Though there are plenty of compact survival tools around that feature all kinds of impressive functionality, sometimes it pays to keep things simple. Taking this approach is the newly launched Sharp-n-Spark, a lightweight camping implement that focuses on doing just two jobs and doing them well.
The Sharp-n-Spark was conceived by designer and inventor Anatoliy Omelchenko, who focused his attention on two fundamentals when it comes to surviving in the wild, making fire and maintaining a sharp knife.
The two-in-one tool features a folding design with a pair of rods joined together via a hinge mechanism at the top, with a carabiner hole for easy carry. One rod is ceramic and is designed for knife-sharpening to make sure the user can collect wood shavings and kindling, and the other is a magnesium ferrocerium rod to turn that into fire.
Firestarting functionality has become a common feature of modern multitools, as seen on the credit-card-shaped M.020, the Fire Escape carabiner tool and Swiss Army knife attachments, to list just a few examples. But for some, all those extra onboard implements might be overkill and at 2.5 oz (70 g) and just 5.25 in (13 cm) long, the Sharp-n-Spark presents as a sleek and portable less-is-more solution.
Early pledges start at US$25 over at Kickstarter for the Sharp-n-Spark survival tool, with Omelchenko looking to ship in August 2022 if all goes to plan
Sharp-n-Spark survival tool starts fires and sharpens knives [New Atlas]