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Reviews > Cook Gear > Fire Starters > Light My Fire Firesteel Scout > Chari Daignault > Field ReportField Report: Light My Fire Swedish FireSteel ScoutJune 2, 2006 Tester Information Name: Chari Daignault Age: 43 Gender: Female Height: 5 6" (1.68 m) Weight: 135 Pounds (61 kg) Email address: chari.daignault@gmail.com City, State, Country: Orlando, Florida, U.S.A. Backpacking Background I've been an ultra light hiker for 33 years -- I take the bare minimum with me and prefer a pack under or close to five pounds. I've hiked all the Florida State Forest trails in Central Florida and climbed Mt. Fuji in Japan when I was nine. I have hiked dry & sandy, rough & rocky and wet & boggy trails and as a result, have found what does and doesn't work for me in terms of equipment and clothing. Central Florida affords a lot of sun and rains, with high temperatures and massive humidity. It's a great testing area for clothing, footwear and headgear. The product Manufacturer: Light My Fire Sweden AB Web site: http://www.light-my-fire.se/ Product: Swedish FireSteelŠ Scout Year manufactured [per package]: 2005 Verified weight: 1.8 oz (52 g) Size [FireSteel Scout]: 3 in. (76 mm) long [without lanyard]; 9 in. (229 mm) long [including lanyard], .5 in. (12.70 mm) deep, .75 in. (19.05 mm) wide. Size [Striker]: 2.5 in. (64 mm) long, .75 in. (19.05 mm) wide, and flat. Color tested: Red Colors available: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue or Oak Please see my Initial Report on the FireSteel Scout for a thorough product description and an explanation of the instructions and use. Field Information / Testing Strategy After initial trial and error [slight learning curve], I was able to get the FireSteelŠ Scout to spark easily. My first test was to see if I could light my backyard gas grill, which had a defective electronic starter. Usually, I use an extra long lighter placed in a "lighting" hole on the side of the grill to light it. This technique would not work with the FireSteelŠ Scout, as there was no way to direct the sparks into the hole accurately enough to catch. I tried lighting it from inside the grill itself instead. It still would not catch. I would have to remove the ceramic briquets and the rack holding them over the burners -- something that's not easily done. It just wasn't worth the effort. My next test was my small charcoal hibachi. This worked fine with the FireSteelŠ Scout. I used regular charcoal and charcoal starter. I found that lighting it while the charcoal starter was still wet on the surface of the charcoal worked best. Once the starter had soaked in, it was much more difficult [and most times impossible] to light. This may not be the best use of the FireSteelŠ Scout, but it's good to know for those times camping, when I run out of matches or can't locate a lighter. In the "wild", I'm testing the FireSteelŠ Scout weekly on my hikes on trails in Seminole and Orange counties, in the Metro Orlando area. The average temperature this time of year is 90 degrees Fahrenheit [32.22 Celsius], and the elevation is about 12 feet [3.6 Meters] above sea level. The terrain is mostly flat, with sand, scrub brush, local trees and the occasional creek or river to cross. We have been in drought conditions since March, so I have suffered no lack of starter material. I am [and have been] very careful, as red flag warnings are and have been in effect, and the risk for accidentally starting a brush fire is very high. I've successfully used palmetto fronds, dried grass, dried leaves [oak], and dried, weedy branches. Pretty much anything that had a former life as a plant is worthy testing material. I've had the best success after scooping out a small fire pit that is slightly lower than the surrounding terrain. This protects the sparks and embers from any wind. Placement of the FireSteelŠ Scout in relation to the starter material is important, as if it is too far away, the sparks lose energy and won't ignite. Too close, and the sparks don't get the chance to get enough oxygen to heat up. I found that about one inch from the starter material offered the best conditions for getting the sparks from the FireSteelŠ Scout to ignite the starter material. Once the material is lit, it's up to the fire-tending skills of the indiviual to keep it going, though. The best material -- dried grass, definitely. The Swedish FireSteelŠ Scout, for me, turned out to be easy to handle and very simple to operate. Although it's small, my fingers didn't have any problems with feeling too thick or stubby to handle it. I keep it hanging from one of my backpack straps, within easy reach. I have not yet tried attaching it to a keychain, as the possible risk of it sparking from coming into contact with another metal object gives me pause. [As mentioned in my Initial Report, I was able to substitute the blade of my knife for the striker and successfully got the FireSteelŠ Scout to spark.] Questions I've been able to answer: Is the FireSteelŠ Scout really as easy to use as the manufacturer insists? Will work in the wind? [understanding all attempts would be made to shield the fire pit] Can my wide, stubby-fingered hands hold it well enough to use it comfortably? Will I be able to actually light my gas grill without lighting my face? What's the best way to light my gas grill with the FireSteelŠ Scout? If while out on the trail, I'm not able to locate any MayaDust or paper -- what will work best as a starter material? Will any dry material [pine needles, palm frond pieces] work? How close do I have to hold the tool to the starter material for it to catch? If I lost the striker piece, could I use the blade of my Leatherman e307x knife instead? Will I burn my fingers? [probably more of a question of coordination] Questions I'm still needing to answer: Will it work in the rain? [again, understanding all attempts would be made to shield the fire pit] Can it really be used as an emergency signal? How far away can the "signal" be seen? Is it safe to keep on a keychain -- or can it spark when struck by any metal item? How does it wear? Does the product stand up to as much as 3,000 strikes? Many thanks to Light My Fire USA and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this product. Read more reviews of Light My Fire gear Read more gear reviews by Chari Daignault Reviews > Cook Gear > Fire Starters > Light My Fire Firesteel Scout > Chari Daignault > Field Report | |||