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Nice thread.
I am a big believer in redundancy, so I carry fire 3 ways: Bic (zip tie to prevent fuel button from being accidentally pressed), matches in safe (w/ mini compass and a cotton ball for tinder/noise reduction), and fire steel.
The fire steel is a PITA to use sometimes. As others have said, the tinder is the key. It must be fine enough to 'catch' a spark. As Col Moroney (RIP) pointed out, cattails work well if fluffed up; in the same way the seed pods from thistles are oily and can work well. I have scraped the dry interior of bark to form a kind of lint that can catch a spark. I have also scraped my pants with the edge of a knife to form 'dryer lint' -- this requires that you have some dry clothing though. And are desperate enough to abuse your clothes.
I do practice with the fire steel because it can be tricky to get it to work. As one poster mentioned, I find it is best to keep the striker still with the tinder on a flat surface and pull the fire steel to avoid smacking the tinder you so painstakingly assembled. I have also found it works to cup the tinder and steel in your hand and pull the striker toward the tinder. You now are holding a small fire in your hand, so you better have prepared some more tinder and kindling to light with the little flame created thereby.
I've never had a Bic fail -- at least not since zip tying them closed -- and a few Bics are probably all you need. (In cold weather keep one in an interior pocket to keep it warm.) But I still think it's a good idea to feel confident using other techniques.
My 2 cents. (Sorry for the poor picture quality, I think I need a new camera)
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