Firepistons Firepistons Firepistons

[Schwert]

Groupings of animals or even objects get generally get some sort of unique classifier….a gaggle of geese, a murder of crows, a flock of pelicans, a ream of paper, a pot of coffee, a wallet of money….whatever. Well I have been quite fortunate to have been working with a couple of the BCUK members and FirePiston makers over the past couple of months. Now I find myself in possession of a multiple of FirePistons…so I propose this grouping

A Compression of FirePistons

I started out with a Piston Hand Drill model from Darrel Aune. I played with it for several weeks but found it getting progressively harder and harder to stroke. I noticed the difference really in comparison to my recent arrival from Jeff Wagner. I made a brief mention of it here and before I knew it Darrel had contacted me asking me to return the piston for a tune up. So off it went. About a week later I had a message from Darrel that he had retuned the piston, attributing the stiffness to slight shrinkage due to some not completely aged Cocobolo that had snuck into his stock. He mentioned that the piston was on the way back and he had added a couple of things for my trouble. I figured a handful of fungus or some char would be included, and I anxiously awaited it return.

Well a pretty large box arrived and was I ever surprised when I opened it up. Not only had my original piston returned with a very smooth stroke, but he had added a very neat tinder pick to the hand drill hole.

This pick looks to have been made from bone and is just a very neat addition to the piston. I can roll a small coal out of the piston quickly and neatly. I was super pleased….but wait…

Also in the box was another complete piston….a bit shorter than the other and not a string gasket but a bog standard O-ring. This piston has a super rebound…it is almost hard to get the shaft to bottom for storage.

Very nicely done and a neat modern approach.

This whole family….my Compression of Pistons now includes the Bushcrafter from Jeff Wagner with tinder compartment in the handle, the hand drill model with pick and the O-ring model both by Darrel Aune.

The various other bits surrounding this Compression are tinder bits from Darrel including cattail down, mullein pith, char cloth, birch bark, thistle, string and lube, tinder fungus and tow. My handbraided lanyard for the Bushcrafter collar and of course my Ingram Wharncliffe #4 are included for your gratuitous compliments.

Really a very generous box back from Darrel.

These guys are a pleasure to work with. All three of these pistons now stroke smoothly and produce coals on the first or second strike.

Now about Compression member number four…………..

 

[Buckshot]

Wow Scwert :You_Rock_
How come you always seem to produce beautifull photos !

I've never tried a fire piston myself but it's on the 'things to do' list.

Thanks for sharing

Mark

 

[jdlenton]

You've got some really nice kit there Schwert and your dealings with these honourable souls only goes to show that faith in humanity is not lost (well faith in some of us anyway )

enjoy your toys

James

 

[Jeff Wagner]

I think that would be a "plethora of pistons". Nice work Darrel.

 

[Hoodoo]

Wow Scwert :You_Rock_
How come you always seem to produce beautifull photos !

Rest assured that it's not accidental.

 

[Ogri the trog]

I think that would be a "plethora of pistons". Nice work Darrel.

Jeff,
I would have though the plural would be a "Flash" of firepistons

Ogri the trog

 

[Jeff Wagner]

We'll add that for consideration.

In past I have referred to a slightly larger group as " A Gathering of Warriors"

 

[Schwert]

Thanks folks. These photos did seem to turn out nicely....but the subject matter made for good models.

A flash, a gathering, a plethora, a compression...whatever I am glad to have my piston family.

When I first started my desire for a piston it was simply for their unique aspect of producing a coal....sort of a flashy aspect....but now the more I use these devices the more I see that they offer much more than flash. I think Jeff first alluded to their great performance in the wind. Striking a spark on char or producing a glowing coal in a piston the breeze is actually helpful in blowing these up into flame. Matches, lighters, candles etc are hampered...so these pistons are making their way into my kits both for asthetic as well as practical reasons.

I pulled my Bushcraft model out over at the local Pho resturant last week...eating lunch with my coworkers....they were both amazed at the coal produced and of course, they were able to confirm my geekiness

 

[firemaker]

Man!! I wish I had not seen that knife. Now I gota have one!!

Darrel

 

[Jeff Wagner]

I pulled my Bushcraft model out over at the local Pho resturant last week...eating lunch with my coworkers....they were both amazed at the coal produced and of course, they were able to confirm my geekiness

You might be amused to know - the styling of that model was directly related to my own experience in demonstrating a fire piston for co-workers. I had taken one of the pointy ended ones for show and tell. When I held it up for inspection they wanted to know ....where the batteries went.....

 

[Schwert]

where the batteries went.

The reverse taper does raise fewer eyebrows...

 

[Schwert]

Man!! I wish I had not seen that knife. Now I gota have one!

That is one of my favorites...a constant vest pocket companion. It serves all my needs from slicing fruit for lunch to trimming leather and everything in between. Gene Ingram is a wonderful fellow too. This one is thin S30V with aged Elk antler...I would feel naked without it now.

A perfect tinder making companion to the pistons too.

 

[Paganwolf]

These things are works of art, Jeff has made me a buffalo one with a tinder cashe in the top and boy is it a thing of beauty astheticaly to the touch and to use... Jeff your a star! ill get p picture up eh lol

 

[Jeff Wagner]

Thanks JP. I am delighted that you're pleased with it.

 

[rich59]

I have begun to think of the currently fashionable fire piston as equivalent to a wrist watch: elegant, compact, reliable and goes with you. However, I wonder if there is a relatively unexplored area of this accessory: the equivalent of the mantle piece clock. Most of us live indoors. Some of us are lucky enough to have a fire hearth or wood burning stove. There are ways of getting a flame virtually smokelessly from a piece of glowing char or other tinder. So to have a beautiful object that suits a fire place or wood burning stove environment, that oozes bushcraft in its appearance, and that also has built into it a fire piston would be pretty sensational I would think. There could also be comic versions.

Imagine on your mantle piece an original wood carving with a fire piston hole drilled into it and an appropriate matching piston. At one side or at the back might be a store for chaga or char cloth.

 

[Jeff Wagner]

that oozes bushcraft in its appearance, and that also has built into it a fire piston wood be pretty sensational I would think. There could also be comic versions..

A gentlemans parlor piston perhaps. I have a mental image forming now. An exquisite carving of a bear, mouth full agape with fangs bared in an expression of primal rage, he's bent forward wiith his paws resting over a carved hollow log ( hidden container where the tinder is stored ) and behind him on a carved stump near his backside lies the waiting piston....

 

[oops56]

I have begun to think of the currently fashionable fire piston as equivalent to a wrist watch: elegant, compact, reliable and goes with you. However, I wonder if there is a relatively unexplored area of this accessory: the equivalent of the mantle piece clock. Most of us live indoors. Some of us are lucky enough to have a fire hearth or wood burning stove. There are ways of getting a flame virtually smokelessly from a piece of glowing char or other tinder. So to have a beautiful object that suits a fire place or wood burning stove environment, that oozes bushcraft in its appearance, and that also has built into it a fire piston wood be pretty sensational I would think. There could also be comic versions.

Imagine on your mantle piece an original wood carving with a fire piston hole drilled into it and an appropriate matching piston. At one side or at the back might be a store for chaga or char cloth.

I yep like that idea have craved buffllo of wood open mouth for char cloth rear is fire pistion

 

[rich59]

A reclining bear laying on his back with a socket in his navel.

A reclining bear on his side with a socket in the ear.

A momentarily dallied with the idea of "President Bush" craft and where to put the socket.

 

[Jeff Wagner]

When I first started my desire for a piston it was simply for their unique aspect of producing a coal....sort of a flashy aspect....but now the more I use these devices the more I see that they offer much more than flash. I think Jeff first alluded to their great performance in the wind. Striking a spark on char or producing a glowing coal in a piston the breeze is actually helpful in blowing these up into flame. Matches, lighters, candles etc are hampered...so these pistons are making their way into my kits both for asthetic as well as practical reasons.

I think this concept merits further discussion. For the vast majority of us, and all the generations since about 1800, fire is understood only in terms of creating flame or transfering flame from one substance to another. Match to paper, lighter to leaves, firesteel to birch bark etc. The entire thought process is centered on managing open flame. However, as those of you who have mastered fire by friction understand, for preceeding millenia, flames come last and are the end product of making fire.

Beginning with a coal does have significant benefit over flame in many circumstances, however having access to modern instant flame technology we we dont think about it so much. If my match blows, out I simply light another or flick my Bic over and over and over. If I start with a coal however I can feed it, extend it, grow its size and heat output to dry damp tinder or overcome a prevailing breeze. Considerations that become more important in a bush environment.

Case in point - Following the trip to Europe this summer my girl annd I went camping near Lake Ontario. We were late arriving and it was just past dark by the time I got the tent set up. I was hungry and the planned dinner was to be cooked in a Dutch oven using charcoal brickettes. I am fond of using the instant lighting variety of brickettes due to their convenience ( see...instant flame again ) and freedom from liquid accellerants. A strong wind had come up an try as I might, I could not shield the lighter well enough for the charcoal to catch. So....I retrieved a fire piston and some shredded cedar bark from the car and we had another go at it. This time instead of blowing out my fire, the wind caused it erupt in a flaming mass. More than adequate to get the charcoal cooking. Dinner was delicious but had I not had the fire piston I would likely have gone hungry.

 

[Jeff Wagner]

These things are works of art, Jeff has made me a buffalo one with a tinder cashe in the top and boy is it a thing of beauty astheticaly to the touch and to use... Jeff your a star! ill get p picture up eh lol

In my rush to make the post I neglected to take a photo of yours, however here is one of its brother.