I hope you would not rely on one item as you might lose it.
I carry a bIC Lighter in sandwich wrap in my pocket. A ferro rod and also a Magnesium Bar.
I also carry a camera negative film roll container filled with cotton balls saturated in petroleum jelly. I put one set in my pocket (the lighter), the ferro rod and petroleum jelly in bag and the magnesium bar on my knife sheath.
Just in case. I do this because in my area, I cannot rely on primitive fire making methods as the success rate is borderline.
I'm a Gramp who is not computer savvy, give me a slab and the rock ages tablet..I will do fine!
Zack, your prep plans to have multiple types of fire starters and one relatively small Ferrocerium rod and blade (striker) on your person at all times and practice these methods is a very good IMO. If very small ferro-rod protect it from getting broken, vinyl tube or something. Years ago I was stuck twice with no fire starter and needed to borrow one in wet weather, extremely poor careless planning. Now I have multiple tucked around in my gear.
On a personal note I was semi joking with a outdoors friend about needing to practice "rubbing sticks" and he offered to blast a fire hose on me while I attempted "hand drill". Nice guy. For most of us that is an extremely frustrating skill to practice under ideal conditions. Bottom line if weather looks like it could get wet protect your tinder, gather and protect firewood and be very sure firestarter(s) are not lost or broken.
I just read thru this thread again, lots of good ideas. 2 cents I might add that are obvious to most including Zack but might not be to some very new to fire starting.
1. BIC and similar plastic lighters are easily broken so protect them, I keep one in cook pot. Don't like to lend out once someone stepped on it while borrowing. Can theoretically still start a fire with empty lighter or broken if roller and tiny ferro rod still work but it is very difficult. Try with accelerant (pj) and cotton ball in an aluminum foil disposable roasting pan.
2. "Bird's nest" does not necessarily refer to a nest of a bird but bundle of kindling that can be easily held and blown to add oxygen after ember, sparks or char cloth etc has been placed in it. Then place on ground or logs if ground is wet, stack Twiggs around it etc (resembles very loose birds nest with ember as egg, see hundreds of YT videos).
Watched a "Pioneer" show on Nat Geo. Channel the "survivalist" lady had no char cloth with her flint and striker just sat there destroying most of flint into bundle of straw on ground. OH WELL! That's TV.
Last edited by TXyakr; 01-20-2015 at 07:20 PM. Reason: Nat Geo channel. entertaining
I saw that show to. I still don't know how she got that fire going the way she was doing it. I think it was a bit of movie magic personally. Like the camera man handing her a lighter.
That coukd have been a really good show but it did kind of take a turn to the silly. IMHO.
I think it's a great idea to learn a primitive fire starting method like a bow drill. Having the knowledge and skill to start a fire with nothing on you is a huge psychological boost. That being said I always carry multiple fire starting methods when I go hiking, a bic lighter and cotton balls with petroleum jelly being my first choice. It's great to practice with all kinds of techniques in all kinds of weather, it only improves on your skill set. I like to go hiking to a lake not far from home. It's about 45 min up the mountain and I will ususally play around with different things when I am there.
I went hiking to a lake much further up the mountain. It was late July but I had run into snow about a kilometer from the saddle of the mountain and by the time I got down the other side to the lake I had been hiking for 8 hours, my boots were wet and I was sweaty. I wanted a fire to dry off and those are the times that you are going to start a fire the easiest and fastest way possible. A road flare would have been nice...or a flame thrower as some mentioned. I think I used cotton balls and petroleum jelly, plus a healthy amount of hand sanitizer lol. Whatever gets the damn fire up and going.
Building fires requires practice but it also requires patience. You need to gather all of the right material from tinder, to different stages of kindling etc. Nothing more frustrating than getting your fore going just to have it go out while you are running around trying to find more fuel to add to it. Preperation is key.
A bit of a reminder, even though you have practiced making fire the primitive way, please do not be sure that it can be done every time as it depends on the natural resources available in the area, weather conditions, and also altitude. Do not be over confident as when it fails, you lose the confidence which is never good in survival situation. Make sure you have something that works.
I'm a Gramp who is not computer savvy, give me a slab and the rock ages tablet..I will do fine!
i agree tokwan having the skill sets of fire makeing is indeed important but one
must also remember that calories consumed doing it the old way , that is if your not
a expert at it than in a real survival situation modern methods are a must i,d say.
i have a small survival pouch a condor m16 utility pouch it has stormproof matches.
wetfire.a mimi bic,a 3/8thsx4in firesteel,and a push frictionfire steel device great for tight
places when needed and can it send out a shower of sparks.7.00 at wally world .
Yep..I am now to the extend of carrying a couple of road flares myself.......so that I can send out a signal to let people know where I am and at the same time, make a fire...hehehehehe...now where the hell is Hunter?
I'm a Gramp who is not computer savvy, give me a slab and the rock ages tablet..I will do fine!
I have a fire starting kit, and sparks readily ignite dryer lint, and cotton balls. When you're out in the woods look for old stumps that the loggers cut the trees from, a lot of these have very pitchy sides and an ax or a hatchet will cut pieces of this off in a hurry, a knife can shave off pieces of those and when set on a ball of cotton or dryer lint, will catch and you'll have a nice fire. Works for me every time.
Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
Evoking the 50 year old rule...
First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27
went out in the grove again today rubbed 2 bics together just kiddin used charcol and twigs aand some strike anywhere matches.
9,degrees at 10am but did go up to 18,degrees. those coals are stiil hot as i post cause i just came in a few minutes ago. i made some coffee
and hungout with the dog awhile in the tent it was nice and i,ll be back out tomorrow to do breakfast.
I'll extend the same offer to anyone that needs/wants fat wood as I did to Zack.
PM me if interested.
Have gallon baggies of shavings, "matches", and chunks.
When all else fails, read the directions, and beware the Chihuahuacabra!
everyone talks about FATWOOD whats wrong with skinnywood? not that i,m PC or anything.
Don't have the "skinny" on skinny wood......just fat wood.....
Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
Evoking the 50 year old rule...
First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27
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