Mini ferro rods are great as a backup when you can use them to serve another purpose. For example, if you need a toggle for a bag or a tarp anyway, using one made out of a small ferro rod makes something multipurpose that's otherwise only good for one thing.

Good video, I appreciate that it’s not something as simple as “don’t use it” because I agree 100% that a bigger ferro rod is going to work better, but having a small one with holes drilled in it on a necklace I wear anyways makes for a nice backup. If something went wrong I’d much rather have a small ferro rod than have to rely on a friction fire or even flint and steel, though to be fair I’d rather have the large ferro rod than the little one if something went wrong too.

You can also make it BIGGER by scraping off some of the Ferro rod into a pile and make it burn longer and hotter !!!

I've a "Firefly" rod in place of the toothpick on my SAK. Works great off the spine of the saw!

Hold the end of the micro-rod between your thumb and index finger and strike it against the file of your multitool like a match. Or similarly, hold the micro-rod the same way, but pull the file up across the opposite end of the micro-rod.

Heat source and small, medium and large material. That's brilliant , simple and covers it all. That's all anyone needs to know. Good job.

Toggle rods - with two holes cut into them are easy to use. Pinch the cordage and press your finger down the back of the rod, then drag it across your striker. The striker should be right next to your tender/smalls. If you have a micro rod without holes, split a branch in half, then quarters, cut a kerf, then trim off the top of the triangle to fit your rod up to the kerf. You just made a holder. Put your tinder on your striker and then strike it.

I have experimented with these micro ferro rods for quite some time , using different strikers for better performance. The very best I've found is the sharp edge of a utility knife blade. The amount of sparks this combination throws is very impressive. A fold of duct tape along the blunt side of the blade helps a lot with grip and control of the striker. If you try this, you will be surprised !

I just wanted to say, I found your videos two days ago and this video has really struck with me and made me rethink fire building, your way of explaining fire sources has really helped my understanding for starting my fires, I think the next fire I make will take so much less time to get ready and get established, Really enjoying the videos and look forward to some longer videos in the future possibly

Dan, you’re a good teacher. Thank you, man.

Very well explained, and a mindset useful not only for ferrorods but for any kind of fire. Thank you for dor your work!

Great Video - Simple and easy to understand presentation without being condescending.

I've found that the best way to use a micro ferro is not to try pinching it with fingers but to notch a groove on a larger stick to fit the rod in place. I could have a tiny ferro rod, but I could carve a 6 inch stick with the rod groove one inch away from the stick end. That way, I have plenty of handle, as well as having ample clearance above the tinder bundle so it doesn't get messed up with each strike. Plus, I could scrape through the whole length of the rod instead of just part of the length, so even 1 inch is plenty to produce good sparks.

My son gave me a ‘survival’ fire starter. It’s a small ferro rod with a handle and a scraper that snap together and connected to each other by a lanyard. Individually they work fine but I ended up replacing the factory lanyard with a longer piece of paracord in order to be able to use them as a set. The scraper is way better than a 90 degree spine so I use that with my 6” rod. Ever since I started my first fire throwing some sparks I haven’t gone back to matches or a lighter but they are certainly a part of my fire starting kit. Char punk and char cloth are my favorites but I practice with other materials to get the ember. Jute twine and fatwood come to mind. Thanks for another tool.

Yes ~ I have a large ferro rod I use all the time. However, I also have a neck knife. For the “necklace” part, I am using some firecraft cord and I have added a mini-ferro rod to it. I can use the cordage to hold the ferro rod. It is not my main source but … it’s my back up edc for the “just in case” situation. AND … to practice … it gives me a reason to go to the woods! 😁 Thanks again, Dan! Keep up the good work.

Great,great way to break it all down! Most excellent! So much great information. Another awesome video as always brother 👍 💪

I like the medium rods, it's still portable on your key ring but you can hold it and throw sparks no problem.

Awesome and epic video as always thank you so much for making it ❤️👍

Only micro ferro rods I use are the ones that have shoelace holes. Gives you a convenient carrying option, and adds more ways to grip. The Firefly (SAK toothpick ferro rod) styled rods I don't even bother with - too small for my 6'6" giant hands to handle.

Great video. I think the small toggle ferro would have probably worked better if you scraped it closer to the handle like you did with the other one if possible. Thanks for sharing

Thanks for the breakdown - I hadn't thought of it exactly that way before, but I approach it the same way. I have a small striker strip that replaces my Swiss Army Knife toothpick, and a bit of treated fire-starting material wrapped around the corkscrew. This isn't fire system #1, but it's there if #1, 2, etc. don't work or aren't available. The knife has a saw blade which works great as a striker for my bitty strip or a full-sized ferro rod.

Thank you

i like the wazoo ceramic teardrop striker and the micro fero rod necklace i also have a large fero rod

Micro toggle types are a fun EXTRA way of having fire capabilities should you lose your bigger rod etc. plus you can. Wear them and forget ya have them . If they are in a necklace like the wazoo spark you can twist bunch the cord under the toggle and that gives you a better way to hold them utilizing the full length of the toggles. And the ceramic Stryker is like a tear drop shape so gods pinch grip and just need the tip to flick some heat. Again they are great fun and useful if it’s all ya had . But I’m glad you detailed how the preparation and way of thinking in sizes because a lot of people don’t understand it fully . Always stick the odds from finest you have available to largest material. 💯👏

Is it ideal? No. Is it better than rubbing two sticks together? You bet! Perfect for an Altoids tin survival kit.

I wear a "friendly swede" ferro rod and striker necklace thats on the Paracord with the fire starter tender strand in it and i love it. I have practiced with it a bunch because it is tricky to use but its a good little tool.

Dam good video and info !! Nicely done!!🇺🇸🇺🇸🪓🔪👍👍

I really enjoy your videos. In this one, it seemed to message the question, "should you carry a big ferro rod or small/micro rod." I don't think the question is that simple. In the cold weather survival course the gov't sent us to, it began with the instructors having students drop their ruck and load-bearing gear then asking what thw students had to survive with. That's where the micro rod comes in. We were taught that where impirtant or mission-critical equipment is concerned, "two is one and one is none." I've always taught my folks to have a full size setup in a ruck, a medium set up in a smaller pack like the haver sack I see you carry, but then have the small stuff on your person.

like you said mate they both have their place, but I do prefer the larger rod. Good discussion.

He broke this down Barney-style 😂 very good video

Smaller can be glued longitudinally to some backer. Like those old small ones on magnesium block. Piece of plastic that can be scraped for tinder or simmilar. The piece that you hold on when you use up the bigger part. Glue it to another piece of material of your choice and go on.

Smallest ferro? Zippo flint. Fits right into the Exotac NanoStriker. Carries 5 extra flints and a single tinder quick tab. The problem with tiny skinny Ferro rods is corrosion after the coating is removed (Firefly etc.) The stubby toggle type are difficult to use in my case due to Cerebral Palsy since birth. It makes you stiff, your muscles lock and you shake..depending on environmental conditions, like stress and yes, cold. The smallest Ferro I carry is a NanoStriker. After that its 1 x 6, or 3/4 by 5 or 6. My preferred method is a larger Fresnel lens. Unfortunately the wonderful ferros carried by SRO are a bit costly in my case

Well, I like the bigger rods. Some small fire stay like the one you showed are very good. They work for big and small rods. Cotton balls are cool😮😊

A few years ago I received a survival bracelet with an itty bitty Ferro rod on it. I use it to light char cloth.

That old-school Wave Original❤ have two of them, they rock!🤘🏽🔥

I love the softer light my fire Ferro rods. I can just use the tip of the rod with a sharp 90degree tool. vs. having to use the whole length of the rod on the Hard cheaper Ferro rods.

When it comes to ferro rods I prefer the small ones that are around 2 inches long and have a small handle on top as they can very easily fit in a standard altoids size tin or plastic box that that contains the rest or a fire starter kit that will fit most pockets this is mostly when I go out with minimal gear it is usually for around 8 to 12 hours Which is usually enough time to practice or hone new skills reasonable safely especially if you go out solo

5”x1/2” is my favorite size for a ferro rod. It works just as well as a 6” one, and is a little easier to fit in a pack.

I have arthriyis, and my neuromuscular system shuts down when it gets cold. I keep standard sizwd rods as backup to a lighter.Something too small to manipulate can mean acute hypothermia.

I don't carry micro, but I do keep a 2 inch rod on my keyring with a p38 can opener.

Really good video Dan loved it

Thanks friend for sharing knowledge_______🙏

Hey dude I’m new to this watching all the videos I can to get knowledge, all I own is a knife, a ferro, rod and small med kit, do you have any videos or recommendations on what my next gear purchases should be, a olive tarp???

👍👍👍 A 'good big un' will generally beat a 'good little un'. Micro Rod .. having one however would be better than nothing. A smaller, wee bit bigger than a micro rod, the Light my Fire' works pretty well. Matches are my go-to. I have been playing with them for well over 60 years and old habits die hard 😏. A good share .. thanks. Take care ..

Good video. You really nailed it at the end when you recommended the person practice. I've been making fires without matches and lighters for almost 60 years. My favorite way to "fire up" my charcoal grill is to use a a ferro rod (4" by 1/4 - I think) and the spine from the saw on one of my knives. My process is to take a cotton ball and rub "Vaseline into it really good and then fluff up that "mess". I place the cotton ball on top of a small metal lid (from a tin can). It only takes one spark from the ferro rod to light it up. I place the charcoal chimney on top of the flame and leave it alone. It's that simple - I never use liquid fire starter (whatever it's called). The reason this works: A cotton ball will burn for a max time of 0:30. With the Vaseline, it will burn for 10:00 - I did dozens of trials and timed each one - basically, I just like making fires. The reason I don't need the starter fluid is that the 10 minute flame keeps a flame in contact with the charcoal (That's why a lot of people use up a lot of fluid. Check out Felix Immler's video about an alternate technique for striking the ferro rod - it focuses the sparks exactly where he wants them to go. Lonny at Far North Bushcraft and Survival has a good one as well where he shows making a fire without having anything to do it. Anyway, good video. I appreciate all the effort you put in to helping others.

What big Ferro-rod are you using? The sparks are outstanding.

Which brand is your bigger Ferro-rod? The flames you are creating are outstanding.

i have small sparker i use it for fire charcloth

Great video! In a previous vid, you showed us we can kickstart our fire by shaving down some of the ferro rod to our tinder, that way when the sparks hit it, there would already be more material to ignight. Would you consider that a possible substitute to compensate for the small size?

I imagine fire building to be a relay race between the smallest tinder to the kindling and then to the fuel. The "distance" in the race is the amount of heat in the fire. The dryer and floofier (higher surface area) the material, the less heat is required from the previous stage and the easier the handoff between material sizes. Water and high wind will rob a fire of heat.

I've started a couple fires with these Lil bitty ones from a.paracord bracelet. And a micro ferro rod in your pocket beats the one on the shelf at home.

I use a 4" X 5/16" ferro rod and it's fine.

I have lit a fire off of the tiny rod on the bottom of an orange plastic match carrier. Only for emergencies though.

The smaller rod should be made of the harder ferro material. Much easier to strike Sparks from. Try it. Use a light my fire or uberleben for the harder rod VS something like a bayite (my fav) or EricX Lights or even a Westlake rod for the softer rod. Use just the first 1/4-3/8" of the tip. Easily get Sparks from the harder rod so it can be very short and still work. The soft rod? Good luck. To get Sparks from most of the soft rods you need at least 3/4" to get Sparks and then it isn't easy with a 1" rod. This isn't opinion. It's results of experiments and use in the woods, bush, jungle and desert, all four seasons in almost all conditions. I want at least a 3" rod.

My boss made me some outstanding char cloth, and with my ferro I've never had any problem with a fire. For backup I have a trusty Bic in a ziploc bag with vasaline soaked cotton and even if the fuel runs out, the flint works like a charm. If a "micro" ferro works, hell yeah, use it, but the key as in everything is USE it, learn how to make the most out of it before you're forced to. For MY perspective, I'm not worried about size/weight enough to sacrifice my full-size rod.

Not sure what type of stick that was around 3:29- ish? I found stuff like that & thought it'd make good kindling. Either it didn't fully light, or, if it did, the flame went nowhere except to consume the stick. I used to think dry leaves would help & sometimes yes but not often. 1 problems with that as a fuel source, 1- too much smoke depending on the type of leaves & 2- too much sparks from burning leave embers getting carried by the fire's updraft which could cause a major problem. Like a few people here, I'll carry around at least 4 to 6 bic lighters. I tried those electronic ones which suck where you really have to be up close to anything to get it to go, even the ones in some of those "tactical flashlights" are the same way.

Greetings from the ozark mountains! Arkansas side!

i have them for ultimate back up kits. i am not a huge fan of them but it is the something is better than nothing. but you have to practice a lot with them

I have no micro rods. I have a few 4-inch that I have never used. I have 6-inch rods that I have used but I no longer use fero rods to light fires. I don't think they are bushcrafty anymore. They were cool for a while but I'm over it. I use a lighter if I just want a quick fire and if I want to be bushcrafty I'll use a bow drill or something else that is REALLY bushcrafty. For a survival kit a Bic lighter and some easily ignitable material with flame extender (cotton make up pads impregnated with paraffin wax). Thought about getting some of those tiny things that you can put in the corkscrew on a Swiss Army knife, but the price stopped me. Kind of happy about that.

I like to play around with Coughlans magnesium and ferro rod combo,even Army uses them,you just need a knife with 90 degrees spine,,downside magnesium is very light weight and little wind 💨 can blow shavings away but good thing is it burns at 3100 Celsius,,for tinder I prefer good old fatwood or Birch bark…

they will work. it is all about how small you want to go compared to how easy you want. people overlook fire prep whatever they use to lite it. for an actual survival fire kit I would not pack a mini, this is life or death.

I have a micro ferro rod necklace that I can hold with my leatherman wave+ and it works pretty well. It's about and inch by 1/8 and is only used if I have NOTHING else with me. I wear EVERYWHERE.

I use a 1/2 x 5" and I have a microrod on my Eldris that I have made hundreds of fires with BUT it's not ideal for wet conditions because of the shower of sparks you get from the bigger ones

New sub, thanks for the video and your time 😎👍

Personally, i prefer the mini magnesium/fero rod combo for daily carry. It provides not only the spark but a burning source in the size of a lighter. Plus, I don't need to carry around a large 6" fero rod. Plus, it's handy to coat a small piece of paper in magnesium to catch Tinder going.

How about carving a holder for the micro ferro rod? An one inch thick branch with a cutout for the ferro rod...... another tool for the toolbox 🧰

I have a "mini" ferro rod of sorts . . . but it's attached to a bar of magnesium. ;-)

Ok. So speaking as someone with a fair bit of experience with micro-rods: Would I prefer a full sized rod? Yes, first time, every time. Do I think they are useless? No. They have their place. Particularly as a back up, or if the situation precludes carrying anything larger. However it has to be appreciated that all ferro rods, irrispective of size have the same fundermental weaknesses. Not being direct flame devices they are reliant upon being able to ignite tinder directly from a spark. Not always easy to do. That means you have to stack the odds in your favour by carrying a suitable tinder with you. Doesn't matter what you choose to use. That's a matter of availability and personal choice. I prefer cotton wool and petroleum jelly, packed into a pill fob which is attached to the micro rod. Very easy to ignite and has a worthwhile burn time.

If you only have a small ferro rod technic is everything or at least more so than with a larger one. If you carry char cloth however, anyone can light a well prepared bird's nest with any size of ferro rod often with only one strike

They work, but they need A LOT of extra preparations.

Try holding the saw blade still and strike accross it with the mini ferroceium chunk. Of course along the edge of the toothed saw blade like your trying to cut the chunk in half.☺️😏🥰🤠

Unpopular opinion: in an emergency I want a fire as quickly as possible, which is why I carry a tinder kit with a lighter. The ferro rod should be as easy as possible to use if it is important. I guess a mini ferro would have a place as a backup in my tinder kit as it isn't very heavy or expensive, but even a ferro rod that fits in an Altoids tin is bigger than a micro and insignificantly heavier.

Word of the day: Match power I imagine the micros would work well when in a striker.

Excellent, as always. Let's go camping. But, I'm old got fat and my stability is not too good. You go and I'll watch:)😂

😂 go with the BIG ROD LOL

I like and use ferro rods alot, but 5 Bic lighters cost about the same as a cheap ferro rod... and yoy have fire vs a spark.. but if your Bic gets wet u can use your ferro rod

Great explanation! The best I've seen on this topic!

I have a nano-micro ferro rod. It's in my mini Bic lighter. Seriously, I am not fond of having to depend on something undependable. Give me a medium sized ferro rod for foot travel and a large one for winter vehicle travel, especially on back roads.

You should make a micro playlist.

Verbose. But not irrelevant. All that aside, the wazoo type fire necklace mini ferro-rods with the ceramic scraper.. I wear one as my EDC, and have become quite skilled (if I say so myself) at the "flick" method displayed by the gray bearded green beret. The large(r) ferro-rod is a nice luxury but I love my EDC minimalist kit with a bic, 5× magnifying lens, and my wazoo style fire necklace.

Glue the mini Ferro rod to a piece of antler for a handle. Only way I can see even bothering with a mini.

If you have another blade/ striker...you can hold tiny ferro rod with multi tool pliers. Tiny rod better than nothing...

The micro rod are a way for companies to use up the scrap after producing longer rods. Same way baby carrots started out.

So it doesn't take much to start a fire but 5/16 by 4 inch is plenty of fero rod ive also got larger ones but ive never used them

scrape material from the small rod and then ignite the pile 🙂 Not for regular use, but for survival? maybe..

I have a micro one, because it came free. I keep it as a back-up.

I keep my micro ferro rod in my mini bic. When there's no more butane I spark some lint or toilet paper 🤣

Hey, Dan, another cool video -- thank you for your work. Although, I have to disagree that there is any real benefit to a micro ferro rod. For EDC, its a bic with a ferro rod nearby (car or pack); in the woods primary is ferro rod, with bic as back up in pack or at the car. The micro is just too small and too easy to loose. Yes, I read the drill the end and carry it around your neck -- right on. It seems to me that is a lot of work an less beneficial than having a back up bic in the woods. Second issue, the small material or tinder material needs to be way to specific -- almost impossible in the cold, wet, Michigan, winters that I spend a lot of time in. I'm not saying that they cannot be used or even "mastered," only that the time investment into such a specific piece of gear seems very much disproportional to any real application.

Hello in 1989 ween I start using fero rod ….I used a welder strake for torches…not the big think just the tiny pieces and that the way I did ..then I got one from military a luck 3 inches Long and 3/8 diameter and a hole drilled on it in 1988 that my friend introduced me to we can say a super tiny tiny faro rod so go to the welding shop and get some and practice That I call tiny Good job

Common sense tells us, like you do, to carry more than one flame source. Micro rods, with my sausage fingers, would prove troublesome. I suppose as back up in a "Golden Virginia" tobaco tin, then fine. Back in the 70's/80's we never had ferro rods. (We had kitchen matches LOL) Today ferro rods are indispensable but living on a salt water estuary here in Scotland I've seen them corrode and fail. Good vid as always.

Somehow fire seems to always come back to surface area like a wise teacher taught me. Regardless if you use a flame , sparks or heat( solar) source.

Good one , that’s gotta be the smallest pharo rod I’ve ever seen .

I'll be real with you, I'm not even an outdoors person, But I really like to watch this guy's videos

FYI. They fit in a pill keychain. Little bit of tinder. Or you takin the Gobag every time you walk out the door to go mountain biking with your buddy.

It's not the size that matters, it's how you use it.

Micro-rods are better than trying to make a friction fire in wet conditions…. Better to have it and not need it….etc.

Don't much like them but I have some. Light and packable but a last resort for me. Still using the old school cotton balls and vaseline and they can be lit with a micro. If I really really have to.

Micro rod would be absolutely terrible if you lost dexterity in your fingers due to cold weather...

The micro rod is BETTER THAN NO FERRO ROD .