraper It is a very good stricker and excellent scraper for magnesium blocks or small billets. Also, for fatwood scrappings. For me, the quality of the tinder is more important than the quality of the spark. After using the striker for that function I realized it solved a problem. At times, It works well to use magnesium scrappings either alone or in combination with other tinder such as fatwood. In good weather, fatwood scrappings will ignite with a few well placed sparks. Without fatwood, cotton balls or other such, magnesium is a good flash tinder/igniter. Particularly important when things are wet or humidity is high, often the case where I live. The problem comes in the time and effort needed to scrape off enough magnesium to get the job done. With this scraper it can be done in a few minutes rather than a quarter hour and more. The same benefit comes in scrapping fatwood which is a fire starting staple for me. (If I need a fire immediately with no fooling around, a lighter and petroleum coated cotton ball comes out.) Because of the quality of the striker as a scraper I have ordered a number of bayite strikers and changing this review from three to four stars. The striker alone has made the purchase of this set worth the price, and more, for me.

This worked perfectly and immediately sent off sparks.

I picked up this flint fire starter and striker combo to throw in my camping gear, and honestly, I’m really impressed. It’s simple, effective, and does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It comes with a paracord attached so the rod and striker stay together, which is super convenient—you’re not going to lose one or the other at the bottom of your pack. When it first arrives, the rod has a black protective coating, so you’ll need to scrape that off before you get any sparks going. But once that’s done, it throws off some pretty strong sparks with just a little pressure. The striker has a good edge and works well with the ferro rod. Even if you're new to fire starting, it’s not hard to get the hang of it after a few tries. This is a great item to toss in a go-bag or keep in your camping gear as a backup fire source. I like knowing that even if a lighter or matches fail, I’ve got this as a reliable alternative.

Perfect!

Solid, good, heavy sparks, hard striker. This is not one of the cheap fire starters, this is a quality item. For the price, this is the GOAT. Highly recommend.