Guys gals kids and dogs lol the reason it’s important to learn to throw better sparks is because as you progress and become more skilled you should be more efficient with different tinder types. My kid was 3 and was making fire with cotton balls. This video is about teaching you to get better and beyond just using store bought fire starters. Shavings in damp weather, duct tape balls and a damp birds nest. Igniting Those types of things with a ferro rod in adverse weather is what we are trying to learn.

@geemail369

3 жыл бұрын

4:03 *_BEST_* tip i know - shown here but not discussed/pointed out: keep the knife steady and _PULL_ the rod! Prevents you from accidentially brushing through the lay and keeps everything stable. Safety aspect: you don't ever start _(get used to)_ flailing a sharp blade around.

@trackerjacker0013

3 жыл бұрын

Ive been teaching my best friends sons this skill set. As usual, this is infinitely useful. They bang out blazes from wet wood and keep it going. All thanks to you.

@petersymons7817

3 жыл бұрын

Sorry u have a cold. If u have allergies, the mineral manganese 3-7 mg daily.

@omecronrodneydheel349

3 жыл бұрын

As a newb to Bushcraft, I watch and absorb all your videos. My lashings are pitiful, and my knots are...not.

@davidjacobs828

2 жыл бұрын

Very impressive indeed.

To everyone in KZread land: I purchased the coalcracker 6inch ferro rod, and carry it with a piece of broken file( high carbon steel ) I have never failed to make a fire with these tools. Listen to the teacher, he knows what he's talking about. 👍

@BCVS777

2 жыл бұрын

Bic lighter works good too.😊

@clxwncrxwn

2 жыл бұрын

@@BCVS777 not in high winds/rain or extreme dampness

@Mo-LoveMeForever

2 жыл бұрын

@@BCVS777 🤦🏻‍♀️

@LifeIsASideQuest

2 жыл бұрын

@@BCVS777 yeah until the gas runs out

@BCVS777

2 жыл бұрын

Not meaning to be contentious but I find it amusing how the “bushcraft” culture has its quirks….like this fascination with ferro rods. Ferro rods are ok but on a cold, wet, windy day I will take a bic lighter or even matches over a ferro rod every time. I wonder how many “bushcrafters” have started fires in bad weather when it actually mattered if you get a fire started. I been in the outdoors mostly for work and some for play for 55 years. Back in the day I just carried matches in a sealed case but then along came the lighter. I’ll take a flame over a spark any day.

I have to say, I'm seventy years old... I've hike countless trails.. You're method of teaching the basics...AWESOME..Thx

@higherpurpose1212

11 ай бұрын

yeah, so many people gets lost in the forest these days believing the worst won't happen. Even a simple disposable lighter will help when hiking.

Gramps made sure all his grandkids knew how to use a ferro rod. Such good memories of my cousins, sisters and me camping and making a bunch of little fires along the nooksack river. Still have a very worn down magnesium/ferro starter he got me when I was 10.

Hey Dan, that other intro beat is where it's at. Don't abandon that one. Great video!

@maineiacts

3 жыл бұрын

Have ta say,,the new intro ok but prefer the other ' signature' tune! ( and I'm in my 60's! Not that that matters lol!) Imho 😉

@amcmills

3 жыл бұрын

I'd really like to see Coalcracker do an intro similar to "Tod's Workshop". Just a few seconds of bushcraft action with live audio. That and the Coalcracker logo would be great.

I always focus on keeping the striker stationary and pull the rod back. Maybe it's just me but the sparks always go right where I intend them to go.

@weezypeezy1725

3 жыл бұрын

Keeps it stable too

@jeffh4505

3 жыл бұрын

I was going to say the same thing. It keeps the sparks more consistent, keeps you from punching the ground, and doesn’t destroy your tinder bundle.

@davidvaughn7752

2 жыл бұрын

Me too!

@marcdeckard7064

Жыл бұрын

You guys go to the head of the class. For some reason, this you tuber prefers to teach an inferior technique. With the pull the rod, anchor the striker method, it should only take one to two pulls to start a fire.

Great video, brother.

@jsbadger

3 жыл бұрын

I wonder if we could all get BSS to watch this. From what I've seen, he needs the instruction

@GrayBeardedGreenBeret

3 жыл бұрын

@@jsbadger 😂

I will have to make up another dance for this new intro.

Thanks for the tips. Using a ferro rod efficiently is harder than it looks!

Proper technique tips are always appreciated.

Thank you for this! I've been trying for years and couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. I'm an old lady with weak fingers but at least you gave me a direction. I'll keep practicing ❤

@jerbear7952

8 ай бұрын

Forgive me but I love that you are an old lady trying to perfect her ferro rod skills. I'm not single but we should talk ;)

The classic intro was perfect. I can't NOT feel a sense of lack with this new one, no matter how fantastic.

Thanks for not taking yourself too seriously. That combined with the good teaching keeps me coming back.

I just got my first ever rod. Then you show up with a tutorial! Perfect. Now I know what it should be doing and how to do it. Thank you!!!!

@tobynoe6149

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, no bad habits to break. Lol

@Friedbrain11

3 жыл бұрын

@@tobynoe6149 Exactly :)

Thank you... getting up in my age at 66 now and wrist not as strong. Watching you sure helped me. I’m sparking now💕

You are one of the best instructors I have seen. Narrative, demonstration, technique, review. Great job. After watching this and practicing anyone should be able to start a fire quickly with a minimum of effort.

I had ALL the issues when I started. This is full of great tips.

I would love to be out in the woods with this snack.

The technique works beautifully. My wife asked me what was on fire in my den. 😇

Thank you for this video! I know this might sound ridiculous to most people but after watching this, i went outside and tried the ferro rod again (ive never been able to do it right before) and it worked! I was soo happy i FINALLY could use the damn thing and am glad i didnt get rid of it lol thank you for breaking it down crayola style for me 😊

This is the way our generation learns and teaches to compensate for the lack of education in the public school system. Thanks for your work man! 💪🤙😉

@samhain9394

10 ай бұрын

They aren't teaching this shit in private schools either, pointdexter.

3:19 .. the bestway out is to keep the knife static and only pull the ferr. 1. You have more pressure on the rod 2. Sparks are concentrated and direct in the tinder. Simple as that! 😎

Saw another KZreadr place the knife, edge down, in front of the tinder and then drag the ferrorod over the back for better spark control. And you can put your indexfinger on top of the rod for better stability - especially if you are using a small rod. Works great for me.

"Not a speed device, it's a pressure device" that is one heck of a quote and tip, cheers 👍

Got the sharping puck today love it 👊🏻

Best channel in the tube - watched this and went to the website to get the 6” rod (and some other stuff 🤦‍♂️) - as a fellow PA resident (Northumberland County) I love what you got going on brother - hoping to free up some time in the near future for a weekend course 👊

I make people use it when I have fires. Have a bit of materials, tools to process, this is how you do it.. make the fire! Generally a few burnt half logs so a few people can make mini fires at the same time. Great skill to have! Great vid bud!

AWESOME tips. Thank you. Nice to see Shawn plug your tarp again this week. Saving up for it myself.

I use a little 3" ferro rod. Never had a problem lighting a fire. I also keep a little $2 "key knife" locked around the rod's keychain. It's basically unusable as an actual knife, but it has a serrated blade which works great on the ferro, better than a piece of hacksaw, and I don't care how dull it might get.

Bought a small hand ax and a full tang knife today after watching so many of these videos. I'm usually a backpacker, so it is interesting to see the differences.

I tried to read through the many comments but I didn't see this. If you posted this idea I apologize in advance. Yep...leverage. Take a 2" to 4" stick around you camp site. With your bundle ready, place the stick about 3" from your pile and the rod across the stick down, touching the surface you're on and pointing toward the outside ring of your lighter... 1" of so. That keeps the rod ridged. Then you have a sturdy rod placement with a very sturdy striker target. Works for me. Just sayin'. Love this channel.

Totally awesome. Never knew this. I just thought the ferrocerium I got was not quality or something. Thank you!

Great information. I see so many people, in fact nearly everyone, doing more than one really good strike. People just seem to have a mind-set that it's going to take 5 or more "loosey-goosies" as you put it to get something lit. One thing few realize is what such repetitive strikes and the build-up of heat that goes along with it, does to the edge of their striker or knife. Then they get discourage because things become exponentially worse with each subsequent fire-start session, with the reason usually being that the edge of their striker has become dull or rounded because they've completely screwed with the heat-treatment of the metal - a look under magnification would show this. The same goes for flint and steel, it takes only one good, well thought-out strike to get an ember - something I've shown over and over, seeing so many "smash" flint-to-steel over, and over, and over . . . but that's another subject of discussion.

Speaking as someone who failed on his first step, your tips are very helpful. I'll try again (not in the dining room this time) in the woods on the weekend.

Used a lot of ferro rods and watched even more videos on technique while trying to learn something new. As an instructor in another specialty, I can recognize the invaluable technique you're showing here. Outstanding vid, the best I've seen yet for ferro rods.

I've ordered mini ferro rods and strikers. I'm going to sew them into coats and make paracord jewellery. Today I did a bugout prepping walk, and was gathering tinder.

My daughter just got us an "emergency kit" with a ferro rod in it and we found this video!! Great tips 👍 It works?! Subbed 😊

Ok, looking to up my fire starting skills from ESEE-5, wood, and lighter to the ferro rod in place of the lighter. I'm inspired to give it a go on our next camping trip.

Good teaching. I would add two things. First, the part about shavings. If you are in a situation where the tinder or wood is wet, take some times to make shavings in a small pile inside the tinder in contact with the tinder. Then, a spark from the ferro rod will ignite those shavings if you aim well. It will burn a fraction of a second longer and might be the boost you need to get a fire going. Secondly, if you brace the tip of the rod against the ground or a piece of wood in your fire pit before you make sparks, you can aim the sparks to go exactly where you want them, especially if you have a pile of shavings to ignite.

What a great tutorial!! Thanks!! Shows that the small striker that comes with most rods isn't hefty enough to get the right sparks!

You are absolutely right. Frustration is the key to failure in any endeavor.

Simple things yet very important. Any athlete, outdoorsman or musician will tell you: FUNDAMENTALS!!! learn the right way and you’ll never go wrong!

Man, I am new to the rod stuff and thanks to your video, the right way I will do since the beginning!!! That was awesome from you 👍🤙

Bro, I watched your video and then put a Paracord wrap handle on it and went outside with some dryer lint and... KA BOOM! Fire. You are such a good friend... Thanks bro!

Thank you for the new intro! Cocktail music and the woods didn’t work. 🤣

He's so energized at the end 🤣🤣🤣 Love this guy

You have a very good relationship with Mother Nature Most people have no relationship with the earth beyond buying her at walmart

Oh my goodness what perfect timing I just got my fero rods in the mail!

Thanks, Dan (Coalcracker Bushcraft). This has been very helpful. I will practice your techniques.

I like the new intro, but I did get down quite a bit with the other. Though the new one I guess is more fitting! Keep up the great work!

I love how down to earth these videos are, easy and fun way to learn and get better.

@sondrestre828

6 ай бұрын

I mean, a survival video about starting a fire in the bush is the most down to earth thing you can do, what did you expect?

@gergokerekes4550

6 ай бұрын

many of the survivalist content creators are acting like this is something highly special. many are quite high and mighty too.@@sondrestre828

I think this is the best way to teach us how to use the ferro rod. Very explanatory and very informative. Thanks again for sharing this video.

Great tips. My success starting a fire definitely improved after watching this video.

Two other awesome techniques are: instead of sticking the tip of your rod in your tinder bundle and scattering your bundle by ramming your knife into it over and over, place your knife blade down right up against your bundle and draw your rod backwards across the top of your knife. It will drop your sparks RIGHT into your bundle. Alternatively, you can hold your tinder right against your knife in a pinch grip in one hand, and again draw your rod across the back of the knife to shoot your sparks directly into the tinder. Its like a modified Flint and steel technique. If you get good at both of these, one draw fires are easily possible. Good luck out there yall! :)

Always great advice! Thanks Dan.

Great tips, Dan. Thank you. Stay safe and stay cool

Don’t forget to maintain that 90* edge. Love your videos! A freind of mine I have been teaching this stuff to says i remind him of you. Lol good on me!

Best tips & video on KZread on how use Ferro Rod right.

Thank you for sharing your wisdom. You left out the other 3P’s. Practice! Practice! Practice! I live in So. California and we have a fire ban in our mountains. I do long to go into the woods and try it out. Guess I’m stuck practicing in my backyard.

It should be said that not all rods are created equal. I got one from one company who wanted me to give a good review, but sent it back because the material was so hard that generating a good spark was literally impossible. Another rod I got was softer and even though it didn't last as long, it produced a far better quality and quantity spark.

My coalcracker ferro rod arrived today, got home from work and shaved some fat wood and started a fire! Thanks for the instructions. Going to keep practicing, and try to find some more fat wood.

I like how they use a ferro stick on Survivor. That’s some might good entertainment. 😀

I'm a complete newbie to the knife and ferro rod stuff--just bought mine last week. I watched this video multiple times before going out and trying it myself. Thanks to your excellent instructions (not just the how, but the why, and how *not* to do it), I was pleasantly surprised to start throwing halfway decent spark globs almost immediately! They're not as good as yours, but it's an exciting start! Thanks so much for all the time and effort you put into these videos, Dan. Looking forward to learning more and adding even more fun to my outdoor adventures!

I was a loosie goosie out of control with not enough pressure. I made fire with a jute bird nest. Me! I made fire 🔥 !!!!! So excited Thank you for the simplictic instructions. Best one I watched.

Very well put, thank you. I can't wait to get one of these ferro rods!

Great Tips! Thank you!

Excellent tips, Dan. Thanks so much!

Your new intro is spot on! Nice work. I'm a new subscriber and I really dig your channel/content.

Thank you for the tips. And liking the new intro 👍🏻

No flickers here 😉 plenty of pressure 🔥 These tips are smoking hot! This video is in the the Top Ten Best Yet!!

Dan, as always great video. Wish I saw this a bunch of years ago. I learned the pressure, pressure, pressure thing the hard knox way...trial and lots of error. Keep up the good work, always enjoy your vids.

Your so good at it even when you are trying bad sparks they are coming out good lol

1:07 Whoa there, Wowak!

Haven't even used one for the first time and I feel like an expert. Great teaching.

I love the new intro!

I appreciate that. Also I like to place my thumb on the side blade and do a more or a reverse "paring" motion with mine. It also helps to have a nice 1/2" ferroceriumnrod like yours 6-8 inches, to get a good purchase on the rod... Lol. But yeah, those little baby rodd free

Sound council! You must also have a sharp 90 degree spine on your striker for optimum results. Good stuff for those getting started. Thanks

Very hot tip indeed Dan!! I always have success with my F Rod But I do get into a habit of moving too fast I’m gonna try that drill working with the pressure thanks for the tips!

Not sure if you'll read this..but your videos are awesome..it would be a pleasure to meet you Thank you

Thank you. Striking the ferro rod from against the handle instead of the middle of the blade made all the difference for me.

Thank you for the great advice, brother. I'm a total rookie at Bushcraft and have been binge watching your videos over the past week. We recently bought 10 acres in upstate New York, and want to do some serious camping there next year. It's not always what you say in a video that matters, either, but sometimes just what you do without commenting on it. For instance, I have one of those puny little strikers for my Ferro rod. I hold the rod in my left hand, and the striker in my right, pushing it away from me and towards the fire. Sometimes I hit the fire lay with my hand or the striker. I know, pathetic mistake. I can get a fire lit, but it usually takes me a few tries. Now I know to hold that hand steady and pull the rod towards me instead. As you say, that's one more thing for my tool kit. It's little things like that that can make a world of difference. I think I'm also going to swap out that striker for a reproduction Viking-style knife I have that's high carbon steel. There's no bevels to speak of on the spine, so I think it will do nicely. I'll try it out at home a few times before I take my stepson camping. 😀 In the meantime, stay in the woods!

Thank you for the listen.

The best way I've found to use to strike a ferro rod is to pin my knife over the tinder and pull the ferro rod insread of pushing the knife. The pin and pull technique seems more effective because it allows you to target your sparks in one place rather than trying to shower it over the tip of the ferro rod and hope it hits the tender. It really should only take about 2 pulls to light your tender. If not, you need to be sure your knife is pinned in the right place over the tender. You also need to be sure you have a very sharp spine on your knife. The sharp spine is what creates the big sparks, not the type of metal from the knife.

@samhain9394

10 ай бұрын

It's "tinder."

I’ve been trying to start a fire with my ferro rod for two days now (maybe five attempts), and after this video, I successfully created one. Thanks!!!

Most helpful video I have seen in a while. You are clear, and use your gestures and mechanics well. Going out to check myself out now!

Excellent! I just learned & perfected my ferro rod method this winter. The detail I struggled with the most was finding the right blade in my collection that would throw sparks right. It ended up being my leatherman saw blade & only 1 cold steel trail master in 01 carbon steel with a sharp spine. 🔥👍👍🗡

What a pleasure to find your channel and your solid content! I taught survival in ME and the ferro rod was my favorite when teaching. So dependable!

As always, thank you for an informative and entertaining lesson!

Man I’m sharing this vid with SEVERAL people.

This reminds me of my viola practice - “play INTO the string, not across it” for good tone.

Okay, so I did the pressure thing, and…it worked!!😱 Yay, thanks!!

Ooo! New opening!! But aww, no closing high-five....you left us hangin', Dan.

Thanks! Ill practice.

couldn't figure out what i was doing wrong before! thanks for the great demonstration, explanation, freaking excitement!

CandC68 I'd suggest getting a handheld hockey skate blade sharpener. One for goalie skates will have a very large radius, almost flat. Hockey skates for defense have smaller diameter grinds. The idea is to dress the back of your knife, machete, saw, etc., to that radius. You could initially get it sharpened at a skate shop, first time. Then in the field you only need to touch it up. This will give a real sharp corner on the back of your blade for shaving tinder etc. And getting shavings from ferro rods for fires.

Another great, " How to" video. Thank you for keeping it simple! Keep em coming.

this is a great video/tips... this is one of those skills that seems super simple and straight forward, but if you dont practice up before a situation, you could be one regretful, cold person!

You sir, are a true badass. Thank you for this channel and the phenomenal content !

I really love this type of Fire Starting product and have played around with it quite a bit, the first one I ever used cost about $1.50 from Harbor Freight and it was literally just a little thing you see at the checkout aisle and it was a keychain version it came with a magnesium rod about the size of a pencil lead embedded into some type of metal block then it had one of those keychain like little metal ball bracelet things beaded through it and there was a little saw blade looking thing attached to that and it was covered in green paint and it had one saw blade looking side and one flat Edge and slightly resembled a Sawzall blade except it wasn't sharp it was just kind of bumpy on one side and resembled a saw blade it definitely could not be used as one anyways the magnesium rod was also black or coated in something black I should say the first thing you need to do is take whatever the striker is and scrape all of the black off of your magnesium rod and reveal the silver because that black stuff is just a protective layer so it's best to leave it on there until you actually need to use this product unless you're using one to train which is smart that way you're not trying all of this stuff out in an actual life or death situation and then the same thing with the striker which like I just said in my case was a Sawzall blade looking thing so I used that to strike the black paint off the magnesium rod which in turn partially got the paint off from the striker but not all of the way so I used the steel case the magnesium rod is embedded into and is pretty much just a handle and useless other than that and just get the paint off of the edges of your Striker so it can actually strike then you would take something like a few leaves or a piece of tree bark and you would take the file and of your Striker and go back and forth on the magnesium rod until you have about anywhere from a nickel to a quarter sized pile as far as US coins go because that's about the amount you need to where it's really going to make a flame if you're not from the United States I'd say anywhere from half a teaspoon to a full teaspoon at least until you perfect it then as far as striking to get a spark goes like this guy words it throwing a spark is actually what you're doing you're hitting that Striker but you're kind of cocking the Striking tool pressing down quite hard and giving it one quick but precise motion and you have to aim it it's not just spraying all over it shooting a chunk of burning magnesium so you have to kind of aim at the pile but once that spark does hit the Magnesium it's going to ignite so it's important to have some nice fluffy dry Tinder right there and something else that's going to catch on fire quickly as well I definitely recommend if you're carrying something around like this and you've never used it before buying separate one and use one of them until it's something easy for you to do because if you're using it as a survival tool even if you're perfectly capable of starting fires with it doing so in an actual survival situation could even be hard because you could be wet and freezing cold and your fingers could be numb you're going hypothermic and it could be raining you could be perfectly capable of using this to start a fire but there's no dry Tinder

@samhain9394

10 ай бұрын

Jesus christ.

This intro is really nice!! Great video, as always, Dan :)