The Survival School Fire Piston is a gadget that uses a hand-pumped piston to compress air, creating enough heat to spark a bit of tinder.
There’s a couple of tiny videos demoing the gadget here.
If you like things 100 % traditional style then one of the string gasket models is for you. Both the Coco Bolo Wood ones and the Buffalo Horn ones perform very well so the material (Coco Bolo or Buffalo Horn) the Fire Piston is made from is strictly your personal aesthetic preference. The string gasket will need to be re-wrapped after approx. 25 fires. Replacement string for the gasket is included with the Fire Piston.
If you like things to be easy and nearly maintenance-free then the O-Ring gasket models are what you should look at. The O-Ring gasket makes changing gaskets easy. Just slip on a new rubber o-ring when the old one wears out. The o-ring gasket will need to be changed after approx. 250 fires. A replacement o-ring for the gasket is included with the Fire Piston. Again, the Coco Bolo Wood ones and the Buffalo Horn ones perform very well so the material they are made from made of is strictly your personal preference.
(via Red Ferret)