bottom line: TEST ALL GEAR before putting it in your kit. Inexpensive does not mean low quality. for example Mora knives are inexpensive but many outdoorsmen swear by them.
I have two Colman ones and they work as advertised. It takes a spark better than a flame. It's best to scrape the smallest shavings as you can so the ignition is easier.
+Sagrotan And you make the only one of your kind to watch. I don't know what kind you are though. How is using any of the words she used racist? Are there not Chinese people in the world? While it is unlikely that she could have determined that 206 of the them saw this, it is in no way a racist comment.
+onetwothree57 I wrote this to that moron, "Sagrotan". And you make the only one of your kind to watch. I don't know what kind you are though. How is using any of the words she used racist? Are there not Chinese people in the world? While it is unlikely that she could have determined that 206 of the them saw this, it is in no way a racist comment
Michael Johnson very true about stereo types, alot of times they are true. however Chinese falls under the interesting category of both race and nationality, this is because of them being mostly closed off for a few thousand years. somewhat like the Jews. being Jewish it is a religion but it is also a race, because for decades they only procreated with eachother.
I've had magnesium fire starters for some years and didn't realize there were cheap versions that didn't work. In a survival situation these cheap bars could cost someone their life. Thank you for bringing this to our attention!
The Doan brand is what I have in my kit. It works spot-on. I have a firestarter kit that has multiple ways to start a fire 1) Hookah lighter. Provides a nice jet. Looks like a small blowtorch. 2) Storm matches, packed in an Xotac match safe. 3) Strike Force flint and steel. Last resort - the Doan magnesium bar. LOTS of small packaged tinder too. Char cloth, all that. Yeah, it's overkill. I know....
This is truly scary. Make sure you test your mag bar fire starter. Also a tip, you need very little mag shavings to start a fire when you mix them with fatwood shavings.
digitalcurrents, more than likely the same fire starter as the Harbor Freight(coming from the same Chinese factory) in a different package! It isn't like it used to be for a great many products there is one factory making the products and the rest is rebranding! You can get Sony TV's (made at the Sony factory from the same parts as Sony TV's) way cheaper with different brand names on them, clothes washers same deal, You can get a several different high end ones or the exact same model with the exact same internals just different branding. Don't even get me started on riding lawn mowers, I have a john deer and have seen 15 other brands that absolutely came out of the same factory, same external frame, open the hood, same internals and internal design. Different color and it says just Briggs and Stratton on the engine not John Deer engine made by Briggs and Stratton. You do get better warranties and customer service buying the brand names and that and advertising is where the premium price tag on name brand gear comes from. I just bought a central Air system for my house it is an American Standard branded. It was built at the same factory with the exact same internals and design as Trane. Want proof here you go www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/Recall-Alerts/2014/Trane-Recalls-Air-Conditioning-Systems/ read the consumer recall of one of their units then look and the manufacturer of all of the units! Trane and American Standard units were recalled and the manufacturer for all... Trane
I'll spend a little extra for U.S. made products. At least if something doesn't work when I get it, there is someone accountable I can talk to directly and they'll make it right.
+Wilderness Innovation It looks to me like there's a whole lot of tin or aluminum, something that's cheap and won't rust, in that bar you've got...did it ever tarnish, or change color from that shiny silver? I am very grateful to you for making me go into my bug out bag to check if my Mg. bar was the Real McCoy, and it is! Made in the USA is stamped right into the dull gray block that burns white hot and the ferrocerrite rod is well bonded in the groove. Now I can rest easier, but will pass on the word not to buy anything Chinese as after things like this just prove their country doesn't deserve my dollar...
Bryan St.Martin That's true, and if you know that you must know that to burn Aluminum you'd need an oxidizer stronger than air... Can you say "PEPCON disaster"? ;)
Thank you for your fine video. Good use of Metrology, i.e. the science of measurement. As a Scout, back in the '60s, we learned to use flint, steel, and steel wool. Not nearly so easy and nearly impossible if the steel wool got wet. 20 years later I became a Scout leader and fell in love with the magnesium blocks! A high quality striker kit is nearly indispensable part of ones survival kit.
Huh, strange. There are some reviews on the Harbor Freight site that say they don't work, and some that do. Maybe there's more than one factory making the same product, and one is corrupt.
Years ago when I worked for a waste water plant we were cleaning out the grit settlers and I found a Doan's buried in the grit. The date stamped on the lower left was 6/84. I found it in 2000. Works fine.
+Reichtangle If it were iron, don't you think it would rust up pretty quickly? I do agree that it is some sort of pot metal mix with little to no Magnesium in it. I know I'll be spreading the word around with my bros not to buy any survival or camping gear that's Chinese...they don't give one whit about their customers.
Knolltop Farms There's tons of quality Chinese products out there dude, this is literally a fluke. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it's fake and this guy sabotaged it by putting different metal in the pile. You know he sells these things right? I've got a Chinese bar that works perfect so this baffles me. Actually most of my gear is made in China and works perfect
We hope we get a million views too! ;) We really did this video so that we can educate people to make sure that they check their gear and practice, before they get out into a situation that they desperately need it! Thanks for the feedback, and thanks for watching!
@cbarsonfire YES! Doan originally patented their mag bar for the military, and it is the only fire starter that they use, and as far as I know still is. Thanks for the comment, and thanks for serving our great country!
I used my Chinese one 8 months ago and it seemed fine. Two weeks ago it tried it and the magnesium just glowed a little in some spots but would not fire up. So I tried one more time to determine if I should dump it (I have two). This time I made a large pile, which takes at least 200 scrapes with the file. It finally did start though so I decided to keep them just in case. I would not buy another Chinese bar again, but I will keep using mine even though I already have a great fire kit.
the prophet ez1 The generic ones are unpredictable you just never know, sometimes you get a good one sometimes not. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Okay here's the deal. Thanks for this video so that people are aware of the potential issues with these & can test them out before relying on them in a pinch. I bought one from Harbor Freight, the cheapest of the cheap. At approx. 43 degrees in my garage, I took a folded paper towel, set it on my garage floor, scraped some magnesium from the block, moved the shavings into a pile, struck the ferro rod into the magnesium powder on the paper towel & it lit up light a campfire in a fraction of a second & burned the entire paper towel to ash in about 10 seconds. I think what few people realize is that no matter what kind of outdoor gadgets a person has, you have to test them out & hone your skills with these tools or you might as well throw your money away. There are no substitutes for honed skills & practice when it comes to survival. There are no magic gadgets that make the skillset of the individual into a superhero, but this $3 fire-starter from harbor freight is the next best thing to using gasoline or gunpowder to start a fire. This was my first time ever using one of these & I only had to strike the ferro rod twice into the magnesium to get it to light. I'm sure others haven't had as much success, but even if they had to spend $10 purchasing several of these or epoxy the ferro rod back into the magnesium block before they have one that works well, it would be well worth the purchases. This is an amazing tool. Thanks for the heads up.
Duster Dan I top use the harbor frieght I actually pretty shave (drill) my blocks works like a champ I even get major sparks from the rod I personally take the rods out
Some of the fire starters we tested had a tendency for the shavings to stick together and even worse than that, they didn't want to release from the magnesium bar. So in effect the bar was softer and sort of gummy in that for example on the Doan Bar the shavings just fall right off in a pile. Some machinists use this term when machining some types of aluminum, the shavings tend to stick and not throw free of the machined area, thus gumming up the work. Thanks for the comment
Carry a lighter. Learn how to start a fire with flint and steel. Learn how to start friction fires. You should have at least three options. Redundancy is key. And try to have fun learning new skills.
+AJStreetss Absolutely, learn all the ways you can to start fire, not only is it fun, but it makes you safer too, with greater abilities. thanks for watching.
@chevygearhead454 Thanks for your comment. Yes we tested the Coleman and it does work, we still prefer the Doan however. We have not discovered anything we prefer over the Doan, and with it's track record, it's even more desirable. When you calculate the number of fires that can be started with a Mag bar, the cost is pennies each, so to chance another brand for a few bucks less, is almost senseless. Have a great day!!
I bought one a few years ago. I never could get it to work. I thought it was something I was doing wrong. Threw it into the bottom of the gun cabinet and forgot about it until I saw this video. Pulled it out, and sure enough it is the wrong color and made in China. I got about a quarter-sized pile on top of some birch bark and sparked it. I got enough spark that the birch bark started an ember then burst into flame, but the shavings from the magnesium bar never lit!
@norsmetal Thank you for your comment. We are not attempting to downplay our competition, we are pointing out that there are literally thousands of generic magnesium fire starters that do not work at all, period. They just copied the original in appearance. The main thing about the Doan's is they are the same they always work, you never know when an off brand will change manufacturer. We have tested some that worked last year that don't this year. Bottom line, test what you buy. Thanks again!!
Great video. I never trust any mag bar unless it's an actual military spec GSA contract one. They last forever and as in your vid, they burn incredibly and will save your arse when it's on the line.
@envirosponsible Thanks for the comment. I have never had a problem with a Doan Mag in nearly 30 years, nor anyone I know, they are military spec. I have had tons of problems with others, however. The Doan also is soft and easy to scrape, most of the Chinese made I tested are almost impossible to scrape. Take care man!!
Devin Shillington Trinkets and other junk maybe. and even then they do not compare to the quality of most united states manufacturers. You are not thinking about machined items, tooling, and highly engineered products that take good man power to make at a high price. Sorry but you are just flat out wrong. And again go google it. A country that doesn't use cheap labor/slave labor makes good products
After watching your video I went to try out the mag bar I've been carrying with me for about 6 months, which I've not had occasion to use/try. I've just thrown it away because I couldn't get the shaving to burn when I put a match to the shavings. I just bought a Doan Magnesium Fire starter to replace it. It never crossed my mind that someone would mfg an EMERGENCY fire starter that doesn't work. Thank you for taking the time & trouble to produce this video.
Great video! If I were in a life or death situation and had to depend on that Chinese made "firestarter," I'd be dead. Heck, a bow drill set up is better that the Chinese block. I'm going to be buying only DOAN! Thanks for the video! MiF
@JusLookinRound804 The Coghlans bars we tested did work to start fires, however they have a problem that the striker rod breaks loose easily in a lot of them, in fact every Coghlans we tested failed when dropped from 30" other than that we like them. They are US made. The ones that were really troublesome were the generic Chinese, which mostly failed to light at all. Colemans current model is Chinese made and worked great in the testing. Thanks for your comments!!
The proof is in the product alright. EXCELLENT comparison demo video. Can't get any more practical than you experiments recorded. Thank you sir for clarifying these quality contrasts. Nice job indeed.
@o0ThunderGod0o Thanks for the comment. We tried 3 of the Coghlans in the test, they all started fire well, but they all failed a 30" drop test, where the spark rod broke away from the mag bar. They were all purchased new, other than that they were great.
The Chinese one is pressed aluminum and something else not magnesium. Which will create its own oxygen. One reason once magnesium lights it burns till it's all gone.
Claude Rains wow, what the amazing accident to meet you here and catch you one more time on ignorance >The Chinese one is pressed aluminum and something else not magnesium. Which will create its own oxygen. One reason once magnesium lights it burns till it's all gone. magnesium is a highly reactive metal (thin layer of oxide protects it in normal conditions) - it doesn't "create its own oxygen" (fkn how? nuclear fission? :))) - it burns in air's oxygen - it's why it doesn't burn same violently when magnesium oxide covers it on the top BTW, try to drop some water (not much though) on burning magnesium... but carefully, outside, on fireproof surface - and try to explain what's going on with your mind-blowing "wisdom" :) As I already said some time ago - ignorance is your bliss, Claude Rains
You can't extinguish magnesium once it's starts to burn with water for one as water contains oxygen molecules for one moron. Like I said these bars create the own oxygen because they combine magnesium and aluminum to accomplish there task! Now go fuck your self and learn to read the description and the object being discussed in this video. As I wasn't giving a chemistry class.
Oh and if you come back with some lame ass other reason. Go ask how NASA launched the LEM off the moon without oxygen and the solid fuel rocket. I'll tell you how. They used an oxidizer and corrosive to make sure it was fool proof! Class dismissed.
Claude Rains >You can't extinguish magnesium once it's starts to burn with water I didn't say you can extinguish it with water, moron - I asked what's going on when you drop some water on burning magnesium - and my precaution said enough what to expect. >for one as water contains oxygen molecules for one moron. Water doesn't contain oxygen molecules, you idiot, - molecule of oxygen is O2, and water obviously contains molecules of water H2O - what's going on is that due to high temperature water decomposes into oxygen and hydrogen, and oxygen reacts with magnesium, producing magnesium oxide, and hydrogen burns in air's oxygen producing water, also some magnesium hydroxide produces due to direct reaction magnesium with water: 2Mg + 2H2O + O2(from air) -> 2Mg + (2H2 + O2)(decomposing) + O2(from air) = 2MgO + 2H2O 2Mg + 4H2O + O2(from air) = 2Mg(OH)2 + 2H2O lol, you are so fkn stupid that can not distinguish atoms from molecules :))) >Like I said these bars create the own oxygen no, they don't - LEARN PHYSICS ALREADY, idiot >because they combine magnesium and aluminum to accomplish there task! lol what? :))))) firstly, magnesium-aluminium alloys are LESS flammable secondly, how??? fkn *HOW* aluminium and magnesium produce oxygen???? nuclear fission? :))) oh gosh, you are so stupid :) thirdly, no, you said: "The Chinese one is pressed aluminum and something else not magnesium" - you didn't say that working bars contain aluminium - you said COMPLETELY OPPOSITE (besides they don't - they are pure magnesium - that good bars...) - you are a fkn liar... well, as usual >As I wasn't giving a chemistry class. because you fkn can't - because you are a fkn ignorant lying prick :) >I'll tell you how. They used an oxidizer AHAHAHAHAHAHA :))))) yeah, oxidizer - i.e. chemical which can OXIDIZE - because there was no common earth oxidizer - OXYGEN and magnesium is a fkn REDUCTANT - it can't oxidize anything - it DONATES electrons :))))))))))))) >and corrosive yeah, salt is salty :))) you even don't understand what you are talking about :))) >Class dismissed. ROFL learn something, stupid prick go back to school, ignoramus :)))))))))) *PS and don't forget to answer how magnesium with aluminium produce oxygen :))))*
THANK YOU for this. I don't have one but I've bought them for my nephews. I didn't expect the fraud. I appreciate you passing the word to me and other unsuspecting novices.
@Quinvarius Excellent, you did the right thing in testing it. Since most of those are generic, you have no idea if they work or not without testing. We use the Doan because they don't change the formulation, they always work. Even so anyone who has a mag bar or whatever for fire starting should test and use it as much as possible so they can be confident in the ability to start a fire with it. Thanks for your comment!!
@gnetix1 Thanks. We did test a new Coleman and it did work fine, however I don't know if they are consistent or not. The Doan is always a safe bet, never a problem in over 25 years. Have a great day, thanks for watching our videos!!
You have got to love/hate the Chinese for their copying/duplicating behavior. Go to AliExpress.com and look up Chris Reeve Sebenza knife. They have copied his $400 knife and sell it for $60 along with a lot other premium grade $50-500 pocket knives. The Chinese copy everything. Imagine their Nuclear Reactor or Atomic Bomb copies.
@vmelkon Thanks for the comment, I wish I had a way to analyze the content of all the bars to see what's in them. I did talk to one of the premier magnesium extruders, and was told that all the bars are Magnesium alloys. Some with little magnesium content. It would be nice to know how much.. One thing I would mention about the Coghlans, we tested a number of them, and they work great for fire starting, the only downside is the spark rod is not secure and comes loose easily. Thanks!!
+Filip Wessman They are all sold as magnesium, but they are not all made the same that is for sure. Yes magnesium burns white hot. Fine aluminum and steel will also burn, but none are easy to scrape as magnesium, nor do they burn so hot.
I wouldn't say it's ALL chinese shit that sucks, just the stuff we seem to buy :\ But yeah, over-alloying is a douchebag sales technique, if it can even be called that. Like you said, these people trust their lives with this kinda thing, and I'm certain this scam has screwed over many people right when they need it to work.
I have a Coghlan's, made in America. It works but its extremely hard to 'shave some off with a knife'. I used a large file and it took about 30 minutes to make a pile the size of a half dollar. The powder wouldn't light from a lighter or a match but the sparks from flint and steel lit it. And it does work. Just have your tinder handy. I think a better set up would be to carry flint and steel and a film canister half full of powdered mag you made ahead of time. If you have a piece of dry paper it makes a nice base to build the fire on because it will light the paper
@BlackWolfDesigns Very happy to here that you were still prepared in that situation! It's always a good idea to test gear before we take it out and NEED it! Thanks for watching, and thanks for the GREAT comment!
Unfortunately people in the know now use big quality ferro rods. The less knowledgeable who are trying to do the right thing, and need every bit of fortune they can get. BAM!!! buys a piece of Chinese crap that in a stressed situation cant figure out why it is not working. And worse, that all they need is the small ferro rod attached to start a fire with good tinder. This is like selling a parachute with 8 blown panels unconscionable.
I guess each one is different. Mine is junk. Scraping is difficult and the shavings don't ignite. The lesson here regardless, is test anything before depending on it in an emergency situation.
Here's what I have noticed with my cheap chinese fire starter. Mostly nothing happens, but every now and then I could get a small percentage of what little magnesium is in this block to burn briefly.
adam alden I repeated the videos test and initially got the same result. I later screwed around with three Harbor Freight starters and began to realize that the magnesium bar had a coating on it. Once I got that off I was able to get much larger shavings and I got similar results to the Doan. So u might try scraping the Chinese starters really well and repeat your test. It might also explain why people are getting different results.
@GuitarMonkey91 Hey thanks for your comment, the bars that didn't work in the video, didn't work no matter the size of the shavings, we tested from coarse to fine as powder and still no go. The Doan, the Coghlans, and the Coleman worked fine with any sized shavings, but the generics failed. Have a great day!!
Unfortunately we've done a lot of shows and talked to a lot of people over the years and it's surprising how many just buy stuff and throw it in a pack or kit and call it good. I still use my original Doan 31 years old, pretty worn, but still works.
Your video explained why I'm having a tough time getting the "Doan's" bar to light anything. Was shown how to use them by someone with a military Doan's bar, and thanks to your video answering my WTF, I'll be looking for a REAL Doan's bar.
+Trumble Research you must be real insecure then. you're a grown ass adult coming into our comments and insulting us. try doing something valuable with your life instead of attacking us for no reason
I've had doz's, Dones is the only one that works, the only one I'll carry. Had one back in the late 60's and early 70's worked great then too, don't waste your money, get a Dones
+Rob Aldridge Many very good products are made in China, and some really shoddy products are made in America. You have to be careful, wherever you buy a product.
+Rob Aldridge You did not say "cheap" you lumped everything together that is made in China. EVERYTHING made in China and imported into the US was made according to a contract or specifications the US seller made with the manufacturer. If the contract called for crap, then crap is what you get. If the contract called for iPhones then that is what you get. I am not defending China but the truth is the truth.
@Rantalicious The chepaest one at walmart should be a Coughlans which will work great for the magnesium. The striker rods do fall out though, so you have to be careful not to drop them! Thanks for the feedback! Have a great day!
I tested the Coleman's brand yesterday and the scraping was a pain in the ass but otherwise it worked ok. My main criticism is that the packaging had no directions. I had to figure out on my own, after lots of scraping and experimenting, that you need that quarter coin size pile to really create that ember-like effect. Now, in very wet conditions, you would need even more, I guess, but the stuff is light and can be a good assist in an emergency. This video was very informative, as I will now be looking to get the higher quality stuff, depending on the price. If it far exceeds the six bucks I spent on the Coleman, then I will stick with the lower grade. Thanks again for the info.
Try scrapping the coating off the Harbor Freight magnesium bar until it is very shiny. You can then get much larger shavings and results similar to the Doan
I truly love the concept, just being a low budget camper, the cost for me is the really only big draw back. If it was a 1/3 of the cost I honestly would pick one up to have to demonstrate to my Pathfinders(co-ed scouting program) and would suggest it to them as it is a good kit. The positives are: -self contained fire kit - the tinder looks like it is a good set up (looks like infused cotton) -having the guide chamber looks to keep from getting the unused sections you get from a unsheathed ferro rod. making for even ware on the rod - the directed spray looks nice to keep from spreading your tinder all over the place, and keeping things where you want them - I will have to try the sparking of fat wood and the shavings I have a fairly decent spray with my ferro rod, thanks for the idea!!! Love the looks of this product!!!
@1Prepared We have used the Coleman and it has worked fine as far as the shavings igniting, the striker rod breaks of in the drop test. This one tested better than a lot of them. As for your difficulty, moisture won't be a problem. Generally I prefer shavings finer than what you are using, but I've used everything from dust to coarse with success. The more concentrated your shavings pile the better. I like the Doan as it is as consistent now as 30 years ago. Thanks for your efforts.
@kc7fys We appreciate your thoughtful comment. It was mentioned "generic Chinese" for a reason, there are some mag bars made there that work fine, we don't yet know how they will hold up as they are new. Most of the unbranded Chinese mag bars do not work at all, they are just "copycat" products. I disagree that US products are not or cannot be superior, much of Chinese products are US designed and are made there due to the hostile stance the US govt has taken toward business. Have a great day!
@sparta435 It should last quite a while, mine is from the early '80's and I still have half the bar left, the spark rod is even with the magnesium bar in a lot of places, but it still works great, it just shaves a little magnesium along with the spark. Thanks a lot for your comment!!
You are correct, the current version that is in Harbor Freight actually does work without a hitch, and you can tell that the magnesium in it, is true magnesium.You just have to make sure and check whatever you end up purchasing. The key is to always test your gear, not just throw it in a bag and wait until you really need it! Thanks for commenting and thanks for watching!
@Tunnelfish They are considerably harder to scrape than the US made Doan bars. I think the Chinese bars have some magnesium in them, at least they can say it's a magnesium bar, haha. I wish I had a way to analyze the different bars for metal content. I have talked to the company that extrudes the bars for Doan. Thanks for the comment, have a great day!!
I bought my first one the other day. I got a Coleman at Wal Mart for $7.88 and it works like a champ. A minute or 2 of shaving and you get flames on the first strike. Great video!
@cliffcalloway1 Thank you so much for the feedback! These types of things are the reason that we do what we do! Glad to hear that you found out now, before you got into the "pinch" Thanks again for watching!
@Killahofosho I tested Coghlans, Doan, and Coleman, as well as a ton of generic. The Coghlans has had a serious problem with the striker rod coming off the bar, (new stock). The big issue has been lots of those companies who sell food storage, 72 hours kits, they throw in the cheap Chinese bars, that do not work at all. I have found those cheap bars also at a lot of Recreational Outlet type stores. Thanks for your comments!!
@scullyxscully Nice, thanks for the comment. The important thing, especially if they don't buy a Doan, is to test them to make sure they work. Walmart has carried a number of different brands, some better than others.
@robbabcock1969 I like lots of things for fire starting, flint and steel and fire pistons are my favorite fun way to start fire. I like the Doan Magnesium as my goto device because I can start more than a thousand fires with it and it becomes its own tinder. I've had mine for 30 years now, and it's what I use 90% of the time, it's still going strong through thick and thin...thanks for watching and especially for your comment.
This explains my past experiences with different Mg bars. Your best point was "test your gear". I have learned that the hard way more than once (with no serious consequences, thankfully).
@GuitarMonkey91 We appreciate your comments. The reason we did the video is that there are a lot of preparedness companies selling some generic mag sticks, that don't work at all. It's hard to tell what is good or bad without actually trying them. So aside from the name brands we know work, people have to be careful. Since Doan's patent ran out everyone is making them, many work, but some don't, and we don't want folks getting caught with a bad one. Thanks again, take care.
@NJPurling We have talked of having an analysis done, but determined that it would not be worth it, since there is no consistancy in generic brands anyway. The Doan is a known brand and product for decades, and it works. Although it would be fun to find out more info, the Doan works and that is the main thing we are concerned about. Generic brands would have to be constantly tested, and even then there is no way to know what you just bought in a store without testing it.Thanks for your comment
@TheBigpunn421 Yes burning Magnesium is very bright and you would not want to stare at it any more than watching a welder in action. Thank you for your comment on safety.
@bigsammieking Thanks for the comment, glad we could help. BTW we have the Doan bar in our firestarter kit on our site --- wildernessinnovation com --- Have a great day!!
PJ Balls work fantastic! We actually have a video using them. The problem becomes you can only carry so many of those, 1 mag bar will start a couple thousand fires depending on how much mag you shave and use per fire. This is the main reasons that we have our concentrater paper (Wax paper) to shave the mag shaving into, and start a fire quickly and easily! Thanks for your comment and thanks for watching!
@USBushcraft Yeah, that's what is crazy and why I call it fraud, some of those fire starters don't work at all, and they have to know it, someone had to try it, they just did something that looks like Doan, and didn't care if it worked or not. That's dangerous!! Thank you for the comment.
@FedReserv The crazy thing is some of them work fine others not at all, there is no way of telling without buying one and trying it. It's just copycats, who don't care if something actually works, as long as it "looks like it works." That's why we've stayed with Doan, their name is on the line and that's all they do, theirs has to work or it's over. Cost is not an issue really divide 2000 uses into $2 or $10, not much difference. Thanks for the comment, have a great day!!
@lewiscrew Hey thanks for your comment. We NEVER say in the video that Harbor Freight Mags don't work, The main point is that there are thousands of "Generic" look a likes sold to preppers that do not work at all, people should never just buy one and assume it works, if it does not work take it back to where you bought it. We like the Doan because it has never changed, always worked, some store brands change sources over time and wind up with what used to work doesn't now, TEST, TEST,TEST
Thanks for exposing that for what it is. I prefer the Doan Tool and have several. I was also give a number of the Coghlins fire starters and have had good results with both. I did have the rod fall off one of the Coghlins bars.
@straightupbowfisher It definitely depends on the magnesium and the brand. Some work great, most don't, but taking the time to practice with them and make sure is always the key! Glad to hear that you have one that works for you! Have a great day!
What I'm saying ,pcblah, is that yes people are in danger, perhaps die don't know for sure about that, because of two reasons related in this video. 1- People buy gear and don't test it or practice with it beforehand, 2- Some companies make gear that does not work, and apparently don't care about that. Thanks for the comment!!
@dokuya226 Haha, you are not the only one...I first found out when one of my kids told me they could not get theirs to work, so I tried it and sure enough it didn't, so I started investigating it.Thanks for watching and for your comments. Have a great day!!
@Colhane Thanks, I have used all the varieties I can find, the Coghlins works great, but the spark rod has fallen off all our test models. I'm sure it's possible, but I've never had one fall off a Doan, in all the hundreds we've used and tested.
@NWBushman They have an extruder in the US that makes the bars who I have corresponded with, they are a magnesium alloy made to Doan's specifications. I don't see any problem in the future with Doan, unless they were to change the composition, which there is no reason for them to do.
@Killahofosho Yeah, for sure!! I actually had a comment about the flint being the only good thing in that mag bar, but I wound up clipping it out in editing....thanks for watching
Great informative video. I use a coleman firestarter bar that was made in china. I just tested it. My shavings aren't as large, but it started relatively quickly with about a dime sized pile of powder and a few large shavings. Do the size of the shavings make a difference?
bottom line: TEST ALL GEAR before putting it in your kit. Inexpensive does not mean low quality. for example Mora knives are inexpensive but many outdoorsmen swear by them.
+James teffertiller you are absolutely correct!!!
I have used many chinese mag fire starters and they all have worked flawlessly.
I have two Colman ones and they work as advertised. It takes a spark better than a flame. It's best to scrape the smallest shavings as you can so the ignition is easier.
206 chinese people watched this
Lets not totally lose the the ability to laugh
+Sagrotan And you make the only one of your kind to watch. I don't know what kind you are though. How is using any of the words she used racist? Are there not Chinese people in the world? While it is unlikely that she could have determined that 206 of the them saw this, it is in no way a racist comment.
+onetwothree57 I wrote this to that moron, "Sagrotan". And you make the only one of your kind to watch. I don't know what kind you are though. How is using any of the words she used racist? Are there not Chinese people in the world? While it is unlikely that she could have determined that 206 of the them saw this, it is in no way a racist comment
Michael Johnson very true about stereo types, alot of times they are true.
however Chinese falls under the interesting category of both race and nationality, this is because of them being mostly closed off for a few thousand years. somewhat like the Jews. being Jewish it is a religion but it is also a race, because for decades they only procreated with eachother.
I've had magnesium fire starters for some years and didn't realize there were cheap versions that didn't work. In a survival situation these cheap bars could cost someone their life. Thank you for bringing this to our attention!
The Doan brand is what I have in my kit. It works spot-on. I have a firestarter kit that has multiple ways to start a fire 1) Hookah lighter. Provides a nice jet. Looks like a small blowtorch. 2) Storm matches, packed in an Xotac match safe. 3) Strike Force flint and steel. Last resort - the Doan magnesium bar. LOTS of small packaged tinder too. Char cloth, all that. Yeah, it's overkill. I know....
This is truly scary. Make sure you test your mag bar fire starter. Also a tip, you need very little mag shavings to start a fire when you mix them with fatwood shavings.
I have a Coleman, made in China. I just tested it. It works fine.
Well I feel better knowing Coleman has standards imposed to their China imports. Buy Coleman - ok.
digitalcurrents,
more than likely the same fire starter as the Harbor Freight(coming from the same Chinese factory) in a different package!
It isn't like it used to be for a great many products there is one factory making the products and the rest is rebranding! You can get Sony TV's (made at the Sony factory from the same parts as Sony TV's) way cheaper with different brand names on them, clothes washers same deal, You can get a several different high end ones or the exact same model with the exact same internals just different branding. Don't even get me started on riding lawn mowers, I have a john deer and have seen 15 other brands that absolutely came out of the same factory, same external frame, open the hood, same internals and internal design. Different color and it says just Briggs and Stratton on the engine not John Deer engine made by Briggs and Stratton. You do get better warranties and customer service buying the brand names and that and advertising is where the premium price tag on name brand gear comes from. I just bought a central Air system for my house it is an American Standard branded. It was built at the same factory with the exact same internals and design as Trane. Want proof here you go
www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/Recall-Alerts/2014/Trane-Recalls-Air-Conditioning-Systems/ read the consumer recall of one of their units then look and the manufacturer of all of the units! Trane and American Standard units were recalled and the manufacturer for all... Trane
Tango T There are differences between the Doan and generic. Some are just OK but that military grade USA bar is best!
I'll spend a little extra for U.S. made products. At least if something doesn't work when I get it, there is someone accountable I can talk to directly and they'll make it right.
thersten Same
No, No, No, that's the fire proof fire starter!
+Bryan St.Martin Haha....
+Wilderness Innovation It looks to me like there's a whole lot of tin or aluminum, something that's cheap and won't rust, in that bar you've got...did it ever tarnish, or change color from that shiny silver?
I am very grateful to you for making me go into my bug out bag to check if my Mg. bar was the Real McCoy, and it is! Made in the USA is stamped right into the dull gray block that burns white hot and the ferrocerrite rod is well bonded in the groove.
Now I can rest easier, but will pass on the word not to buy anything Chinese as after things like this just prove their country doesn't deserve my dollar...
+Knolltop Farms Ya damn right, Aluminum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+Nate D Oddly enough, aluminum is actually one of the key ingredients of solid rocket fuel.
Bryan St.Martin That's true, and if you know that you must know that to burn Aluminum you'd need an oxidizer stronger than air...
Can you say "PEPCON disaster"? ;)
Thank you for your fine video. Good use of Metrology, i.e. the science of measurement.
As a Scout, back in the '60s, we learned to use flint, steel, and steel wool. Not nearly so easy and nearly impossible if the steel wool got wet. 20 years later I became a Scout leader and fell in love with the magnesium blocks! A high quality striker kit is nearly indispensable part of ones survival kit.
I've got a Harbor Freight version and it works excellent for $2.35 no complaints
Excellent, thanks for the report !!
Huh, strange. There are some reviews on the Harbor Freight site that say they don't work, and some that do. Maybe there's more than one factory making the same product, and one is corrupt.
Here in Fall 2022 my local HF had them for $1.50 on sale (pre-tax).
Years ago when I worked for a waste water plant we were cleaning out the grit settlers and I found a Doan's buried in the grit. The date stamped on the lower left was 6/84. I found it in 2000. Works fine.
Cliff Owens they are really great, interesting story thanks!!
I'd love to see them both analyzed to see what alloy they are using. The Chinese version might not even be magnesium.
+VTPSTTU I guessed it could just be aluminum...?
+Reichtangle If it were iron, don't you think it would rust up pretty quickly? I do agree that it is some sort of pot metal mix with little to no Magnesium in it. I know I'll be spreading the word around with my bros not to buy any survival or camping gear that's Chinese...they don't give one whit about their customers.
Knolltop Farms There's tons of quality Chinese products out there dude, this is literally a fluke. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it's fake and this guy sabotaged it by putting different metal in the pile. You know he sells these things right? I've got a Chinese bar that works perfect so this baffles me. Actually most of my gear is made in China and works perfect
Thanks for the warning! Can we assume Coglhans is good?
Red Coat yes Coglhans is good
Use your equipment before you go out. Simple. If it doesn't work, toss it. But learn that lesson before you trot out in the woods.
We hope we get a million views too! ;) We really did this video so that we can educate people to make sure that they check their gear and practice, before they get out into a situation that they desperately need it! Thanks for the feedback, and thanks for watching!
"look how hu-white it is!"
@cbarsonfire YES! Doan originally patented their mag bar for the military, and it is the only fire starter that they use, and as far as I know still is. Thanks for the comment, and thanks for serving our great country!
I got 3 from eBay from China, I used them as fishing weights in the end lol same as your findings
I'm happy you found a good use for them !! Thanks for the comment.
I used my Chinese one 8 months ago and it seemed fine. Two weeks ago it tried it and the magnesium just glowed a little in some spots but would not fire up. So I tried one more time to determine if I should dump it (I have two). This time I made a large pile, which takes at least 200 scrapes with the file. It finally did start though so I decided to keep them just in case.
I would not buy another Chinese bar again, but I will keep using mine even though I already have a great fire kit.
the prophet ez1 The generic ones are unpredictable you just never know, sometimes you get a good one sometimes not. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Okay here's the deal. Thanks for this video so that people are aware of the potential issues with these & can test them out before relying on them in a pinch. I bought one from Harbor Freight, the cheapest of the cheap. At approx. 43 degrees in my garage, I took a folded paper towel, set it on my garage floor, scraped some magnesium from the block, moved the shavings into a pile, struck the ferro rod into the magnesium powder on the paper towel & it lit up light a campfire in a fraction of a second & burned the entire paper towel to ash in about 10 seconds.
I think what few people realize is that no matter what kind of outdoor gadgets a person has, you have to test them out & hone your skills with these tools or you might as well throw your money away. There are no substitutes for honed skills & practice when it comes to survival. There are no magic gadgets that make the skillset of the individual into a superhero, but this $3 fire-starter from harbor freight is the next best thing to using gasoline or gunpowder to start a fire. This was my first time ever using one of these & I only had to strike the ferro rod twice into the magnesium to get it to light.
I'm sure others haven't had as much success, but even if they had to spend $10 purchasing several of these or epoxy the ferro rod back into the magnesium block before they have one that works well, it would be well worth the purchases. This is an amazing tool. Thanks for the heads up.
+Duster Dan "Feral" means wild, you mean ferrous.
+Jeff Stanley Yes, whatever... You know what I mean. I don't even know the correct pronunciation on this one, let alone the correct spelling.
+Jeff Stanley which would be said as "Ferro"
+Jeremy Hall There... I took the time to correct my spelling, out of respect to all. Have a blessed weekend!
Duster Dan I top use the harbor frieght I actually pretty shave (drill) my blocks works like a champ I even get major sparks from the rod I personally take the rods out
Some of the fire starters we tested had a tendency for the shavings to stick together and even worse than that, they didn't want to release from the magnesium bar. So in effect the bar was softer and sort of gummy in that for example on the Doan Bar the shavings just fall right off in a pile. Some machinists use this term when machining some types of aluminum, the shavings tend to stick and not throw free of the machined area, thus gumming up the work. Thanks for the comment
Carry a lighter. Learn how to start a fire with flint and steel. Learn how to start friction fires. You should have at least three options. Redundancy is key. And try to have fun learning new skills.
+AJStreetss Absolutely, learn all the ways you can to start fire, not only is it fun, but it makes you safer too, with greater abilities. thanks for watching.
@chevygearhead454 Thanks for your comment. Yes we tested the Coleman and it does work, we still prefer the Doan however. We have not discovered anything we prefer over the Doan, and with it's track record, it's even more desirable. When you calculate the number of fires that can be started with a Mag bar, the cost is pennies each, so to chance another brand for a few bucks less, is almost senseless. Have a great day!!
I bought one a few years ago. I never could get it to work. I thought it was something I was doing wrong. Threw it into the bottom of the gun cabinet and forgot about it until I saw this video. Pulled it out, and sure enough it is the wrong color and made in China. I got about a quarter-sized pile on top of some birch bark and sparked it. I got enough spark that the birch bark started an ember then burst into flame, but the shavings from the magnesium bar never lit!
@norsmetal Thank you for your comment. We are not attempting to downplay our competition, we are pointing out that there are literally thousands of generic magnesium fire starters that do not work at all, period. They just copied the original in appearance. The main thing about the Doan's is they are the same they always work, you never know when an off brand will change manufacturer. We have tested some that worked last year that don't this year. Bottom line, test what you buy. Thanks again!!
Great video. I never trust any mag bar unless it's an actual military spec GSA contract one. They last forever and as in your vid, they burn incredibly and will save your arse when it's on the line.
@envirosponsible Thanks for the comment. I have never had a problem with a Doan Mag in nearly 30 years, nor anyone I know, they are military spec. I have had tons of problems with others, however. The Doan also is soft and easy to scrape, most of the Chinese made I tested are almost impossible to scrape. Take care man!!
Made in China: must be cheap, bad quality product
Made in USA: aw, nah, must be a bad batch!
+joey8obby USA, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, and a few other European countries are know for their quality. The rest of the world is not.
+Dead Channel 5 I don't really think quality when I think of the USA.
Devin Shillington
That's because you are an idiot brain washed by biased media. Just go google it.
+Dead Channel 5 no, I think that because other countries make MUCH better products than the USA.
Devin Shillington
Trinkets and other junk maybe. and even then they do not compare to the quality of most united states manufacturers. You are not thinking about machined items, tooling, and highly engineered products that take good man power to make at a high price.
Sorry but you are just flat out wrong.
And again go google it. A country that doesn't use cheap labor/slave labor makes good products
After watching your video I went to try out the mag bar I've been carrying with me for about 6 months, which I've not had occasion to use/try. I've just thrown it away because I couldn't get the shaving to burn when I put a match to the shavings. I just bought a Doan Magnesium Fire starter to replace it. It never crossed my mind that someone would mfg an EMERGENCY fire starter that doesn't work. Thank you for taking the time & trouble to produce this video.
Great video! If I were in a life or death situation and had to depend on that Chinese made "firestarter," I'd be dead. Heck, a bow drill set up is better that the Chinese block. I'm going to be buying only DOAN! Thanks for the video! MiF
Yup. For an extra few bucks, a Doan is good insurance.
Wow. Good to know. I've been toting around one of these for years and never thought about testing it.
I've enjoyed this video several times - good honest information
@JusLookinRound804 The Coghlans bars we tested did work to start fires, however they have a problem that the striker rod breaks loose easily in a lot of them, in fact every Coghlans we tested failed when dropped from 30" other than that we like them. They are US made. The ones that were really troublesome were the generic Chinese, which mostly failed to light at all. Colemans current model is Chinese made and worked great in the testing. Thanks for your comments!!
The proof is in the product alright. EXCELLENT comparison demo video. Can't get any more practical than you experiments recorded. Thank you sir for clarifying these quality contrasts. Nice job indeed.
@Calliber50 Very glad to hear that you have the Doan! Thanks again for watching!
put some vinegar on it.magnesium will foam after a few seconds
@o0ThunderGod0o Thanks for the comment. We tried 3 of the Coghlans in the test, they all started fire well, but they all failed a 30" drop test, where the spark rod broke away from the mag bar. They were all purchased new, other than that they were great.
The Chinese one is pressed aluminum and something else not magnesium. Which will create its own oxygen. One reason once magnesium lights it burns till it's all gone.
Good to know!
Claude Rains
wow, what the amazing accident to meet you here and catch you one more time on ignorance
>The Chinese one is pressed aluminum and something else not magnesium. Which will create its own oxygen. One reason once magnesium lights it burns till it's all gone.
magnesium is a highly reactive metal (thin layer of oxide protects it in normal conditions) - it doesn't "create its own oxygen" (fkn how? nuclear fission? :))) - it burns in air's oxygen - it's why it doesn't burn same violently when magnesium oxide covers it on the top
BTW, try to drop some water (not much though) on burning magnesium... but carefully, outside, on fireproof surface - and try to explain what's going on with your mind-blowing "wisdom" :)
As I already said some time ago - ignorance is your bliss, Claude Rains
You can't extinguish magnesium once it's starts to burn with water for one as water contains oxygen molecules for one moron.
Like I said these bars create the own oxygen because they combine magnesium and aluminum to accomplish there task!
Now go fuck your self and learn to read the description and the object being discussed in this video. As I wasn't giving a chemistry class.
Oh and if you come back with some lame ass other reason. Go ask how NASA launched the LEM off the moon without oxygen and the solid fuel rocket. I'll tell you how. They used an oxidizer and corrosive to make sure it was fool proof!
Class dismissed.
Claude Rains
>You can't extinguish magnesium once it's starts to burn with water
I didn't say you can extinguish it with water, moron - I asked what's going on when you drop some water on burning magnesium - and my precaution said enough what to expect.
>for one as water contains oxygen molecules for one moron.
Water doesn't contain oxygen molecules, you idiot, - molecule of oxygen is O2, and water obviously contains molecules of water H2O - what's going on is that due to high temperature water decomposes into oxygen and hydrogen, and oxygen reacts with magnesium, producing magnesium oxide, and hydrogen burns in air's oxygen producing water, also some magnesium hydroxide produces due to direct reaction magnesium with water:
2Mg + 2H2O + O2(from air) -> 2Mg + (2H2 + O2)(decomposing) + O2(from air) = 2MgO + 2H2O
2Mg + 4H2O + O2(from air) = 2Mg(OH)2 + 2H2O
lol, you are so fkn stupid that can not distinguish atoms from molecules :)))
>Like I said these bars create the own oxygen
no, they don't - LEARN PHYSICS ALREADY, idiot
>because they combine magnesium and aluminum to accomplish there task!
lol what? :))))) firstly, magnesium-aluminium alloys are LESS flammable
secondly, how??? fkn *HOW* aluminium and magnesium produce oxygen???? nuclear fission? :))) oh gosh, you are so stupid :)
thirdly, no, you said: "The Chinese one is pressed aluminum and something else not magnesium" - you didn't say that working bars contain aluminium - you said COMPLETELY OPPOSITE (besides they don't - they are pure magnesium - that good bars...) - you are a fkn liar... well, as usual
>As I wasn't giving a chemistry class.
because you fkn can't - because you are a fkn ignorant lying prick :)
>I'll tell you how. They used an oxidizer
AHAHAHAHAHAHA :)))))
yeah, oxidizer - i.e. chemical which can OXIDIZE - because there was no common earth oxidizer - OXYGEN
and magnesium is a fkn REDUCTANT - it can't oxidize anything - it DONATES electrons :)))))))))))))
>and corrosive
yeah, salt is salty :)))
you even don't understand what you are talking about :)))
>Class dismissed.
ROFL
learn something, stupid prick
go back to school, ignoramus :))))))))))
*PS and don't forget to answer how magnesium with aluminium produce oxygen :))))*
THANK YOU for this. I don't have one but I've bought them for my nephews. I didn't expect the fraud. I appreciate you passing the word to me and other unsuspecting novices.
Yeah that was pretty huait.
@Quinvarius Excellent, you did the right thing in testing it. Since most of those are generic, you have no idea if they work or not without testing. We use the Doan because they don't change the formulation, they always work. Even so anyone who has a mag bar or whatever for fire starting should test and use it as much as possible so they can be confident in the ability to start a fire with it. Thanks for your comment!!
NOTHING BEAUSE IS ALUMINIUM !! GIL ! JAJAJAJA
@wanker2us That's great to hear, we want everyone to test theirs, and not just assume they work, thanks for watching, have a great day!!
Perhaps it's just a mistake in translation and the Chinese one is supposed to say "Fire Retardant"?
Haha, It gives you exercise trying to light it...
U'r on to it, Pete. Good man
@gnetix1 Thanks. We did test a new Coleman and it did work fine, however I don't know if they are consistent or not. The Doan is always a safe bet, never a problem in over 25 years. Have a great day, thanks for watching our videos!!
You have got to love/hate the Chinese for their copying/duplicating behavior. Go to AliExpress.com and look up Chris Reeve Sebenza knife. They have copied his $400 knife and sell it for $60 along with a lot other premium grade $50-500 pocket knives. The Chinese copy everything. Imagine their Nuclear Reactor or Atomic Bomb copies.
China along with Russia should be smoldering in nuclear waste with trump in the middle of it!!!
@vmelkon Thanks for the comment, I wish I had a way to analyze the content of all the bars to see what's in them. I did talk to one of the premier magnesium extruders, and was told that all the bars are Magnesium alloys. Some with little magnesium content. It would be nice to know how much.. One thing I would mention about the Coghlans, we tested a number of them, and they work great for fire starting, the only downside is the spark rod is not secure and comes loose easily. Thanks!!
The fake one looks like alumineum to me. Sure it even is magnesium? I know from chemistry magnesium burns.
+Filip Wessman They are all sold as magnesium, but they are not all made the same that is for sure. Yes magnesium burns white hot. Fine aluminum and steel will also burn, but none are easy to scrape as magnesium, nor do they burn so hot.
I wouldn't say it's ALL chinese shit that sucks, just the stuff we seem to buy :\
But yeah, over-alloying is a douchebag sales technique, if it can even be called that. Like you said, these people trust their lives with this kinda thing, and I'm certain this scam has screwed over many people right when they need it to work.
I have a Coghlan's, made in America. It works but its extremely hard to 'shave some off with a knife'. I used a large file and it took about 30 minutes to make a pile the size of a half dollar. The powder wouldn't light from a lighter or a match but the sparks from flint and steel lit it. And it does work. Just have your tinder handy. I think a better set up would be to carry flint and steel and a film canister half full of powdered mag you made ahead of time. If you have a piece of dry paper it makes a nice base to build the fire on because it will light the paper
KHWWWWWWWWWIIIIIIIIIITE :D
Haha I was like why is he putting so much emphasis on the H
@BlackWolfDesigns Very happy to here that you were still prepared in that situation! It's always a good idea to test gear before we take it out and NEED it! Thanks for watching, and thanks for the GREAT comment!
Unfortunately people in the know now use big quality ferro rods. The less knowledgeable who are trying to do the right thing, and need every bit of fortune they can get. BAM!!! buys a piece of Chinese crap that in a stressed situation cant figure out why it is not working. And worse, that all they need is the small ferro rod attached to start a fire with good tinder. This is like selling a parachute with 8 blown panels unconscionable.
My starter from Harbor Freight matches the experience shown here. Glad I tried it at home first, and even more glad I found this site.
those Chinese bars do too work your just not doing it right.
I guess each one is different. Mine is junk. Scraping is difficult and the shavings don't ignite. The lesson here regardless, is test anything before depending on it in an emergency situation.
Here's what I have noticed with my cheap chinese fire starter. Mostly nothing happens, but every now and then I could get a small percentage of what little magnesium is in this block to burn briefly.
adam alden I repeated the videos test and initially got the same result. I later screwed around with three Harbor Freight starters and began to realize that the magnesium bar had a coating on it. Once I got that off I was able to get much larger shavings and I got similar results to the Doan. So u might try scraping the Chinese starters really well and repeat your test. It might also explain why people are getting different results.
@GuitarMonkey91 Hey thanks for your comment, the bars that didn't work in the video, didn't work no matter the size of the shavings, we tested from coarse to fine as powder and still no go. The Doan, the Coghlans, and the Coleman worked fine with any sized shavings, but the generics failed. Have a great day!!
gues the chinese is made of aluminum.
Exactly what I was thinking
Unfortunately we've done a lot of shows and talked to a lot of people over the years and it's surprising how many just buy stuff and throw it in a pack or kit and call it good. I still use my original Doan 31 years old, pretty worn, but still works.
I had 5 or 6 of the Chinese one's and couldn't get any of them to work. They were cheap, now they are trash. Won't buy Chinese again.
Definately get one of the Military versions.
Your video explained why I'm having a tough time getting the "Doan's" bar to light anything. Was shown how to use them by someone with a military Doan's bar, and thanks to your video answering my WTF, I'll be looking for a REAL Doan's bar.
this guy sounds like trump
That's what I said that's why he is hating on the Chinese lol
yo i was thinking that 😂
+Trumble Research you must be real insecure then. you're a grown ass adult coming into our comments and insulting us. try doing something valuable with your life instead of attacking us for no reason
+Trumble Research lol ur butt hurt kuz u got trolled by a 15 year old .
I've had doz's, Dones is the only one that works, the only one I'll carry. Had one back in the late 60's and early 70's worked great then too, don't waste your money, get a Dones
its made in CHINA for Petes sake, you REALLY expect quality ?
+Rob Aldridge Many very good products are made in China, and some really shoddy products are made in America. You have to be careful, wherever you buy a product.
+Rob Aldridge They make iPhones in China and while I am not an iPhone guy, a heck of a lot of people swear by them.
+Jeff Stanley and LEAD painted toys are made there as well, we arent talking about electronics, we are talking about a CHEAPLY made item here
+Rob Aldridge You did not say "cheap" you lumped everything together that is made in China. EVERYTHING made in China and imported into the US was made according to a contract or specifications the US seller made with the manufacturer. If the contract called for crap, then crap is what you get. If the contract called for iPhones then that is what you get. I am not defending China but the truth is the truth.
OK .... CHEAP, there, do you feel better now ??
@Rantalicious The chepaest one at walmart should be a Coughlans which will work great for the magnesium. The striker rods do fall out though, so you have to be careful not to drop them! Thanks for the feedback! Have a great day!
I tested the Coleman's brand yesterday and the scraping was a pain in the ass but otherwise it worked ok. My main criticism is that the packaging had no directions. I had to figure out on my own, after lots of scraping and experimenting, that you need that quarter coin size pile to really create that ember-like effect. Now, in very wet conditions, you would need even more, I guess, but the stuff is light and can be a good assist in an emergency. This video was very informative, as I will now be looking to get the higher quality stuff, depending on the price. If it far exceeds the six bucks I spent on the Coleman, then I will stick with the lower grade. Thanks again for the info.
Try scrapping the coating off the Harbor Freight magnesium bar until it is very shiny. You can then get much larger shavings and results similar to the Doan
I truly love the concept, just being a low budget camper, the cost for me is the really only big draw back. If it was a 1/3 of the cost I honestly would pick one up to have to demonstrate to my Pathfinders(co-ed scouting program) and would suggest it to them as it is a good kit.
The positives are:
-self contained fire kit
- the tinder looks like it is a good set up (looks like infused cotton)
-having the guide chamber looks to keep from getting the unused sections you get from a unsheathed ferro rod.
making for even ware on the rod
- the directed spray looks nice to keep from spreading your tinder all over the place, and keeping things where you want them
- I will have to try the sparking of fat wood and the shavings I have a fairly decent spray with my ferro rod, thanks for the idea!!!
Love the looks of this product!!!
@1Prepared We have used the Coleman and it has worked fine as far as the shavings igniting, the striker rod breaks of in the drop test. This one tested better than a lot of them. As for your difficulty, moisture won't be a problem. Generally I prefer shavings finer than what you are using, but I've used everything from dust to coarse with success. The more concentrated your shavings pile the better. I like the Doan as it is as consistent now as 30 years ago. Thanks for your efforts.
@kc7fys We appreciate your thoughtful comment. It was mentioned "generic Chinese" for a reason, there are some mag bars made there that work fine, we don't yet know how they will hold up as they are new. Most of the unbranded Chinese mag bars do not work at all, they are just "copycat" products. I disagree that US products are not or cannot be superior, much of Chinese products are US designed and are made there due to the hostile stance the US govt has taken toward business. Have a great day!
@sparta435 It should last quite a while, mine is from the early '80's and I still have half the bar left, the spark rod is even with the magnesium bar in a lot of places, but it still works great, it just shaves a little magnesium along with the spark. Thanks a lot for your comment!!
You are correct, the current version that is in Harbor Freight actually does work without a hitch, and you can tell that the magnesium in it, is true magnesium.You just have to make sure and check whatever you end up purchasing. The key is to always test your gear, not just throw it in a bag and wait until you really need it!
Thanks for commenting and thanks for watching!
@GringoGimp Great comment, glad to see you are a scout leader, it's one of the best things a guy can do, thanks for watching!!
@Tunnelfish They are considerably harder to scrape than the US made Doan bars. I think the Chinese bars have some magnesium in them, at least they can say it's a magnesium bar, haha. I wish I had a way to analyze the different bars for metal content. I have talked to the company that extrudes the bars for Doan. Thanks for the comment, have a great day!!
I bought my first one the other day. I got a Coleman at Wal Mart for $7.88 and it works like a champ. A minute or 2 of shaving and you get flames on the first strike. Great video!
@Teckroom103 You are welcome, we had hoped to help people make sure they get gear that works correctly, thanks for watching
@cliffcalloway1 Thank you so much for the feedback! These types of things are the reason that we do what we do! Glad to hear that you found out now, before you got into the "pinch" Thanks again for watching!
@Killahofosho I tested Coghlans, Doan, and Coleman, as well as a ton of generic. The Coghlans has had a serious problem with the striker rod coming off the bar, (new stock). The big issue has been lots of those companies who sell food storage, 72 hours kits, they throw in the cheap Chinese bars, that do not work at all. I have found those cheap bars also at a lot of Recreational Outlet type stores. Thanks for your comments!!
@scullyxscully Nice, thanks for the comment. The important thing, especially if they don't buy a Doan, is to test them to make sure they work. Walmart has carried a number of different brands, some better than others.
@robbabcock1969 I like lots of things for fire starting, flint and steel and fire pistons are my favorite fun way to start fire. I like the Doan Magnesium as my goto device because I can start more than a thousand fires with it and it becomes its own tinder. I've had mine for 30 years now, and it's what I use 90% of the time, it's still going strong through thick and thin...thanks for watching and especially for your comment.
This explains my past experiences with different Mg bars. Your best point was "test your gear". I have learned that the hard way more than once (with no serious consequences, thankfully).
@GuitarMonkey91 We appreciate your comments. The reason we did the video is that there are a lot of preparedness companies selling some generic mag sticks, that don't work at all. It's hard to tell what is good or bad without actually trying them. So aside from the name brands we know work, people have to be careful. Since Doan's patent ran out everyone is making them, many work, but some don't, and we don't want folks getting caught with a bad one. Thanks again, take care.
@NJPurling We have talked of having an analysis done, but determined that it would not be worth it, since there is no consistancy in generic brands anyway. The Doan is a known brand and product for decades, and it works. Although it would be fun to find out more info, the Doan works and that is the main thing we are concerned about. Generic brands would have to be constantly tested, and even then there is no way to know what you just bought in a store without testing it.Thanks for your comment
You can measure its weight and volume. Magnesium is very light, 1.7 gram per cm^3, while aluminium is 4.something (check wiki). Eureka.
@TheBigpunn421 Yes burning Magnesium is very bright and you would not want to stare at it any more than watching a welder in action. Thank you for your comment on safety.
Thanks for this video and the time. I have had some similar results. It goes back to always testing your equipment before actually needing it.
@Canoots We have found the Coleman to work well at this time, the only negative in testing was the spark rod separated from the bar in our shock test.
@bigsammieking Thanks for the comment, glad we could help. BTW we have the Doan bar in our firestarter kit on our site --- wildernessinnovation com --- Have a great day!!
PJ Balls work fantastic! We actually have a video using them. The problem becomes you can only carry so many of those, 1 mag bar will start a couple thousand fires depending on how much mag you shave and use per fire. This is the main reasons that we have our concentrater paper (Wax paper) to shave the mag shaving into, and start a fire quickly and easily!
Thanks for your comment and thanks for watching!
@USBushcraft Yeah, that's what is crazy and why I call it fraud, some of those fire starters don't work at all, and they have to know it, someone had to try it, they just did something that looks like Doan, and didn't care if it worked or not. That's dangerous!! Thank you for the comment.
@FedReserv The crazy thing is some of them work fine others not at all, there is no way of telling without buying one and trying it. It's just copycats, who don't care if something actually works, as long as it "looks like it works." That's why we've stayed with Doan, their name is on the line and that's all they do, theirs has to work or it's over. Cost is not an issue really divide 2000 uses into $2 or $10, not much difference. Thanks for the comment, have a great day!!
@LiveLongGear That is a motto that we stand by, that is why we love doing these videos! Thanks for the comment and support!
@lewiscrew Hey thanks for your comment. We NEVER say in the video that Harbor Freight Mags don't work, The main point is that there are thousands of "Generic" look a likes sold to preppers that do not work at all, people should never just buy one and assume it works, if it does not work take it back to where you bought it. We like the Doan because it has never changed, always worked, some store brands change sources over time and wind up with what used to work doesn't now, TEST, TEST,TEST
Thanks for exposing that for what it is. I prefer the Doan Tool and have several. I was also give a number of the Coghlins fire starters and have had good results with both. I did have the rod fall off one of the Coghlins bars.
@straightupbowfisher It definitely depends on the magnesium and the brand. Some work great, most don't, but taking the time to practice with them and make sure is always the key! Glad to hear that you have one that works for you! Have a great day!
What I'm saying ,pcblah, is that yes people are in danger, perhaps die don't know for sure about that, because of two reasons related in this video. 1- People buy gear and don't test it or practice with it beforehand, 2- Some companies make gear that does not work, and apparently don't care about that. Thanks for the comment!!
@dokuya226 Haha, you are not the only one...I first found out when one of my kids told me they could not get theirs to work, so I tried it and sure enough it didn't, so I started investigating it.Thanks for watching and for your comments. Have a great day!!
@Colhane Thanks, I have used all the varieties I can find, the Coghlins works great, but the spark rod has fallen off all our test models. I'm sure it's possible, but I've never had one fall off a Doan, in all the hundreds we've used and tested.
@NWBushman They have an extruder in the US that makes the bars who I have corresponded with, they are a magnesium alloy made to Doan's specifications. I don't see any problem in the future with Doan, unless they were to change the composition, which there is no reason for them to do.
@Killahofosho Yeah, for sure!! I actually had a comment about the flint being the only good thing in that mag bar, but I wound up clipping it out in editing....thanks for watching
Great informative video. I use a coleman firestarter bar that was made in china. I just tested it. My shavings aren't as large, but it started relatively quickly with about a dime sized pile of powder and a few large shavings. Do the size of the shavings make a difference?