I have to admit I didn’t know about the magnesium flakes myself. But I find the whole “let’s make fire” exercise boring every season. Even if you didn’t wear glasses, bring a pair anyway. They make fire!!
Actually, I thought Mikey B’s plan was pretty well thought out - guys vote for Chet, women for Tracy. Of course, what surprises me is that because their fans, I’m surprised these guys are forgetting the Playskool/Oldskool Africa rule - be very, very careful about isolating members of your tribe - it could come back to bite you in the behind later. While I don’t necessarily think they’ll do a fan/fave tribe switch (it would defeat the premise of the season), it’s what allowed Boran to pick off Samburu in Season 3 after the merge. And let’s not forget Shii-Ann - the only thing that did her in in Thailand was the non-merge. And if Kathy/Chet/Tracy are still around at the merge, they’ll be happy to align with the faves because even if they can’t win, they’ll make darn sure that YOU don’t.
Use the blade of a pocket knife to shave a bit of the magnesium off the back into a pile on something study, put some tinder above it and off to one side, set the corner of the metal match on the study item at about a 45% angle with the flint side up and pointing down into the tinder.
Use the back/flat side of the blade and run it quickly down the flint and the sparks will jump down into the magnesium setting off the tinder. The key is having good tinder - the rest is easy.
Get one and play with it in your back yard. The first season of Survivor I took my little girls (about 7 at the time) out in the back yard and taught them how to do it. Had little burnt spots all over the yard. Momma was a little POed when she got home. They think it’s a neat trick.