I had no idea ferro rods could rust. Didn't even think about it. Thank you so much for the info!!!

I use fixing wax ... still an accelerant, but less mess in my kit :)

THANK YOU!! Exactly what I needed, all I wish I'd of found this even faster! This mamma's taking her 13yr old son outside right now to teach him how to make and successfully use a double team bow drill set, all the different possibilities of fire tenders, accelerants (like vaseline and pine sap/pitch or even chapstick) and starting a fire using a ferro rod with both stainless steel and even with quartz (rock) just to be try covering as many bases as I can personally. With the good Lord something or some of it will stick and he'll be able to carry the knowledge on. Really appreciate this video and will be subscribing just as soon as I'm not racing daylight. Prayers everyone! Take care and God bless! 🙏🏻💌

Thank goodness someone has finally addressed this serious issue.

nice mocs… got a ferro rod from an instructor in a survival school back in the 70's. had it for years and then suddenly it disappeared down to the little pink handle... now I know why... brilliant

That’s what I was waiting to hear! Use the Vaseline (aka: petroleum jelly) to help ignite your spark! Good mention. My fire starters are nothing more than wood shavings (available from any pet supply), melted candle wax, and topped off with a 1/4 tsp of melted Vaseline. I use a silicone mini muffin pan! Wrapped in wax paper until needed!

I just spray my ferro rods with WD40 when i'm cleaning my knives and guns, after I get home from a trip. Works amazingly well to stop the iron in the ferro rod from oxidizing in the air.

I agree with your way with petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly has a lot of uses that most don’t think of. Great tip for us Josh ! Keep em coming !

Car Wax like Carnauba would be my recommendation. That said, you are so right on about corrosion especially in freeze/thaw/condensation and salt water conditions. Years ago, I discovered this and decided to mitigate issues by coating. When trying to relate this to others back then... most where in disbelief or denial from simply not weathering those conditions in any form, timeline, or practice.

Good idea. I’ve used spray paint for long term storage. I believe I’ll try the jelly for short term. 👍👍

Enjoy your excellent videos. Ex 18B here. I always coat my ferro rods with hobby acrylic clear paint, either brushed on or sprayed. I do this after a trip. I once had an entire rod in a small survival kit disappear and leave just grey dust. Keep up the great work. Definitely a service to all.

Thanks for the tip Mr Green Beret! ATB

Thanks for another great tip. You are a wealth of knowledge.

When I was in ta eighty deuce,any time we trained with Sf we were all ears,always good info thanks Josh.

Another great video with amazing instructions. Thank you so much. Simple yet effective.

Makes perfect sense to use something that can aid the starting of a fire too. As always, great information.

Good video Yep...I use Chap stick (Burts Bees Wax), same idea just a different approach. Both petroleum jelly or BEES Wax has multiple use applications from fire starter, wound applications, carbon steel/ferro rod protectant, to a lubricant.

Might as well add a little container of petroleum jelly to your kit as it's also useful for coating & preventing corrosion on car battery terminals!!!😁👍🏻

Another excellent video I am going to share with my family and friends that I gave Ferro Rods to. You do a great job. Keep up the great work.

And another use for the wonder jelly! Grease everything up and burn it later. I will have to check it out on my stored ferro rods. Thanks for the tip.

awesome josh! im using this method from now on

Good idea! Thanks for sharing it!

Great idea Josh! Yes I use(d) nail polish, but having the p.j. for multiple purposes is a fantastic idea! I'm a strong believer in having tools for multiple uses, so to protect the ferro rod AND then use it as an accelerant in a tinder bundle is even better!!!

Thanks for the great idea, and video. Might just move mine to the cotton ball petroleum jelly combo bag.

Thanks for this video. I've been sitting here off and on all day looking at one of the rods I practice with, trying to figure out how to protect it when I don't expect to use it for a while. Very timely.

Thank you, Josh!

Great tip. Thank you, just bought my first ferro rod and had no idea about rust issues. Be ordering your new book on Amazon soon.

Awesome. Thanks for teaching me this. I think a lot of us use petroleum jelly to prepare pre made tinder but I would not have thought to use it as a sealant for my rod as well. The accelerant aspect is very cool, makes perfect sense.

thanks Josh

Hey Grimes, Great vid thanks for sharing

great idea wiping the rod with the tinder bundle

Thank you for that, I didn't even think about this.

Darn...just read the disclaimer. It was just too easy. No comments I guess other than; Thanks again for another informative vid. We love em all....the detailed ones and the quick nuggets of info. To you and your family...Have a great weekend

Thx Josh!

Mine has been sitting in my jeep where I keep it. Went to throw some sparks off the other day and it was hammered lesson learned

Excellent tip! Definitely a great idea!

Another great video and helpful tip. Thank you.

You’ve just created a problem I never knew I had!!!!🤣

Great tip, Thank you!

Solid video. Great content for the community

Thank you! 😊

Thankyou for the tip

Good idea. Thanks

Thanks for the tip, great advice.

You have a good idea. Thanks for the info.

Thank you for the heads up great tip have a blessed day Atb Dean

Works great. Thanks.

Really brilliant idea.

Great idea.

Sound advice. Thanks for the tip.

Thanks for the tip.

That's freaking awesome! I'm a big fan of petroleum jelly soaked cotton balls and ferro rod, but never thought of this!

Great tip as usual!

Thank you for sharing! Cheers.

Thanks for the tip!

Really great ideas for protecting a much needed and relied upon tool especially when we might not have the opportunity on getting another one but as a rule 1 is none 2 is 1

Very cool idea.... Thanks for sharing with all of us......

I like that idea. Many uses for vasoline, I use It on the weather strips on cars and trucks to keep the doors from freezing in the winter.

Thank u. Great tip.

Very good idea. Thank you very much

Great gear tip, simple and effective, thank you 👍🌲

This was a good simple idea particularly when combined with your comment that most people don’t have to worry about it until they get home. The comments were also interesting. Some people take this stuff seriously.

I've used them for years and genuinely didn't know they corroded. Guess I must be doing OK then lol. Good drills staff, everyday is a school day. Thanks

Sweet info!

What a great tip! Thank you!

Good idea!

Cool tip.

Great Idea! Thanks 😁 first time watching your videos today and I can see you’re on the right track. Im going to subscribe and choose all notifications.

Thanks for good tips👍

Great video!

And as always thanks for the Advice.

That's a cool trick, going in my toolbox of knowledge. God bless

I use metallic blue nail polish. The nail polish is also good for trail markers

Joshua, thanks for sharing, atvb brother ! 👍

Don't know if it's bad for my ferro rods but I had a bunch of wire covers and I thought what a great idea to keep my ferro rod covered and protected from all fluids. I found the right size for each rod slipped the cylindrical 'rubber' cover on n then w a tiny bit of heat, it shrinks to form fit the ferro rod. I have more than 8 and none have had any moisture get in n the rods seem to be protected. Oh n you can use different colors to match the rod handles, lol. Now I'm thinking, if I use the petroleum jelly n then put the cover on it will keep the goo from getting all over AND give it that much more protection. Just a thought. ✌

Slick tip. especially the paper bag idea with it. Nate

Good idea thx

Great , THANKS . We had a " Fire Starter , like ferro , in shape of a half moon , 50 cent coin ---- in pilots E& E survival kits 1963, on USS Ranger. When we checked kits, Yes , many had turned to a powder form = useless due to salt air it seems. Mtn Mel , W. Colo. Ret. 59 - 82 USN PR /SERE & P.I. JEST Inst / VN. Now 80, still teaching skills. Love thise FERRO RODS !

Always good content. No BS.

Good stuff. Great idea. For a compact fire starter. Mix dryer lint and vaseline. Shove it down in a flip top pill bottle like an Ibuprofen bottle. You can shove in a bunch. Bottle is mostly waterproof and will float. I use an old 35 mm film canister. Small lightweight and does not take up much space. Plenty for several fires when you need a little extra help.

Great idea adding accelerant to bird bundle. Two for one😏🙏

Ferro Rods are just the bomb man.. good to know you grease it up a bit.. may be a little fix'n wax.. great idea ..

I've resprayed one with dollar store mat black spray paint when I was spray painting up some home made alcohol burners, Billy pots and the like. Top tip, not all heat resistant spray paint does what it says on the can!!!

Very interesting. I have used liquid spray wax for automobiles and thoroughly wax it. When the corroded powder shows up, I wipe it with a cotton ball so the cotton ball is impregnated by the ferro rod powder or use a rifle patch. This charges the cotton ball or rifle patch with an intensely flammable powder that I have worked through and through with the powder. It can be charged enough for flint and steel and possibly a rudiger roll. I put the charged gray cotton or gun patch in an old plastic pill jar where my VA prescriptions come in. This keeps them dry. I am getting ready to put a silica gel pack in a filled jar to see if it will help keep the jar interior dry, especially when I duct tape the lid on for storage and water resistance. Try it. See if you like it. It has worked for me and I recover some of the loss of every rod I own. There are soft and hard rods. The soft ones throw bolts of sparks but are less tolerant to humidity than the harder ones that throw off smaller sparks. The soft rods require extra attention as they form the oxidized powder readily when not treated. So this is what I do to my rods. The spray wax when rubbed in causes water and anything corrosive to bead up and can be wiped away with tissue or a very soft cloth. I have a number of different rods and occasionally I find one that I didn't put through maintenance and I will find powder all over the place. My trusty cotton ball or cleaning patch comes in handy as I impregnate it completely in the powder. Well my Green Beret friend, this Marine is signing off. Semper Fi ! God bless you ! I love you like a brother in His name ! Oorah!

cool video, thanks.

The pull technique is the way to go.

Thanks for the tip GBGB I recently moved to the coast I was think why my small ferro rod rusted in the back of my truck that is covered but I guess moisture got in and my MSK mini scandi knife rusted too was able to replace the rod but the knife had to do a lot of elbow grease 👍👌✌️🫡🇺🇸

I use chapstick a on mine quite often because it is usually nearby in one of my kits. I started doing this years ago after I found a couple that I hadn't used for a while turning to dust

Thanks for sharing the tip. New subscriber here been watching some of your videos and I have enjoyed them.

Thanks for a great video---short and sweet. I dip mine in melted beeswax a couple of times. I carry a few ounces of beeswax in the field and give it a rub after use. Vaseline appears to be a great idea as well.

First. Woo Hoo. Thank You for all your videos. Going on my first camping trip with my only grandson. White Mountains NH. 3 years old. 🇺🇸

I use Sno-Seal boot dressing. Melt some Sno-seal in an old coffee can, soak it up in cotton balls, store in an old shoe polish tin. Makes great tinder. Occaisonally swab the fire steel with impregnated cotton. My fire steels have lasted over 50 years with nothing more in the way of maintenance.

Thanks, I did not know that. You earned yourself a sub!

I really like that idea. That's a new one for me. I carry a small travel container of vaseline in my kit already. I just need to utilize it. Nice..........

Brilliant! This can be adapted to protect lighter flints from degradation too. I've a stick of archery bowstring wax, since its likewise petroleum based. Gonna make a vid ~

I stored a ferro-rod one time in the cooking gear of my emergency kit ... along with the other odds and sods I use to start a fire and cook with . All the tools to accomplish a given task in one container , and all that ... I also included a tiny bottle of dishwashing soap . Naturally. , it leaked , all over the ferro-rod ... I didn’t know it , because the mess gear was sealed up tight. When I opened it again , the chemical reaction had turned the ferro-rod into a pitted spindly piece of wire , about as big around as a match stick , and a pile of black goo , which had started enthusiastically attacking the interior of the stainless steel mess gear . It ate the tines of my fork clear through . I had no idea it would do that . I’m a bit cautious about petroleum jelly , as it seems no matter how well you try and seal it in , it always escapes its container , and migrates throughout my pack , getting everything in it greasy and nasty . I do mean everything... I had a small jar , in my med kit in the bottom of my pack one time ... I operate in an environment that sometimes easily reaches over a hundred degrees F , for months at a time during the summer... cooling off to the mid eighties at night . The heat does interesting things to gear ... containers turn brittle and crack , flexible things get hard , nylon fabrics weld themselves together while folded , metals warp or corrode , plastic melts , batteries swell and leak . Fine sand gets in everything . So , I coat my ferro-rod with paraffin ( candle wax , I know paraffin means something else to our British cousins ) , and wrap it in a cotton cloth , placed inside a plastic cigar tube . I’ve often thought that auto body ( carnauba ) wax might coat better . I’ve never had a problem sparking up my rod .

Thanks for the tips, literally just got my first firesteel (Kupilka), used it yesterday... was rusty already today! I'm in Essex, UK, fine dry weather, is the air that humid? I guess I'll borrow (again) the Mrs' vaseline. Cheers!

I use stove black. It works great. It's the same thing you paint a woodstove with.

Or if your in a homestead or extended hunting or camping trip, animal fat works as well in small quantities.

I've had the Boy Scout Hot Spark fire starter(think mini Keychain ferro rod) corrode to about half size just carrying it around. A ferro rod in a military survival kit I acquired had what looked like PlastiDip, you know the one to give a rubberized coating to tool handles, covering it perhaps good for long term storage. This method looks good for an active ferro rod. Thanks for sharing.