Favourite Things in Fire Starting

[Tantalus]

i never go anywhere without my zippo

on longer trips i take a tin of fluid with it too cos they do need topped up regular

i gotta admit its cheating too but natural flint is something i havent found round here (cept pea sized bits used for harling houses)

firesteel and magnifying glass (spectacles) i carry with me and play with given the opportunity and time

i really should learn to use a fire drill tho

Tant

 

[TheViking]

:rolmao: Hmmmm napalm :shock: do you stock that??

You could make it yourself. But I don't think here's the place to post a recipe. :rolmao: :biggthump

 

[Stew]

You could make it yourself. But I don't think here's the place to post a recipe. :rolmao: :biggthump

No, you should start a new thread for it!!



:bu:

 

[Jeff Wagner]

I have recently discovered that the hand drill method is quite easily accomplished when using a mullein stalk. I have made about 15 hand drill fires for practice over the weekend and think this technique has great merit in a survival situation since is very easy and fast to fabricate the required components and there are times when we may not have our other preferred devices close at hand.

 

[Paganwolf]

er Jeff your supposed to say Fire piston! :shock: :rolmao: :rolmao:

 

[jakunen]

Flint and steel with the char cloth placed into thistle down and clemetis bark.

Oh yeah, and a tube of witch hazel gel for after I've burnt me fingers!!!
(must get my asbestos chef's fingers relagged).

 

[Jeff Wagner]

er Jeff your supposed to say Fire piston! :shock: :rolmao: :rolmao:

Yes, of course. What was I thinking. The Fire Piston is my preferred method, however at the moment I am quite impressed with the mullein. Anybody interested in learning how to light a fire with an arrow?

 

[TheViking]

...and off course the firesteel. It's great to have a reliable fire source. The only thing I really need is a Swedish firesteel now. :roll: Then kit's complete. :biggthump

 

[Jeff Wagner]

I can see from the poll this is predominantly an instant flame crowd. Paganwolf, we have much work to do...

Query - What would you do if you accidentally became separated from your fire steel in the bush? :yikes:

Is there a contingency plan to ensure survival?

 

[Paganwolf]

Jeff i would have thought you would have beed sympathetic to the cause! :rolmao: :rolmao: anyways isnt it favorite things in fire starting :?: fire spark is a great way of starting fires but to produce an ember with a fire piston is just amazing ive been getting all sorts to catch now using the crunch method :biggthump

 

[leon-1]

Query - What would you do if you accidentally became separated from your fire steel in the bush? :yikes:

Jeff, I am one of the many with an addiction to the evil nicotine, you would probably have to prise my fingers away from my lighter.

Having said that, I haven't really got a preference as to how I start a fire, I will use whatever is at hand, although at the moment the firesteel is always in my kit (so is a lighter and a magnifying glass). Haven't tried a fire piston yet, but will have to give it a go.

Once the fire is going I prefer to use a starfire, as this seems to be more economical as far as the amount of wood burnt and how much heat can be controlled with ease

 

[boaty]

Oxygen

 

[Jeff Wagner]

I suppose the significant aspect is that one should become proficient in the art regardless of the tools used. They all have their plusses and minuses. I too was a smoker until about two months ago and I alway had a lighter in my pocket. I will say however that in very windy conditions I could light up my smoke better with a fire piston than a lighter. Now that I have given up the habit I sometimes have to scratch around to find something with which to light the barbeque.

The connection between devices and skills has always troubled me. We become confident in our bushcraft skills and abilities under specific conditions and so long as we have this knife or that fire steel and ...you get the picture. We become dependent upon the device rather than the knowledge. Remove the device from the scenario and the skill is often negated. Now that I have conquered the hand drill I feel much more able to make do with whats available. Go forth naked into the wilderness, so to speak...but avoid the briar patch... :shock:

 

[Tantalus]

find it hard to believe that only 3 people would use matches or a lighter

this does not go along with everything i have seen on campsites

and how come BIG TARGET got 4 votes anyway??

Tant

 

[tomtom]

find it hard to believe that only 3 people would use matches or a lighter

this does not go along with everything i have seen on campsites

Tant

perhaps ones favorite method is not the one most offten used??

 

[TheViking]

and how come BIG TARGET got 4 votes anyway??

Tant

Because I enabled that in the poll options. But for some reason I can't vote several times. I would have voted for firesteel also. :roll:

 

[tomtom]

You enabled Just Big T to vote several times or did you enable everyone?

 

[TheViking]

You enabled Just Big T to vote several times or did you enable everyone?

Everyone off course... But I don't know what's wrong. I can't vote more times. :roll: Adi!?? ):

 

[MagiKelly]

perhaps ones favorite method is not the one most offten used??

I have been meaning to post that exact point for a while. All these poor people getting chastised for using a fire steel and being lost without it when in fact they may be perfectly capable of lighting a fire without it but it is not their favorite method.

Now if the results were to the question "what way CAN you light a fire?" then the citisism may be justified although I suspect that matches and lighters would get more votes

 

[Nightfall]

I like my firesteels.I always have one in a pouch in my pocket also a small one on my swiss army knife. For tinders I'll use cattail down, charcloth, finely shreded jute for the natural stuff. Man made cotton ball and P.J. Really like wetfire too.