Abstract: In one embodiment, thermite matches are provided. For instance, thermite matches as described herein may be constructed as a multi-staged formulation comprising an outer ignition tip, an optional inner transition tip, and a bulk fuel thermite stage. The outer ignition tip may comprise an ignition compound that can be struck/scraped against an abrasive counter-chemical surface (e.g., red phosphorous) to initiate the reaction. The outer ignition tip can reach a first burn temperature that can further ignite the inner transition tip stage, which can in turn burn at a temperature that reaches the ignition temperature of the bulk fuel thermite. The high burn temperature of the thermite match may then be used to ignite other materials, such as hard-to-ignite materials, such as a thermite rod for cutting or welding. Other embodiments provide for thermite match handles and a two-piece ignition thermite matches.

Abstract: In one embodiment, sheathed thermite rods are provided. For instance, a sheathed thermite rod may comprise a mixture of thermite within an outer casing, such as an aluminum tube, that adds rigidity and allows for better continuity of a burn across breaks in the thermite rod. The sheathing also allows for manufacture of the thermite rods to have reduced drying period, increasing speed of production. In another embodiment, tablet-based thermite rods are provided. A thermite tablet rod herein may comprise a series of inline thermite tablets contained within an outer casing. The tablets may be consecutively adjacent to one another along the length of the outer casing, and substantially conforming to the interior cross section of the outer casing, where the tablets are adjoined by pressure, an adhesive, and/or a burn continuance material.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a portable thermite fire starter kit is provided. For instance, one or more small pieces or solid blocks of thermite may be contained within a portable kit container along with one or more ignition items. The ignition items may comprise thermite matches. In one embodiment, the ignition items are kept separate from the pieces of thermite. In one embodiment, one or both of the thermite pieces and/or thermite matches are constructed as multiple layers of progressively ignitable materials and/or compounds. In particular, the layers may start at a first layer and that can reach a first burn temperature that is at least a subsequent adjacent layer ignition temperature, where each subsequent intermediate layer leading to the thermite progressively increases in ignition temperature to not more than a previously adjacent layer burn temperature and also increases in burn temperature to at least a subsequent adjacent layer ignition temperature.