I carry the Scout Firesteel as well and have used tinder I have shaved with a knife, paper towels, cotton t-shirt sections and of course cotton balls with herbal salve or petroleum jelly based Triple Antibiotic ointment. I figure why not have the ointment for burns, cuts or scrapes when needed and use it for making fire too.

These things shower your target with multiple warheads and will light up a cotton ball with one sweep of the scraper (this is the larger Military model);



Just rub a little in right when you want to make fire. You don’t have to saturate the cotton. An make sure you are buying 100% cotton balls and not some of the synthetics they offer these days.



I carry a Bic as well for backup and convenience and Girlfriend always has her matches.