Fire Starter Info.

[crashdive123]

I don't use char cloth. Dryed fireweed seeds and naava(couldn't find the english word for it, but it is a hair like lichen that grows usually in clean pine and spruce forests). Again, I concider char cloth too high tech for reliable use. If you really have to survive you don't have any charcloth on you, and I for one would not use my clothing to make some in forests. Surviving is knowing what to do when all you have is nature.

Good to know what natural tinders are available to you. What do you use to generate a spark or coal?

[NCO]

Matches, lighter, flint and knife(steel). I use what is closet to me. If I happen to have my matches in my backpack and flint in the pocket I will use flint. If its the other way around I will use matches, unless Im low on them. My matches are always dipped in molten stearin so water won't ruin them.

[crashdive123]

Matches, lighter, flint and knife(steel). I use what is closet to me. If I happen to have my matches in my backpack and flint in the pocket I will use flint. If its the other way around I will use matches, unless Im low on them. My matches are always dipped in molten stearin so water won't ruin them.

A bit high tech, don't you think?

[NCO]

I'm a smoker, thus that is an exeption in the rule.

[Tundrascout]

A little cold weather tip. If your hands are so cold you cant operate a lighter, you probably wont be able to start a fire au-naturale either. In case of bitter cold, I always keep some sealed, tear open (with teeth) hand warmers readily available (non zippered pocket). I think I picked this up from one of Larry Kaniut's books. Good bedtime reading stuff

[Mountain Man]

A little cold weather tip. If your hands are so cold you cant operate a lighter, you probably wont be able to start a fire au-naturale either. In case of bitter cold, I always keep some sealed, tear open (with teeth) hand warmers readily available (non zippered pocket). I think I picked this up from one of Larry Kaniut's books. Good bedtime reading stuff

Those things are life savers

Snowboarding I couldn't even feel my fingers after putting on my boots and bindings in a blizzard had to use those things to thaw out my hands (bad circulation to start). W/out them I wouldn't have been able to continue

They CAN burn though so be careful if you are that numb.

[SurvivalFaith]

there are alternative ways of starting a fire. techniques used are similar to flint striker, that using flint embedded in a lighter. check out this video

Les Stroud Starting fire with empty lighter at Georgian Swamp. Nice Trick


Making Fire With Empty Lighter

Lighter Striker

[bobcat123]

are you talking about a commercial flint product used with a knife or the real kind of flint just a rock because if real kind i dont see how any one gets a fire going with that i tried it on the back of my hatchet but only got about 1 spark per strike and not reliable enough but if commercial kind i have one and like it alot because like stated it doesent matter if it is wet or not and is easy to use with some toilet papper and a knife i like it alot

[Rick]

It's all in technique. Both natural and man made are reliable for fire starting. You will, however, get more sparks from a commercial fire steel or mish metal.

[crashdive123]

Starting a fire with natural flint is relatively easy if you are prepared, and have practiced......I guess I have the same hang up with fire as I do with sharp things and things that go bang. I'll show you once you've done your intro.

[TangoFoxtrot]

I have one thing to say....Ironmatch

[sh4d0wm4573ri7]

Flint n steel fire is actually quite easy , provided we have the right materials at hand. Bow n drill is time consuming and yes difficult even by those of us who have done it several times. Ah but the satisfaction of coaxing a fire from the wood is indeed worth the effort. I am inclined to carry a premaid kit of Red Ceder it works quite well to make a coal and is stored in a dry spot I also carry plenty of shredded Jute and fatwood. When I have this kit in good to fair conditions I can pretty much guarantee a fire in less then 10 minutes. But just in case lol I also carry petro infused cotton balls in a baggie.

[PDG]

I like to use some drier lint or a cotton ball with a little vaseline as fuel to get a fire going with a firesteel.

[rockriver]

I have a blastmatch and a vacuum sealed wad of cottonballs soaked in vasoline. Starts a fire every single time. Yeah, it's high tech, but all 5 of us here have the same set up. We can be warm/cook for a while as we are thinking of more primitive means if necessary.


ETA...I just read the post above mine..

[survivelist]

I myself just tried a bit ago, and I was out there for a very long time looking up ways to start a fire in the book. I used dry grass, dung, lots of small sticks, matches, coal, lighter, and yet...no surviving fire to last more than one or two minutes. Probably not patience, but I need some help, too.

[itsken78]

survivelist, it's all in your prep. make sure ya have your tinder (the stuff that flames up quick), & then in piles next to that, small twigs & other small stuff, next to that little bigger twigs & so on. it's summed up as "pencil lead thick, pencil thick & thumb thick" you just have to be sure not to smother the flame you do have going. oh & don't forget with fire, as well as everything else, 3 is 2, 2 is 1, & 1 is none. redundancy & practice. you'll get it if ya keep trying.

[Oklahoma cowboy]

I wonder if the Gerber fire starter is any good?

[Adventure Wolf]

OF course you can use a lighter or matches, which is what I usually do. I can use flint, but I carry a magnesium fire starter instead.

I've tried the bow thing and could never make it work. I can, in a pinch, take on the friction methods but I'm not good with them at all.

[Survive]

my favorite fire starter is the Swiss FireSteel

[MItygrr]

Lean-tos, low pine branches, etc. Can be used. If you use pine, cedar or other dried evrgreen, it is important to keep fires small and away from it. Otherwise you will find yourself in a whole other situation to survive!