Making a Campfire With The Kupilka Firesteel: A Skill For Life
The industrious and reliable ferro rod firesteel tool has been helping folks start fires in many different environments and situations for more years than we can count. There's a reason why most outdoor enthusiasts carry one in their pack and why no one has ever won on outdoor survival reality shows like Alone without using one - they are essential, lightweight, long-lasting fire starters that you can depend on.
While some folks might also refer to these tools as "flint-and-steel", a ferro rod is actually made up of ferrocerium, rather than flint (rock) - they have different chemical compounds, but are very similarly used to create sparks and light fires.
As you probably already know about us, when it comes to choosing our favourite tools to recommend, like axes, shovels, safety razors, or even nail clippers, we've become quite picky over the years and won't settle for lesser alternatives even if we're stocked out of something we love (sorry, not sorry!!)
Luckily for us, when it comes to strikers, we've always had The Kupilka Firesteel to depend on and recommend to thousands of interested folks over the years, making the Kupilkas a staple of Kent of Inglewood. And not just because they come in nice colours!
"Kupilka Firesteel was designed together with Karu Survival, the leading company in eastern Finland specialized in teaching bushcraft and survival skills. Both the firesteel and striker are tied with a reindeer leather cord which you can use to tie the tool on your belt or side of the backpack.
Kupilka Firesteel 8 is awarded in 2019 as both Scandinavian Outdoor Award, Hardware Winner and ISPO Award, Outdoor/Tools & Equipment Winner."
How to Light a Campfire with a Firesteel
Aside from the firesteel, you'll also need some kindling, pre-cut and organized by size. When the fire starts, you don't want to be scrambling to cut more. You'll want something to catch the spark, like dryer lint and very fine wood shavings or sawdust. If you want a real challenge, you could create a Feather Stick to catch the flame. Check out our blog How-To Make Feather sticks Like a Pro to keep growing your outdoor skills and confidence with bushcrafting!
First Step: Holding the Striker & steel/rod
Hover the end of the ferro rod downward quite close to your tinder or feather stick. Place the blade, or coarser edge of the steel striker, where the handle meets the rod at a 45-degree angle and get ready to see some sparks.
Another reason we love the Kupilka is for their comfortable, custom-made, natural fibre composite handles. You get a good grip on the Kupilka handle even with the gloves on, which you'll need as we move onto step 2!
Step 2: Striking the rod to create sparks
Ferrocerium is a synthetic alloy that is highly pyrophoric (capable of igniting spontaneously in air). When the rod is struck with a striker, or flat spine of a knife, very fine shavings are created at high speeds. These shavings oxidize very quickly when they come in contact with the air, and combine with the heat from the friction of the burning metal striker or knife, which will make a flurry of sparks in all directions!
Don't be afraid of these sparks; you'll want to create a healthy amount of them in order to increase the chances of them catching onto the tinder and starting a fire.
Step 3: Igniting the tinder (Hardest part! Don't get discouraged.)
Contrary to popular belief, the best method is not to move the striker, but the rod. Angle the striker on the rod at 45 degrees, apply light pressure, and draw the rod back quickly, like you're pulling the starter on a chainsaw. You'll also want to do full, complete swipes along the entire length of the rod to prevent it from wearing out too much in the middle.
This technique allows you to hold the striker steady, so you can aim the sparks and avoid knocking over your tinder.
If you have somehow lost your striker (no judgement, but they're literally tied to the rod, how did you do that?? Again, no judgement! Judgement free zone right here), there is another alternative way to strike a ferro rod and simultaneously look like a badass.
Using a knife as a striker:
A fixed blade knife with a flatter, sharp back end or spine of the knife with a chunky handle for extra grip can get the job done too. Although potentially more dangerous, and requiring more practice, this technique is often best used away from other people just to be extra safe. We recommend The Viking from Helle as a sweet knife for the job.
And with that concludes our guide on using a Kupilka Firesteel to start a campfire! Once you've got a healthy spark that's caught onto the tinder, you'll need to nurture the flame, slowly adding more tinder and oxygen as it spreads to the rest of your wood. Don't crowd the flame, and have fun!
If you'd like us to write another blog on how to build a proper fire from your lit kindling, send us an email or hit us up on Instagram @kentofinglewood
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