Just a public service announcement...

While getting ready for a long hiking trip, I pulled out my fire starting kit. In it, my ferrocium rod (Swidish Firesteel brand) was a rusted out mess. I kept it stored in a little sandwhich baggie and the whole bag was filthy with a dark grey powder. The rod itself was badly oxidized/rusted and took a fair bit of filing and sanding to get smooth enough to strike.

I checked another firesteel that I keep in my get home bag, and it too was just starting to oxidize. I wiped it clean and applied a coat of furniture wax which should help keep it from getting worse.

If you keep a firesteel tucked away somewhere for emergency use...you should probably maintain it on the same schedule you service your other gear.

I just checked mine and it's like new and I haven't used it in years. We live in a relatively dry area and a long ways away from salt water. Maybe that's why.

Jim

I wonder if it's the particular blend of metal used in the Swidish Firesteel brand. All 3 of mine are that brand...

but I have a pack of loose firesteels that I was using to stash in little pocket survival kits, and they all look new.

There's also a coating or film on the rod from the factory which might explain why the little loose firesteels I have haven't rusted out.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
There's also a coating or film on the rod from the factory which might explain why the little loose firesteels I have haven't rusted out.

Yes, typically a dull black coating that you have to scrape off. Thanks for the heads up though, I have one in my get home bag I need to check.

Soak it in white vinegar over night
That also works on casting molds that some dumb ass [me] left in the barn over winter and they rusted Real Bad.
Over night they looked new and I have been casting 245 grain 44 mag keith's for two days=beautiful boolets

quote:

Originally posted by 45 Cal:
Soak it in white vinegar over night
That also works on casting molds that some dumb ass [me] left in the barn over winter and they rusted Real Bad.
Over night they looked new and I have been casting 245 grain 44 mag keith's for two days=beautiful boolets

Excuse me for a thread drift, but I wanted to say that those cast Keith bullets are the bomb. I loaded and shot thousands of them when I shot silhouette competitions. If memory serves, I think the load was 24.5gr of 2400 powder which was a compressed load. One hot load for sure.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:

quote:

Originally posted by 45 Cal:
Soak it in white vinegar over night
That also works on casting molds that some dumb ass [me] left in the barn over winter and they rusted Real Bad.
Over night they looked new and I have been casting 245 grain 44 mag keith's for two days=beautiful boolets

Excuse me for a thread drift, but I wanted to say that those cast Keith bullets are the bomb. I loaded and shot thousands of them when I shot silhouette competitions. If memory serves, I think the load was 24.5gr of 2400 powder which was a compressed load. One hot load for sure.

Jim

Considering Alliant says 21 grains is the max for a 240 grain pill, that would be a savage round indeed.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:

quote:

Originally posted by 45 Cal:
Soak it in white vinegar over night
That also works on casting molds that some dumb ass [me] left in the barn over winter and they rusted Real Bad.
Over night they looked new and I have been casting 245 grain 44 mag keith's for two days=beautiful boolets

Excuse me for a thread drift, but I wanted to say that those cast Keith bullets are the bomb. I loaded and shot thousands of them when I shot silhouette competitions. If memory serves, I think the load was 24.5gr of 2400 powder which was a compressed load. One hot load for sure.

Jim

Considering Alliant says 21 grains is the max for a 240 grain pill, that would be a savage round indeed.

I shot it in my Blackhawk 7 1/2" and after a couple of years it became a rattle trap.
I'll tell ya though, it knocked down those heavy steel rams every fricken time.

Again, sorry for the thread drift.

Jim