Are you wondering if a Ferrocerium rod will be a good addition to your camping kit arsenal? It most certainly will because it’s a simple yet versatile tool that you will find useful in many situations. So, what is a Ferrocerium rod? Let’s take a look at what it is and why you need this fantastic little tool.
What Is a Ferrocerium Rod?
A Ferrocerium rod, or Ferro rod for short, is a small metal rod a size of a pen used to produce sparks and start a fire. It is resistant to all weather conditions and has a long lifespan. Striking the Ferro rod produces sparks that burn at 3000°C (5430°F).
This fire igniter rod is essential to any camper’s backpack and will prove helpful in many situations.
So, to make it easier for you to completely understand what the Ferro rod is, what it’s made of and how it works, I will try and tell you as much as I can about it in the following sections.
History Behind the Ferro Rod and Its Composition
The Ferro rod is chemically composed mainly of cerium and iron. This chemical composition was first merged by an Austrian chemist, Carl Auer von Welsbach, in 1903.
He noted that cerium had incredibly low ignition temperature characteristics and could produce sparks easily. However, because of its soft nature, cerium alone wasn’t enough to comprise the entire rod and needed a stronger bonding agent. That is where iron comes into play.
The combination of 70% cerium and 30% iron makes for a high-quality Ferro rod. Over the years, scientists have added other metals to the mix to improve the durability and strength of the rod even further.
Today’s Ferro rods have a composition of cerium, iron, and lanthanum, with magnesium, neodymium, and praseodymium. Ferrocerium’s name is a mix of the Latin word for iron, Ferrum, and the cerium element.
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What Is a Ferrocerium Rod Meant For?
A Ferro rod’s first and obvious purpose is to help you start a fire more easily. Compared to a lighter, the Ferro rod may seem like an unnecessary kit, but it’s a lot more reliable. It has a significantly longer lifespan than a lighter, and you don’t have to worry about it running out of gas.
Besides, the amount of heat the rod sparks produce burns two times hotter than the heat produced by a regular lighter.
Another great benefit of a Ferro rod is its versatility. Weather conditions do not impact a Ferro rod, and it doesn’t matter that it’s raining, snowing, or windy, as it will always manage to produce ignition sparks.
Many rods also come with a striker, used to ignite the sparks, but even without it, you can use a knife or a multi-tool to produce them and start a fire.
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How to Choose the Right Ferrocerium Rod
Choosing the right Ferro rod can be tricky, especially if you’re a beginner and have never used one to start a fire.
First, the rod’s brand and quality matter, as there are many cheap and low-quality ones on the market. Purchasing a cheaper Chinese Ferro rod is fine if you’re a beginner.
Still, if you need a reliable piece of rod for everyday carry, I highly recommend investing and purchasing a more expensive one.
Second, the length and width of the rod also matter, as well as its built quality. The longer and wider the rod is, the easier it will be for you to ignite the sparks. However, if the rod is too long, it may take up too much space in your backpack.
So, if you’re a beginner, go with a longer and wider rod, while experienced users will do just fine with even the smallest Ferro rod they can find.
How to Use a Ferrocerium Rod
Using a Ferro rod is quite straightforward, but it still requires some skill and practice to make the most of it, especially if you’re a beginner. Pay attention to the steps I describe below to use a Ferro rod properly:
- Before using the rod, you must prepare the place for the fire by gathering a tinder. Without a tinder, the rod will simply not work. Dry grass or a small piece of cotton is ideal for this purpose.
- Place the tinder on the ground and allow air to circulate beneath it so that the fire has room to “breathe” and start easily.
- Hold the Ferro rod over the tinder, and slide along the rod in a fast, downward motion using a striker or a knife.
- If it’s more comfortable, you can hold the striker while sliding the rod upward toward yourself. This will prevent the striker from hitting the tinder on its way down.
- Whatever method you prefer, make sure that most of the sparks end up on tinder. It shouldn’t take more than two to three strikes before you start to see smoke rising.
- Once you see the smoke, bend down and start blowing with your mouth to ignite the sparks into a flame. Now you’re ready to add larger pieces of wood and make a nice and cozy campfire.
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What Is a Ferrocerium Rod’s Lifespan?
How long a Ferro rod will last depends on the frequency of use. A longer and higher-quality rod, which is also thicker, will easily provide more than 10.000 strikes.
That means it will last you a lifetime unless you’re keen on using it daily. On the other hand, cheap Chinese Ferro rods may have a cycle of 2.000 strikes before wearing out because of their low-quality materials.
The way you use the Ferro rod also has an impact on its lifespan. Experienced users can normally light a fire with up to three strikes, while a beginner will have trouble even after the first 10-15 times.
Every time you scrape the surface, a small amount of material is wasted, so the more you scrape, the faster it depletes.