You sure do explain things in an easy to understand way.

You are obviously a smarter guy than average and more informative than most. Great video.

I have literally never heard the term 'mischmetal' in my life.

Nice explanation and demo. You just answered my 'burning' question. Thanks you, sir!

Very cool to hear.....thanks for the post (got it off the Pathfinder FB page). I've been a chemist for 10 years and the only thing I had ever gleaned just by use, was that the harder must have a higher Fe content. Thankfully, you've done the research for me!

Thank you.. I was wondering.. I have three rods and noticed that they don't behave th same.. Now I know why.. You've been a big help..

very well explained, in my opinion the first really detailed and 100% correct explanation

Excellent! I always believed that my strike force is a Mischmetall with lower Fe because of the big chunks it throws. Thanks a lot for bringing light and fire to the darkness of knowledge. Very good and informative video! Best regards from Germany Stefan

Thanks very much for explaining No one has explained this to me yet. Big help

Thanx abunch,great video! Very easy to see why people get confused, but when someone explained it like you did, well very easy to not be confused about the whole thing. Thank you again.

Thanks. I have always noticed that some companies recipes are different. To me in my opinion, that recipe and the right balance of metals is what drives the competition

Thank You Earthling You Got Yourself A New Subscriber From Birmingham England UK Bless Up

Finally someone to explain the difference. I've noticed that it's not all the same thing, but I didn't know what the difference really is. Thank you for this video, it is very helpful to me.

Highest marks for a much appreciated video. Mystery solved! Excellent demonstration.

Excellent review. I’ve always been happy with every order placed through u guys. Thanks! 😁

This is the first vid of yours I've watched, thanks for the explanation.

Thank you. I'm not confused about this subject anymore.

Thank you for a very informative presentation capped nicely with a demonstration of each.

Thank you, finally someone who can explain the difference in FCR. Thanks again and greetings from the Netherlands

Thanks for the info. Greatly appreciated.

Thank You! Very informative. I use the Ferro Cerium "High Iron Content" rods to make my Fire Steel assemblies with Fat Wood handles and a piece of extra Fatwood for making Shavings. They work Great and I sell lots of them! Education in fire building is key and there are lots of great videos like yours to do just that. Had never heard the term Mischmetal before either. Keep up the very good vids.

Now I get it. I have many firestarting devices and now understand why the behaving so different.

Thanks I've always wondered what the difference was between the two. This will help me in the future when getting ferro rods for the knives I make.

Very good video, John! I just learned something, thanks to you! Very clear explanation and easy to understand the difference! My strategy is high iron with a separate magnesium block for when it's needed. I think there's a lot of confusion in the market about firesteels and you show you know what you're talking about. All the best from Switzerland, Rob.

Thanks for the great info. You did a perfect job of explaining the difference.

Thanks. I was suspicious of something like this when I saw bigger sparks from some rods. This is the only video i have seen explaining what the difference is.

John, loved the quality of this video and the audio level was *excellent*. Hoping to see more when you have time. -=dave=-

I find many so called "bushcraft experts" who do comparison videos get this small detail wrong. they have no idea the difference between higher iron & higher magnesium. many gig the rods depending on their preferences (more sparks or long lasting molten bits). I am 50 year old female and I remember my high school science. plus, my older brother told me about the differences 35 years ago....thanks for the easy peasy explanation on this subject.

Awesome video, you are right very few retailers know what they are selling. Took me three orders to find a supplier that provides the harder steels

Thank you for your video. Clear, concise and informative. Thanks

Excellent video sir, very informative. I also learned tonight that making fire with a ferro rod is not only about skill but also some luck, I say this because every night I practice making fire with ferro rod and my tinder of choice is fatwood. I made shavings plus scrapings of fatwood tonight and WOW! I failed at lighting it. That has never happened to me before with fatwood. I scraped and scraped my ferro and sparks would hit the shavings but they absolutely would not catch on fire. Now I am using good fatwood, this stuff smells strong and it's sticky plus its even from same stick I've been using to make my fires. If this has ever happened to you let me know because I am dumbfounded.

Thanks mad Jack I just realized I watched this 3 years ago

Thanks for the info. First time I understood this difference.

Great video, very informative. I've always distinguished rod as being hard composition or soft composition but never really knew the difference. Now that you've explained it the difference is pretty clear. A nice compromise would be to carry both the hard type ferrocerium rod along with a block of magnesium. If you need a hotter spark, simply scrape off some magnesium and add that to the tinder. I've done it many times and often it will allow difficult tinder to light easier. It is a bit of a pain to add that extra step, but it isn't generally needed unless your stuck with difficult or damp tinder.

Thank you very much for the wisdom you have give us! I must improve my fire making skills.

Excellent informative video. Thank you John,, you just taught me something that I did not know

Well...I just learned something. I knew about the harder and softer Ferrorods and thought the softer was making more sparks. Didn't knew about the magnesium tho. Very interesting. Well explained. Great video. You just got a new subscriber.

John . . . excellent video. This answered all of my questions. Thank you sir.

John McCann- Pretty interesting. Thanks for your videos & website! I always manage to learn something new.

Nice job explaining this difference. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for the info; it is much appreciated.

Thanks for the clarification.

very informative (been looking for something like this a LONG time!). as one commenter mentioned, it would be nice to have a list (if that's possible) of as many brands/models of rods of both types so people can be more informed in terms of what it is they want and where to look. one video I had seen the advice given was "you just have to try them out" but that can get costly and I prefer something other than "trial and error" in choosing something if that's at all possible. but I've learned a lot more about rods since seeing this video.

Excellent video, much I didn't know on this Ferro rod subject.

AWESOME!! Brilliant review.

A much needed video, great explanation !

Great info to know. I'm surprised this isn't more widely known.

Thank You , I live in the north west , Oregon , stuff is usually moist in our forrests so I think Ill go for the Misch metal . Thanks again .

Very nice. Love the mora. Great choice.

Really appreciate this explanation! Thanks!

Thank you, answered questions I didn't even know I had!

Thanks for you informative Demonstration , nobody has pointed that out befor :)

You have lots of great material on your channel. I definitely sub’d.

Excelente video. Congratulations!

Good video. Had no idea, just noticed that some of my rods responded differently. Like you said, prepare the tinder bundle and they all work.

Thank you for very informative video on this subject.

Great info. Thank you!

Thank you for an excellent presentation

Regardless of the metal content, it's all about your technique, how hard or soft, fast or slow you strike it, as well as how sharp the edge is on your striker. You can use any of these and get them to throw sparks, or chunks depending on those circumstances.

Such a well made video. Thank you for taking the time to explain this so perfectly! Awesome....I subbed

Very informative ! thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!

Great video, Thank you , I always had confusion.very informative .

Very informative review. Thanks.

Great video thanks for doing this my friend!

thank you for this great information. very helpful

Thank you. ... I needed this explanation.

Thank you for this info. cheers.

Great explanation. Thanks.

great vid, excellent info, thank you, Be Blessed

Thanks for showing us the difference.

John,I love your video's.Not only very informative but they make me chuckle when I see your hair and beard getting longer.In a couple more years you can call yourself Merlin?

Excellent video! Bravo!!!!!

subscribing now, been hearing dirttime guys talk about you online for years, glad to find you Mr McCan (forgive spelling error I'd any, sir, please) great finding you!

Thank you for that great video. Now I understand the difference between the two. You have a new sub.

Thanks for the very informative video John. From 7:49 in the video on, is there any way you could list the names of the rods that contain more magnesium (or the ones on the right side of the wooden board) please? And do you carry these on your website? I am looking for the rods that throw the "globs" and you seem pretty knowledgeable about this. Thanks in advance.

This was the most informative discussion of "ferro" rods I have found anywhere. It is exactly the sort of information that I was looking for and the information was given in such a way that the subject is very clear. I will actually buy one of both kinds due to this video. The Light my fire will be purchased today. Do you have any suggestions for a high magnesium content rod? Preferably full size. I would like one about the size of my Light my Fire Army rod that I plan to get or larger. While I wait for a responce, I will check out more of your videos. I subscribed as well. Thank you in advance for any suggestions or advice that you may give on the subject.

Great video. Good info!

Useful and good video, thank you for taking the time to share this information and knowledge

Hey,thanks I do appreciate your knowledge, it's invaluable really thanks

Excellent presentation and explanation. Thanks again.....

Nice video with a lot of information, thanks for sharing it with us.

Wonderful and informative video I thought it is the same thing has different names but now I got the difference between them

Dave Canterbury sent me here. Excellent video. I subscribed. Look forward to learning from you.

Thank you for clearing this up great video very educational I'm gonna subscribe

Thanks for the info, but what is the exact ratio and contens of these Ferrocerium rods ?? So how much Iron, how mich Cerium and how much Magnesium ? Still other metals in this alloy ?? Many thanks.

Could you include a link to your store in the video description area below the video? That would help both customers and your business. Thanks.

Good to know there is a difference. Even though it may not mean much to some, I can see right away why people on the survival shows have trouble. They lack technique when they execute the striker against the rod or bar and I can see as you stated already that the softer rods would be easier to use as those little burning bits would offer a greater chance to catch fire quicker. It's also a nice visual clue as to where the sparks are going and may ignite. I'm sure the harder rods would work with properly prepared tinder, but then again, it's proper preparation and technique that gets one a fire or not. :)

Very useful video. Thanks.

Clear explanation.Thankyou.

very informative, is it safe to look at higher iron content ferrocerium burning though?

I had never heard mischmetal before, but I now know something that financially speaking will save me a lot of money. my preference is high magnesium because my skill level is low. the longer burning sparks help me. I also am a city folk. I look to these fire starting rods as survival rods so, I will not use them except to practice, and then in the unlikely case that I need the fire to survive. I also keep a generic bic lighter.

that is awsome ! thanks ive been noticing a difference and now i know . Thanks !!!

Thank you for spreading your knowledge!. I learned a lot and I will pass it on!. Peace.

Well put together video, great video. Thanks for sharing with us

Do the larger 1/2 x 6" rods ever break in half if you were to strike it with a knife blade or if you stepped on it? If yes, could you still use it?

Very informative, thanks.

Thank you sir. I have been in stores that could not tell me if the rod was even , soft or hard, so how are they going to be able to explain any thing to their costumers?

Magnificent explanation! Finally! Thanks You very much! :)

thanks for explaining that in detail

Great information.