Originally developed for the Swedish Army, this deceptively simple tool is a fool-proof means to start a fire—it even works when wet. When the metal blade is moved across the rod, creates a hot spark to ignite paper, dry leaves or grass to start a fire. Useful for lighting campfires, stoves, and gas grills, the spark produced is bright enough to function as an emergency signal. Each fire steel lasts for approximately 12,000 strikes whether you are using it to survive in the wilds or just fire up a backyard grill.