Master the Flame: How to Use Your Firelight Leather Fire-Starter Necklace
- Thistle & Bone
- Apr 3
- 5 min read
Welcome! Whether you're a seasoned outdoors enthusiast or just getting started with survival skills, your Firelight Leather Fire-Starter Necklace is a reliable and convenient tool to have on hand. This stylish necklace isn't just an accessory; it's a functional fire starter designed for ease of use and dependability. This guide will walk you through its components and teach you how to create fire whenever you need it and if you haven't picked one up yet, go to our shop and get yours HERE.
Understanding Your Fire-Starting Necklace
Let's get familiar with the parts of your necklace:
Ferrocerium Rod (Ferro Rod): This is the roughly 1.5-inch black rod. Important Note: The rod comes with a protective black coating to prevent oxidation and degradation while being worn or exposed to the elements. This coating must be scraped off a small section of the rod with the striker before its first use to expose the bare ferrocerium material underneath, which creates the sparks. When scraped quickly with the striker, the exposed ferrocerium produces high-temperature sparks (up to 3000°C or 5430°F).
Striker: The circular metal piece. It features two types of edges:
Serrated Edge: Designed for aggressively scraping the ferro rod to create a shower of sparks. Also effective for removing the initial protective coating.
Straight Edge: Can also be used for striking, and potentially for other fine scraping tasks if needed.
Jute Twine: Wrapped around the striker. This serves two purposes:
Protects your skin from the serrated edge while wearing the necklace.
Can be unwrapped and fluffed up to be used as excellent tinder to catch sparks.
Leather Cord: Durable and comfortable genuine leather cord is used for all necklaces. It's available in several colors to suit your style and needs:
Classic Colors: Brown and Black offer a traditional, subtle look.
Signal Red: A high-visibility bright red option. While perhaps less traditional, this color makes the necklace much harder to lose if dropped outdoors.
Double Slip Knots: These allow you to easily adjust the length of the necklace for a perfect fit.
Integrated Design: The necklace is designed so you don't need to take it apart to use it. The ferro rod can slide up the cord, giving you room to hold and strike it effectively while keeping all parts securely attached. This prevents accidental loss of components in the field.
How to Start a Fire: Step-by-Step
Starting a fire with your necklace is straightforward. Follow these steps:
Prepare Your Tinder: Gather dry, flammable material. This could be cotton balls, dry leaves, birch bark shavings, fine wood shavings, or the jute twine from your necklace. If using the jute twine, unwrap a small amount, separate the fibers, and fluff them up to increase the surface area – this helps it catch a spark easily. Place your tinder on a dry, flat surface, sheltered from wind if possible.
Prepare Your Kindling: Have small, dry twigs ready to add once your tinder catches flame. Gradually increase the size of the wood you add.
Get a Grip: While keeping the necklace intact, slide the ferro rod up along the cord away from the striker. This gives you space to hold the rod firmly near your tinder bundle with one hand. Hold the striker in your other hand. For best results, use the serrated edge.
Scrape/Strike: (First Use Only): If this is the first time using your necklace, use the striker (serrated edge works well) to scrape off the black protective coating from a small section of the ferro rod until you see the shiny silver/grey material underneath. (Regular Use): Place the serrated edge of the striker against the exposed section of the ferro rod at roughly a 45-degree angle. Apply firm pressure and scrape the striker quickly down the length of the rod, aiming the sparks directly onto your prepared tinder bundle. It's often more effective to hold the striker still and pull the ferro rod back quickly towards you.
Catch the Spark: It might take a few strikes. Keep scraping until the sparks land on the fluffed tinder and ignite it.
Build the Flame: Once the tinder catches fire, gently blow on the small flame to encourage it. Carefully add your smallest kindling, being careful not to smother the flame. Gradually add larger pieces of wood as the fire grows.
Safety First: Always clear the area around your fire pit of flammable materials. Never leave a fire unattended, and ensure it is completely extinguished before leaving the site.
Reconfigure: Once your fire is established or you are finished practicing, simply slide the ferro rod back down the cord towards the striker to return the necklace to its wearable configuration.
Adjusting Your Necklace
The leather cord features two slip knots. To adjust the length:
Hold one knot and slide the cord through it to make one side longer or shorter.
Repeat with the other knot to even out the length or make further adjustments.
Slide the knots closer together for a longer necklace or further apart for a shorter one.
Keeping Your Necklace Ready for Action
While your Firelight Necklace is primarily designed as a reliable backup fire-starting method, we know it's fun (and important!) to practice and actually use your survival gear. Over time, you might wear down the ferro rod or use up the jute twine tinder.
Don't worry! We want you to feel confident using your necklace. If your ferro rod gets worn down, you use the jute twine, or any other part needs refreshing, we offer a rejuvenation service. Simply send your necklace back to us, and we can replace the necessary components (like the ferro rod or twine) and get it back into top shape for further use. We provide this service at a fraction of the cost of buying a completely new necklace, ensuring you can keep practicing and relying on your gear. (Please contact us for details on the refurbishment process and costs).
Why Choose a Fire-Starting Necklace?
Convenience: Always accessible right around your neck.
No Lost Parts: Integrated design means you use it without disassembly.
Reliability: Works even when wet – just wipe the ferro rod dry (once the coating is removed). Unlike matches or lighters, it's not affected by wind or moisture in the same way.
Durability: Built to last through rugged use with genuine leather cord.
Serviceable: Can be refurbished affordably to extend its life.
Color Options: Choose from classic Black/Brown or high-visibility Signal Red leather cord.
Stealth: A functional tool disguised as a simple necklace (especially in traditional colors).
Enjoy the confidence and preparedness that comes with wearing your Firelight Leather Fire-Starter Necklace. Practice makes perfect, so try it out in a safe environment to get comfortable with the process!\
If you don't have one quite yet, or if you think you know someone that would love a new necklace for a gift get one!
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