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I've used flint before, and it does work pretty well. This example with the pics you gave looks like magnesium... it lights really quick and burns even faster, but extremely hot. It gets white hot in a matter of seconds and is actually quite a pretty sight. but it burns really fast. overall, flint and steel work, but it takes a lot of practice to be able to get a whole fire going with it. :)
The firesteel is great, and does work when wet. I use vaseleine soaked cottonballs as tinder - one spark and you've got fire.
Ahhh, good trick.
Thanks.
That's cool, Fog_Harbor- never thought of Vaseline on the cotton balls...
I've done it with both, but I prefer the cottonballs by a long shot.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarge47
I carry a lighter and tinder with me, but I always have the Firesteel too, just in case. Wet lighters don't work - wet Firesteels do.
The magnesium firestarter works great and can start a fire anywhere. Or, get some flint (magnesium flint maybe) and a knife and do it that way works great anytime, if you know how to do it. :) PS cotton balls are great tinder!!!
well i got afew of those flint sticks from somewhere in nevada i dont remember where though.. i tried afew out in teh backyard and i had very very dry tinder but what do you know... got totaly screwed... nothin. i got alot of sparks but no fire..
The easiest thing for me is just rolling up a big ball of dead grass, big enough to catch all of the sparks. The rolling makes it soft with smaller fibers. Only takes one stroke usually but if you want it to actually burst into flame do a few quick ones.Quote:
Originally Posted by aviator survivalist
You weren’t using the right tinder. All its suppose to do is spark, that’s all it takes if you have the right tinder. Try practicing with some good char cloth, it’ll work I promises.Quote:
Originally Posted by aviator survivalist
I am getting confused, Is the Magnesium flint you are discussing a Ferrocerium stick?
I have used Ferrocerium sticks with success using Cotton, Cotton mixed with petroleum jelly, dryer lint, cattail down, charcoal cloth, dandelion fluff, magnesium shavings,cedar bark shavings, birch bark shavings(almost powder), steel wool and jute fiber. These all worked well. Using dry grass is a little harder, you do have to break up the fibers very thin and small and has to be super dry.
Using Actual Flint(natural rock) and steel; Charcloth does work the best for me but I have had it also work with, steel wool, cotton and jute fiber, or at least that is what I have had the best success with.
This is possible. I use this method a lot usually if it's all wet. It's easy once you get the hang of it and it makes you look good in front of other people if you can do it, lol. :)
tfisher,
I'm talking about mother natures flint, I prefer coastal plains chert. My striker is made from an old steel horseshoe. American made files work great.
Thanks FVR......I kept seeing mentions of Magnesium flint. I have seen the magnesium bars with a ferro rod attached.
dryer lint is good to use cause it lites fairly easy but the flame it produces last a long itme but is verry small but it is verry easy to make fire with it
Fire Starters
Use pine cones covered with wax.**
Pack charcoal in paper egg cartons and tie shut. When ready to use, just light the carton.
Put a piece of charcoal in each section of a paper egg carton. Cover with melted wax.** Tear apart and use as needed. You can also use sawdust, dryer lint or Pistachio shells instead of the charcoal.
Take 100% cotton balls and thoroughly rub Vaseline into them. Keep in a ziplock bag.
Newspaper cut into strips(3"-4" wide). Roll up and tie with string. Cover with melted wax.**
Use lint from your dryer as a fire starter.
Bundle about 10-12 Diamond brand "strike-anywhere" wooden kitchen matches together with waxed dental floss. The heads of the matches should all be pointing in the same direction. Generously soak the buddle of matches (except heads) in melted paraffin wax** to waterproof and to provide a long burn time. Dip heads lightly only to waterproof them. Simply strike on flat rock to ignite.
Cut a cotton cord into 1" lengths and soak in melted wax.** Let dry and store in empty film container or ziplock bag.
These are called candy kisses. Use the small 6" emergency candles and wrap them up in waxed paper. Tie/twist both ends of the waxed paper to seal in the candle (looks like a salt water taffy candy). Light an end when you are ready to start your fire.
Cut waxed milk cartons into strips to be used as kindling for your campfire.
Stuff paper towel or toilet paper rolls with paper.
To get your charcoal pieces ready quicker, use a charcoal chimney.
Newspaper crumbled into a ball
Use dried pine needles
Soak a piece of charcoal in lighter fluid. Coat with wax.**
Use small condiment or "sample-size" cups. Add a long wick to each cup and fill with melted wax.** You can also fill them with sawdust.
Stack of small pieces of cardboard covered in wax**
Waterproof your matches by dipping them in wax** or coating them with clear nail polish
Use cotton string about 3-4" long, put in wax paper bathroom cup with about an inch hanging over the edge. Fill cup nearly to the top with saw dust and pour melted wax into the cup. The saw dust will compact and become waterproof. The extra string length is a wick to start burning the starter, but can also be tied to another starter string through a pack loop to carry outside your pack. - Submitted by C. Berman
Keep a plastic "twister" type of pencil sharpener handy. It's great for shaving kindling (especially if wood is damp)
Use wooden ice cream/popsicle sticks. Keep them in a watertight container.
Take an empty toilet paper roll and tie some tissue paper onto one end with some twine. Fill roll with sawdust, cotton balls, etc. Tie the other end as you did the first one, but leave some string hanging out. Put candle wax on the string.
* Never use liquid igniters on your campfire. Example: lighter fluid, gasoline etc.
** When melting wax, only use a double boiler set up. Melted wax can easily ignite. Have a fire extinguisher handy in case of emergency.
Once you have the char cloth down, ALL of the fire starting methods work better. Remember, the char cloth will not catch fire, just form a coal that you put into your tinder bundle and blow into flame.
Using char cloth, I have done the following successfully:
1. Traditional flint and steel
2. Magnifying glass
3. Bottom of a soda can
4. Eye glass lens
5. Flashlight (hold the char cloth where the bulb goes and the lens will focus the light on the char cloth and boom, you have a coal that can be blown into a fire.)
I also use a Blast Match in my survival kit, which is a ferrocerium bar with a built in striker designed for one hand use, which will ignite almost any tinder without char cloth on the first strike.
I almost never use matches anymore. I have bought most of my fire making supplies here, the Owner, Tom Laskowski is a good guy that really has great products. Just check out firemaking under the on line store.
http://www.survivalschool.com/
The LIGHT from the flashlight!? Bulb heating up? The electricity from the socket? I've never heard using a flashlight before.
In a couple of his videos Dr. Ron Hood demos on how to start a fire using two small pcs. of snare wire, a mini-mag flashlight, and OOOO steel wool. Pretty cool!:cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by spiritman