What to put in an educational AND functional tinderkit/firelighting kit

[jamesk]

Hi,

I'm trying to put together a small kit for my explorer scout group which we can use as a functional and also educational tool. So I want to be able to demonstrate how different methods/tinders/kindling can be used to start a fire, as well as to be able to use this to get the kids to be able to start fires in the direst of weather.

Emphasis really on educational - I don't want big packs of firelighters in there, for example - if things get really bad we'd always be able to cook on gas or go to the nearest town for food! Having said that, there is a place for showing them how to use a lighter to start a fire too!

So I want a selection of things that will fit in to a small box, about a third of the size of a shoe box. Here's what I have so far, I'd appreciate any recommendations on alternatives that could be added and would emphasise a different technique or style.

In particular, anything that’s fairly easy to use and could start a fire via friction would be great. Or any good friction methods that work!


Cotton wool
Vaseline
A lighter
Strike anywhere matches
A firesteel and striker
steel wool and a battery
silver birch bark
charcloth (I will be trying to make this next time I go on a camp!)
dry grass
Maybe some shavings of a piece of wood for tinder or kindling too?
Some toilet paper
Some cardboard
T light candle
Pine resin (don't know how I am going to get this!)
Perhaps some flint and steel? Too similar to a firesteel?


Birch twigs for kindling
(other suggestions on different kindling that would show a difference to birch would be great - especially if they can fit in the pack size I am creating!)

Thanks,

James

 

[resnikov]

Amadou maybe?

 

[SimonM]

In my Scout "fire box" I carry:

• Various tinders both natural and man made (try plumbers hemp - a tip from Wayland - it almost guarantees a flame from char cloth)
• Ferro rods x 6
• Flint & steel sets x 6
• Potassium permanganate & glycerin
• Bow drill set
• Parabolic mirror
• Hexy blocks (shave and light from a ferro rod)
• Matches (it amazes me how many Scouts have never lit a match!)
• Tin & linen scraps for making char cloth
• Collapsable fire bowl (Grilliput)
• Natural fibre garden twine (give them a 3in length and let them unravel it to use with char cloth)

I think that's it...

Simon

 

[Manacles]

Maya wood ( the resin heavy wood sticks), get them from a garden centre

 

[Bushwhacker]

That waxy tinder card can be snuck in somewhere, takes up no space.

 

[Realbark]

Jute twine
Thin slices of inner tube

 

[jamesk]

Thanks guys,

I can definitely do Twine (I have some at home that I have no use for!) and I can get a hexy. I have two mint tins so will put them in with some bits of old T-Shirt for char-cloth.

My dad is a plumber so that's a great idea about hemp, not that I've ever heard of it!

And a parabolic mirror is a definite (or a magnifying glass?) - just need to find one I can use!

Waxy tinder card sounds good - a piece of card is small and can easily fit but I don't know where to get them?

Maya sticks I will get - hopefully the garden centre will know what I am asking for

And then amadou - again sounds great, but not sure where I can get it from!

Thanks for all the suggestions so far!

 

[jamesk]

PS - will have to look at buying a bow drill set (or making one?)

slices of inner tube - like a bicycle tyre?

 

[Realbark]

Yep - like a bicycle tyre.

 

[DaveBromley]

how about cramp balls, candle and maybe a blow poker?

Dave

 

[jamesk]

Thanks guys,

Candle will go in, so will some inner tube next time I get one spare, and a blow poker sounds great. So are cramp balls but harder to find!