Firesteel contraversy!
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A while back we had the "can you light a candle with a sparkstick" challenge (answer - "yes" - with patience and perseverance!) now we have the "light a ciggie" challenge.....
I expect most people will carry atleast two means lighting fire, I doubt many people will carry 'just' a firesteel. As a backup a steel is perfect - lasts indefinitely, simple to use, easil stored, reliable, and able to be used for different situations.
A firesteel is just 'cool'. We are just big kids after all.
A firesteel is just 'cool'. We are just big kids after all.
I carry a Big Yellow Bic in the possibles pouch and a small yellow bic in the side pouch of my canteen cover. That little bic is my normal go-to fire lighter. I also like to have a ferro rod along because they are fun and pretty near bomb proof. Here in rainy season as well as back home in winter I carry three sticks of fatwood, a ferro rod with treated cotton tinder all wrapped in innertube rubber. It is a pretty good way to ensure I have a lifesaving fire along.
I agree that there is nothing natural or primitive about the ferro rod nor do I feel there has to be. Once you learn the ins and outs of them they're a great piece of kit.
As for the more primitive methods I really like my quartz and steel kit.
Mac
I agree that there is nothing natural or primitive about the ferro rod nor do I feel there has to be. Once you learn the ins and outs of them they're a great piece of kit.
As for the more primitive methods I really like my quartz and steel kit.
Mac
Up here in the North o Scotland the Ferro rod is just fine, plenty of Birch, Bog cotton, Willow down,Thistle down, Bull rush,I tried a dandelion head yesterday very impressive so no shortage of tinder, great for lighting the trangia use it all the time. Only use the lighter for fags and find plenty lighters round other peoples camp sites, round fires or along the beach strand line.
Sure it’s a modern slant on the flint and steel but the steel is just a twist on iron pyrites.
Is belly button lint traditional ?
Sure it’s a modern slant on the flint and steel but the steel is just a twist on iron pyrites.
Is belly button lint traditional ?
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For me the ferro rod is my primary means of fire starting. I actually have an easier time getting a blaze going with the ferro rod than with a Bic. The last time I tried a Bic I got a slight burn and some singed hand and arm hair for my troubles. It seems I need to practice that more, but it feels like I'm cheating or something. I have a great deal of fun with flint (stone) and steel to start a fire. Reminds me of stories from my great grandmother about her ancestors homesteading in what is now South Dakota. Matches Are fine I keep some good stormproof ones around but the lighter and I are not the best of friends after that hair loss.
As for traditional/natural I would argue that at one point flint and steel was new fangled thing too, particularly in the copper age. At some point if you go far enough back you end up with the hand drill and scouting for lightning caused fires. I bet the lightning caused fires would be fun to locate.
As for traditional/natural I would argue that at one point flint and steel was new fangled thing too, particularly in the copper age. At some point if you go far enough back you end up with the hand drill and scouting for lightning caused fires. I bet the lightning caused fires would be fun to locate.
OK, partial backtrack for me. I found a lighter on the ground on a recent dogwalk. There was no gas left but it still sparked.
This evening, I tried lighting both dry and PJ impregnated cotton wool with it without success (I did actually get flame once but think it might have been a last gasp of gas in the lighter). Tried taking the metal flame shield off to give better access to the spark but still no joy. As a control, tried both tinders with my firesteel and they took straight away (never actually used petroleum jelly for firelighting before - I can see why it's popular!)
Finally, loaded up my Kelly Kettle and lit it through the hole with the firesteel.
So, still not as easy to use perhaps as a functioning lighter, but better than one without gas!
This evening, I tried lighting both dry and PJ impregnated cotton wool with it without success (I did actually get flame once but think it might have been a last gasp of gas in the lighter). Tried taking the metal flame shield off to give better access to the spark but still no joy. As a control, tried both tinders with my firesteel and they took straight away (never actually used petroleum jelly for firelighting before - I can see why it's popular!)
Finally, loaded up my Kelly Kettle and lit it through the hole with the firesteel.
So, still not as easy to use perhaps as a functioning lighter, but better than one without gas!
OK Spandit I think there are many different types of lighter. My personal thoughts on lighters for outdoors is to carry one which is both re-fillable and also has removable and replaceable steel. It it this second detail that makes lighters useful even if no gas in it. Those steels come out of the lighter to effectively create a firesteel wheel on the end of a plastic stick. It is quite easy to hold the steel in one hand by the stick (or handle if you like) and then spin the wheel to create sparks (similar sparks to a firesteel perhaps). This part of the lighter is similar to the sparklite ones I think and the ones with a wheel part to them that you can find in survival kits.
I think choosing the best lighter as back-up or main lighting method is as important as getting a good firesteel (ferro rod). IIRC there are many ferro rods out there that are not as good as others. I think there was a thread on this site once. Even if you don't want to use a lighter then its still a good idea to have one (especially a more useful one like I described above). It is always easy to loose or misplace kit so hedging your bets with different fire lighting systems stashed on your person and in your pack is always worth doing. You can still use your favoured lighting method but lighters do make a handy and light back up (or main lighter).
I think choosing the best lighter as back-up or main lighting method is as important as getting a good firesteel (ferro rod). IIRC there are many ferro rods out there that are not as good as others. I think there was a thread on this site once. Even if you don't want to use a lighter then its still a good idea to have one (especially a more useful one like I described above). It is always easy to loose or misplace kit so hedging your bets with different fire lighting systems stashed on your person and in your pack is always worth doing. You can still use your favoured lighting method but lighters do make a handy and light back up (or main lighter).
When I'm in the rainforest I always have at leat four lighters in my pack, backed up by a firesteel. I use the lighters to ignite the innertube I have with me. Should I get into the poo, I have the firesteel as excellent life saving backup. You need to practice though to get the best out of it. Paul Kirtley recommends the practice of lighting candles. After spending stupid amounts of time trying to do so (and I thought I was good with a firesteel), I agree. It hones your skills and makes you very very familiar with it and its properties. More than you could think possible.
ive done it afew times, also used a magnified glass, flint and a knife and cramp ball. not because i wanted to, but because my lighter failed and i needed the evil nicotine to make me feel like a normal human again.
I was backpacking in france a few months ago and ran out of money and my matches ran out. Noone seemed to have alight so when walking through town i would put one of those cheap cleaning clothes down and fire some sparks into it, light my rolly then stamp it out.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
this is thread is awesome, so many fire ideas its great, theres one thing i cant believe no one else has mention though, i havent smoked for nearly a year, but when i did, i would often find my self without functioning lighter for some reason or another, which lead to some interesting creativy before i got a firesteel, i once soaked a fag in deodrant to light from spark from a gasless lighter to light a second fag, but once i got my firesteel such desperation was sparred, thanks to the wonder of credit cards, you see, i pay for a lot of things on card cause i'm generally to busy to get cash out, this means that i have a wallet full of reciept, and therefore a wallet full of tinder, if my lighter stops working, a quick strike from the steel and i can light my ciggie, job done, in the 3 or 4 years of smoking post steel, i must have done this at least 50 times, this method worked really well for me as my steel is permanately attached to my keys, and i never go any where without my keys or my wallet, i sometimes usse the method when camping to
i have also tried lighting a ciggie by holding it behind the scrapper will striking the steel, it worked but lit it in the middle so i lost half the nicotine fix, but i used it to light a second one anyway, so no harm done really
as for which is best, i try to use the firesteel more, because i always have it with me and would rather learn to use it in a safe comfortable none emergency situation so if the need ever arised for it to save my life, i'd have a better chance, but i always have a clipper in my bag just in case, has to be a clipper though, cause if it runs out of gas i can use the striker from it with the can of deodarent thats also in my bag, or many of the other nicotine deprieved methods i have previously resorted to
just as a side note has anyone ever tried lighting a fire with tin foil, i generally have a piece folded into one of the card slots in my wallet, and i'm going to try to light a fire and boil water with it tomorrow, just wondered if anyones tried it
i have also tried lighting a ciggie by holding it behind the scrapper will striking the steel, it worked but lit it in the middle so i lost half the nicotine fix, but i used it to light a second one anyway, so no harm done really
as for which is best, i try to use the firesteel more, because i always have it with me and would rather learn to use it in a safe comfortable none emergency situation so if the need ever arised for it to save my life, i'd have a better chance, but i always have a clipper in my bag just in case, has to be a clipper though, cause if it runs out of gas i can use the striker from it with the can of deodarent thats also in my bag, or many of the other nicotine deprieved methods i have previously resorted to
just as a side note has anyone ever tried lighting a fire with tin foil, i generally have a piece folded into one of the card slots in my wallet, and i'm going to try to light a fire and boil water with it tomorrow, just wondered if anyones tried it
Hey billybob
You must’ve been gasping for that fag bro but I like it .Necessity is the mother of invention.
.The easiest way to light a fag with a firesteel is to loosely rap the flat steel striker with a bit of tissue, bog role or bog cotton and strike along the Ferro rod.It’s as easy as that.
You must’ve been gasping for that fag bro but I like it .Necessity is the mother of invention.
.The easiest way to light a fag with a firesteel is to loosely rap the flat steel striker with a bit of tissue, bog role or bog cotton and strike along the Ferro rod.It’s as easy as that.
WOW! What a brilliant tip! I've tried to put a spark to tissues before and failed (I get rhinitis so my pockets are always full of tissues - a constant source of amusement when the washing gets done). Tried this method just now and it worked within seconds...
At least for ferrocerium rods that's very true. The old-style steel firesteels just go rusty. Ferro rods are even more prone to corrosion in a salty environment, so if you have any salt together with a ferro rod in your survival kit then now might be a good time to wrap the salt in polythene and put the rod in a zip-lock bag with some dry silica gel. I handled quite a few survival kits in a group buy last year, and when I checked the tiny ferro rods in them several had been corroded by salt although they were still quite usable.
On the bright side, it's very easy to protect a ferro rod from moisture and the corrosion happens relatively slowly so you have to be a bit careless to let it get really bad. Even a badly pitted rod will still work (you might have to scrape some of the crud off first) and you can actually keep one in the pocket of your swimming trunks (sorry Mary, costume
) while you go for a quick dip and it will still be perfectly usable when you change back into your dry clothes. But don't leave it hanging on the washing line for days.
I've had one hanging round my neck next to my skin for a few weeks - no signs of any corrosion yet - mind you , maybe I will be the first authentic case of spontaneous combustion.
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