What makes a good Ferro Rod? What is it and how does it work? How handy it is to have one and how long a Ferro Rod is going to last? This article has your questions of Ferro Rods covered.
What is a Ferro Rod and how was it made?
The Ferro Rod is a tool which can help you light a fire in the wilderness. Usually, your typical Ferro Rod is a metal-like cylinder, which can produce sparks when struck with iron, steel or certain rock types. You can use it to start a fire quickly, by «shaving» the Rerro Rod with a square spine of the blade.
Ferro Rods is a fire starting tool with a low ignition temperature — around 180°C. Main component of the Ferro Rod is Ferrocerium, also known as Auermetall in Europe. This is a specialized pyrophoric alloy, composed of 95% lanthanides and 5% iron — this mixture makes a good source of high-temperature sparks. Key component of Ferrocerium is Cerium, which has an ignition temperature of 180°C at room humidity with the presence of oxygen. Hot sparks, produced during scraping of the Ferrocerium can reach temperatures upwards of 3300°C — more than enough to light up a campfire.
Ferro Rods are made to start fires anywhere. These metallic rods are designed to start a campfire during almost any weather, even at high altitude. Ferrocerum can be ignited after coming in contact with water, snow or any other organical fluid. Since there’s no gas tank to worry about, it also saves lots of space during hiking and bushcrafting. Typical Ferro Rod can vary in size from 3mm to 6mm in thickness, and reach upwards of 40cm.
Who invented the Ferro Rods? Original Ferrocerum was invented in 1903 by Austrian scientist and chemistry pioneer — Carl Auer von Welsbach. During experiments with rare earth elements, namely lanthanoids, he found out that Cerium has a low ignition temperature. While trying to make use of this knowledge, he combined 70% cerium and 30% iron into a single alloy. Scratching the said alloy produced sparks, and when struck by high-carbon steel it gave off tiny shavings which oxidized rapidly, creating high-temperature fire.
Does the size of the Ferro Rod matter? On average, a single Ferro Rod can be struck from 8000 to 10000 times. Assuming you might need from 1 to 3 strikes per fire this leaves us with 4000 campfires on average, and more than 5000 to 6000 campfires if you master the striking method. This durability alone is enough to provide you with a fire starting tool that can last for 5 to 7 months of active use. If starting a fire each day isn’t a part of your schedule — a typical Ferro Rod like on Adventurer CSHF by BPS Knives can last even longer, up to a year. Also, you can buy Ferro Rod separately.
What is Ferro Rod made of? Ferrocerum is a “Mischmetal” — a chemical term to describe a mixture of rare-earth metals, namely Cerium compounds. Modern Ferrocerium differs from the original recipe, modified to increase ignition capabilities. Additionally, some Ferro Rods are hardened with Iron Oxide and Magnesium Oxide during the production. Here’s a brief list of metals and elements used in the Ferro Rods:
- 20.8% Iron;
- 41.8% Cerium;
- 4.4% of each: Praseodymium, Neodymium and Magnesium;
- 24.2% Lanthanum.
This is a reference list, as it does not include different methods used during the production. There are certain modifications to this list of materials, but most of the Ferro Rods out there stick with the relatively «same» components.
Do Ferrocerium Rods degrade over time? No, the Ferrocerum in the rod will keep its fire-starting qualities virtually forever, given you avoid exposing it to dangerous substances and excessive moisture. They can catch rust, however, if kept in moist conditions for a long time.
How to store Ferrocerium rods in the long run? Even the most durable Ferro Rods can catch rust, given the easily oxidized nature of the Ferrocerum. To prevent the rods from degrading while kept for a long term, it’s generally advised to cover them in oil or wax to insulate the surface from the oxygen and humidity in the air. Another popular method is using clear nail polish to cover the surface of the rod before storing it for the long term. Using silica gel paddings, which absorb moisture in packaging, can also prove beneficial to decrease humidity in the storage room.
What to do with a rusty Ferro Rod? Once you remove the outer rusty crust, you can re-use the Ferro Rod as a firestarter. Depending on the damage, you need to remove rust off the striking point completely. You can do this with the unsquared spine of your knife, as it will help to scratch away the outer crust swiftly.
Name “Ferrocerium” doesn’t imply that the main component is iron. In chemistry, iron-based compounds use the prefix «ferro», derived from latin for “ferrum” or Iron. Auermetall is the European name for this compound, given after the first name of its inventor.
Ferro Rods are not “flints”. They serve the same purpose — starting a fire — but chemically speaking, these are two different materials. Referring to them as “flints” is okay, but keep in mind the original nature of the compound. Other notable references include “fire steel”, “metal match” and even “magnesium rod”. This creates confusion, as the “Ferro Rod” is the correct term, while others describe a different thing. Funny fact — Zippo lighter “flints” are made of ferrocerium, so you can utilize it to start a fire even if the gas tank is empty.
Why & How does the Ferro Rod work? By scratching the surface of the Ferro Rod, you effectively produce ignition sparks which can set ablaze your kindling. Unsquared blade spine is perfect for striking fire with a Ferro Rod, since it provides additional burr to scratch more sparks.
What is the difference between Ferro Rod and Magnesium Rod? Technically, Magnesium-based rods are a piece of steel covered in magnesium compounds, suited towards being rapidly ignited. They differ from the original Ferrocerum-based rods and instead of producing just sparks, you have to shave off some Magnesium and then light it up, producing a fire. Magnesium rods, however, become unusable after coming in contact with water, while Ferrocerium-based Ferro Rods are waterproof by design.
How to use the Ferro Rod?
- Gather slowed shavings, dry leaves or weed; You are going to need them to catch a spark before starting a campfire. Wooden shavings should be as small as possible, while being dry. Dead or naturally dry wood fits this purpose best, while it’s best to avoid young trees.
- Protect your kindling from a wind; Before actually starting a fire, you have to prepare a nest for the firewood. Your main goal is to make a spot, shielded from wind in order for it to catch a fire effectively;
- Place your blade vertically, with an unsquared spine to the top; Put it next to the kindling, this will help you to start a fire quicker, than by striking the steel against the rod.
- Place Ferro Rod on top of the unsquared spine, aiming at kindling. Aim with the end of the rod, and then pull it against the spine to produce sparks rapidly;
- Cover the kindling with hands to secure the flame; Slightly blow on the fire until it catches the firewood around.
How to carry a Ferro Rod? You can find different leather sheaths with Ferro Rod attached to the side for convenient use:
- SH07 Leather Sheath with Ferro Rod, Black and Brown, up to 3mm thick, stitched with strong nylon thread;
- SHFERRO Leather Sheath with Ferro Rod, natural colouring;
- B1 SSHF Camping & Bushcraft Knife comes equipped with a Ferro Rod attached to a sheath.
Pros of the Ferro Rod:
- Works immediately; In most cases, Ferro Rod ignites fire quickly, since its sparks are almost twice as hot as regular match or lighter fire. One of the best DIY firestarters for the Ferro Rod is char cloth, petroleum-covered cotton balls, waxed cotton pads, dry fibers and small wooden shavings.
- Lasts almost a lifetime. Given the maintenance, Ferro Rod can last anywhere, from 10 years in storage, to a year of moderate abuse and 5 to 7 months of active use.
- Resistant to elements. You can drown the Ferro Rod in the river and then use it to light a fire right away. There’s no flame to be affected by wind, no gas tank to expand during heat waves and no moving parts to break from sand getting in.
- Break Proof. If, for some reason, you split the Ferro Rod in half — you still can use it;
Cons of the Ferro Rod:
- Only a shower of hot sparks included; You can try to shave off some of the Ferrocerum and try to ignite them, but generally you are better off with striking.
- Magnesium content may vary and change the Ferro Rod qualities; High magnesium translates into softer, harder to ignite, rod with long-lasting sparks. Low magnesium content will contribute to low-duration sparks.
Stay Sharp.
