Two factors to consider when looking for a fire starter are the product’s capacity to produce sparks and the maximum number of strikes it can offer. The more strikes it offers, the longer you can make use of it, and the lower your cost per use will be. This is particularly true for the flint and rod fire starters, because both the flint and the rod lose their ability to produce sparks after a number of uses.
Even if you have to learn how to use such a system, it is also important to consider the ease of use. Some flint and rod starters have iron rods and ferroceum flints which, combined, produce lots of sparks. Pair such a fire starter with tinder or wood kindling and you’ve got a very easy to use system
The same goes for a flint and rod paired with fire starting fuel. While starting the fire with fuel is easy, you should consider its safety and cost before ditching the cheaper and safer tinde.