7 Ways to Use the Doan Magnesium Fire Starter

[@jamescarmean2701]

I first used the Doan's Mag fire starters when I was a pilot in the USAF, they were included in our survival kits. I have used them since that time. They work great and are FAR SUPERIOR to cheap imitation units that are too hard to scrape and lack enough magnesium to even work. Fire is so very important to survival I always have at least three techniques in my emergency kit and a Doan's mag bar is one of them. Nice video and presentation.

[@wildernessinnovation]

+James Carmean I've used Doan since the early 1980's and never been let down by them, reliability is so much more important than price. Thanks for your comments.

[@MG.50]

I have carried a Doan Magnesium Block Fire Starter lashed together with a Swiss Army Knife in my pocket since probably the mid- to late-1970s. That includes throughout my time in the service (aka "the military" for those unfamiliar with the standalone meaning of "service"). Later I sold survival and outdoor supplies, and Doan was the only magnesium-ferro rod combo I carried. The cheap Chinese knockoffs have given mag blocks with embedded ferro rods a bad name, and I have tested many of those. A few work, but far too many scrapings from those will not ignite even under a butane torch flame! They ain't magnesium! The Doan Machine Company fire block NEVER let me down, and the rod NEVER fell out no matter how many times it was dropped or stepped on. It was US military issue for years and still carries the stock number. Doan will always be the gold standard. I also carry oversized ferrocerium and magnesium rods (6"L x 1/2"D) lashed together (they are drilled for that) for "extended" circumstances. These have a carbide knife sharpener on the lanyard as a multifunction striker and each rod has a thick "handle" of 1/2 inch wide Gorilla Tape that can be partly unrolled for repairs or wound closures. Those live in my various bags and in my vehicle, but the Doan is still in my EDC (belt bag or pocket).

[@wildernessinnovation]

Dependability is what really matters, not just in survival gear, but in life itself. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[@BBQDad463]

Thank you for this video. The one-handed technique alone is worth the time it took to watch the whole video. Again, thank you for this video. Subscribed.

[@GetMeThere1]

One of the best fire starting videos on youtube -- and it took me only five years to find! Thanks for posting this.

[@wildernessinnovation]

Wow, thanks! Have a great day !!

[@cliffowens3629]

I found a Doan's in the grit chamber of my wastewater plant when we were cleaning them out. Stamped 6/84. Works fine even after all these years and being underwater

[@wildernessinnovation]

Wow thats pretty cool, hard to beat that with any other fire starter...

[@cliffowens3629]

In my pocket to this day. Found it 2000. Still sparks in 2022

[@QuantumMechanic_88]

The Doan I was issued in the Army back in 71 was hard as heck and like shaving a rock . Innertube is awesome for starting fires in a monsoon rain or snow and it works for a tourniquet . This is a great video and your one hand fire starting is appreciated . Happy New Year and many more . Lefty

[@wildernessinnovation]

Thank you, great comments!!

[@motrock93b]

Nice video with useful demonstrations. I connect my scraper to my magnesium stick with jute twine so I always have a reliable tinder source.

[@Loveoldies50]

Excellent! Thank you for the tips. Very good to know if I ever get "stuck" outside in bad weather!

[@branni6538]

When i was a kid my uncle was in the marines and me and my bro got his magnesium block. Much bigger and harder than the doan bars but we had a lot of fun. The bright flash had us hooked. Lol............ I'm now over 40 and just bought some to use. Happy days.............

[@DeanO]

Some wonderful techniques and I love the well used Doans magnesium bar

[@wildernessinnovation]

That bar is over 30 years old, I have literally started more than a thousand fires with it, never had a minutes trouble. With it's longevity it's the cheapest fire starter I have ever owned.

[@josezavalapina7392]

Great video!!! I still have mine from the service. Still going strong!! Can't compare to Doan unless anyone else tried any other magnesium bar!!??

[@wildernessinnovation]

Doan is essentially out of business these days as the Chinese totally dominate the market and own most of the magnesium mining resources in the world.

[@bppettie]

thanks... very helpful... good ideas.

[@aaronn6725]

This was an great video! I always here great things about Doan . I wish I had one

[@wildernessinnovation]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Roman-lu1xn]

That one handed technique could really save my bacon if I get hurt. Thanks.

[@dustinmorrison147]

Great video. Hey, do you know you sound alot like Norm McDonald from SNL?

[@wildernessinnovation]

+Dustin Morrison Haha, hope that's good, lol....Thanks man

[@funkyprepper]

great product - gotta be fast with mag guys

[@wildernessinnovation]

+funkyprepper I like all kinds of fire starters, modern and primative, but I like these especially as a back up, depending on how much shavings I pile up I can have a small hot spot or a massive one, I can tailor it to my needs. Thanks for your comment

[@commonsense-og1gz]

is the bar made entirely out of magnesium, or is the magnesium just a thick coating around another metal? for example a quarter has the silver coating, but it has another alloy in it as well.

[@wildernessinnovation]

The Doan bars are a solid magnesium alloy no coatings, they always work well. Many of the others, who knows what they are made of, most have some magnesium in them, some may not have any. I've seen some brands that the outside is dark and the inside is silver.

[@commonsense-og1gz]

i can't remember what video i was watching, but someone pointed out that a non-branded magnesium fire-starter wouldn't light because the magnesium was of no good quality. when i look for a fire starter i will keep this brand in mind. thank you for your reply.

[@naveendilanka1419]

Great Video! Forgive me for the intrusion, I would love your opinion. Have you tried - Proutklarton Helping Firestarter Plan (search on google)? It is a smashing one off product for getting a $15 optic fire starter for free without the normal expense. Ive heard some awesome things about it and my close friend Aubrey at very last got amazing success with it.

[@jerrybobteasdale]

The trick is getting a good quality magnesium bar. There's plenty of cheap ones on the market, that are worthless. Magnesium is almost unique among firestarters, in that, a real magnesium fire will burn when damp. In fact, water is an accelerant to a magnesium fire.

[@MrTangent]

Great video. Thank you!

[@wildernessinnovation]

You are welcome! Thanks

[@KarlBrau]

Cool!

[@Ratlins9]

Well made video, very informative. Thanks

[@wildernessinnovation]

Thank you Ken !!

[@brianbard9016]

I don't see the kits for sale. Do you have a better link?

[@wildernessinnovation]

We discontinued the kits a couple years ago. Doan was in the process of attempting to be sold or to go out of business as they could not continue to compete with Chinese versions and little by little their large customers were converting to Chinese. We were contacted at one point to see if we wanted to purchase the company since for years we had been strong proponents for them. However their viability was highly in doubt, they are at this point just hanging on, I suspect it won't be long before they are done.

[@cliffowens3629]

Did Doan's go under? Can I still find their bar?

[@wildernessinnovation]

Yes I think they did go out of business. They were trying to hang on and when they lost the Boy Scouts account, it was downhill from there. They contacted me to see if we would be interested in acquiring them, but it didn’t make sense, since the Chinese companies had bought up most of the mining and manufacturing of magnesium, it would be nearly impossible to compete.

[@cliffowens3629]

The Klingons have a word: Do'Ha " Unfortunate "

[@jasonpettit9984]

THE MASTER OF MAGNESIUM!!!

[@wildernessinnovation]

Haha, it's great stuff for sure.

[@ArturoGarzaID]

How long do those magnesium bars last? What brand are you using?

[@jouster701]

the Doan Magnesium bar is the one you want!

[@dougjohnsonbushcraftandbjj5561]

Nah Coleman's works just as good.

[@ruizhernandeztrustfi]

Like a boss!

[@wildernessinnovation]

Yeah, haha....

[@rustamgani6826]

#1!!!

[@dougjohnsonbushcraftandbjj5561]

You don't even need to use the magnesium with tinder that good, just throw some sparks into the bundle with the ferro rod.

[@rickslick6430]

one handed!!! master

[@wildernessinnovation]

I wanted to see how hard it would be to use magnesium bar with only one hand, and I found it wasn't all that hard to do. Thanks for watching and for your comments.

[@futurenatsudragneelcosplay1473]

actually its 5400 farenheit (3000 celsius)

[@dougjohnsonbushcraftandbjj5561]

FUTURE NATSU DRAGNEEL COSPLAYER no shit

[@rowdyyates372]

That dude just ruined the edge on that knife cutting that rubber

[@krkrbbr]

yeah a small piece of magnesium for 15 bucks

[@cupholder7758]

Doan Fire Starter company is no longer in business.

[@wildernessinnovation]

Yes that is correct

[@alexandarvoncarsteinzarovi3723]

0:02 HOLY SHIT! That looks like enough magnesium to burn into a state gold deposit!....not that I well :)

[@wildernessinnovation]

Haha....thanks

[@mojaveartifacthunters339]

Ignites tyres AND innertubes! What about a tyre with a tube in it🤔🙄😂

[@wildernessinnovation]

Its all possible, haha

[@kernow24]

Crap quality magnesium in these bars. A little pile like that should ignite and be spent in seconds, and I see no black magnesium oxide ash floating around in the air. The fact you have to poke around at the magnesium to get it all to burn says all that needs to be said.

[@hobbes305]

You very obviously have never used a Doan's Magnesium Fire Starter, which are among the easiest to use and most effective mag-bars on the market. The reason that you don't see huge amounts of magnesium oxide ash floating around in the air is simply because of the relatively small piles of magnesium that he is employing.

[@kernow24]

hobbes305 clearly I have, it seems like you have no working knowledge of chemistry.

[@hobbes305]

Interestingly enough, I just so happen to have a degree in Environmental Chemistry. Care to discuss reaction thermodynamics or kinetics? For instance, when is it appropriate to simplify second order reactions by relying on pseudo first order assumptions?

[@kernow24]

hobbes305 /r/iamaverysmart

[@hobbes305]

How about we discuss the specified system suitability parameters for the validation and calibration of reverse phase HPLC instrumentation as required under GMP protocols?

[@rowdyyates372]

Looks like a made in china mag bar

[@johnny30806]

This is not 7 ways to use. This is setting 7 different kids of shit on fire using the same method and fire starter

[@wildernessinnovation]

johnny30806 yes all seven fires were started using the Doan