How do you start your fires?

[Wander]

A timely question.
I very rarely have a fire but when I have, recently, I've been a bit lazy - using a chunk of hexi block and a lighter to get it all going.
It's made me decide that next time, whenever that may be, I'll take a flint and steel and char cloth to keep skills honed.

 

[Pattree]

I'll take a flint and steel and char cloth to keep skills honed.

…….. and maybe a lighter in a back pocket?

 

[Wander]

Nope.

 

[Woody girl]

I'm loving flint and steel at the moment, with either home made char cloth, or charred punk wood. I'm getting about 80% first or second strike ember on the cloth, and a little less on the punk wood. That often takes about 4 or 5 strikes. Just bought another steel striker, I have 3 now, and some are better than others.
I use home made waxed cottonwool disks for wet fire lighting, and cotton wool balls for everyday when I want a quick fire. Both with ferro rod. (Tho I sometimes cheat and use a lighter if no one is looking!)
I've made some tinder kits in tins containing a selection of birch bark, cotton wool balls, waxed paper straps, and wood wool those little "natural" wood shaving firelighters you can buy by the box.
Now autumn is here I'm collecting old man's beard, thistle, and rosebay willow herb to add to my nests .
I think my favourite is birch bark though as it works with almost every method of firelighting, and I'm lucky enough to have a birch tree localy that sheds bark like mad, so it's an easily collected resource.

 

[forrestdweller]

i'm living off-grid and cook on fire, normally i'm banking it overnight.... .if it has gone out i'm mostly using the hand drill at the moment (as i'm doing bow drill for the tourists...). back- up are flint and steel and magnifying glass.

i know i mentioned it before, but no matches, evil magic or other new-fangled methods for me since 12years

 

[Tony]

I like flint and steel, also play with fire piston, but if I just want a fire going quickly I'm quite happy using a blowtorch...

 

[Ozmundo]

I have made char cloth and play about with flint and steel. I'm not very good but likely a lack of patience.

Usually I use a ferro rod (Kupilka one) plus fatwood shavings or hammaro card or the small pots of fire dragon tabs if it's particularly soggy & blustery.

 

[Tengu]

Matches.

Bear in mind I light at least three fires every workday.

 

[Brizzlebush]

Petrol and a fag end

 

[gg012]

Petrol and a fag end

No thermite?

Sent from underground

 

[Pattree]

I have been shown that you can extinguish a cigarette in a dish of petrol. Maybe not on a warm day though. (Or if you are any more sane than my mate back then)

 

[British Red]

I like flint and steel, also play with fire piston, but if I just want a fire going quickly I'm quite happy using a blowtorch...

I think we need a sub thread to argue whether propane or MAPP gas is better

 

[MikeLA]

Still like matches or a firesteel

 

[Pattree]

This thread has made me think back. I can’t remember when I last used a match. There’s are none in the house right now. It must be years.

 

[Broch]

LOL, the quickest and most reliable way available depending on the need.

So:
demonstrating primitive fire lighting - bow drill or other pre historic method with birch bark
getting a fire lit for camp cooking - tinder and ferro rod (typically)
getting a blaze going 'cos we're wet and cold - any or all of: turbo lighter, firelighters, diesel (in desperation, petrol), rubber inner tube, tinder, kindling ...

I know I can light a fire without matches or a lighter, or even a ferro rod; I don't need to demonstrate that to me, or anyone else, all the time

 

[Potatohead]

I used to be feather sticks, shavings and ferro rod all day long.

But now, since i started buying them for my BBQ i have gotten lazy and use these for most things.



Natural, Odourless, flavourless etc which is good for the BBQ.
Very portable



Crumble one down and add some ferro rod shavings and your good to go.

When im feeling really lazy, like this evening with the fire pit, the. My ZIPPO brand jetflame does fire duty.
Not the biggest jet on max, but hasnt let me down yet.

 

[Pattree]

Now! In my childhood firelighters were a weekly purchase. The house was heated by two open fires.
But
They were absolutely forbidden at Scout camps. Oh we well knew how to smuggle them into camp. They were passed between patrols as “fudge” even the white ones. They certainly weren’t odourless.

 

[FerlasDave]

Have to be honest.. I really enjoy using matches, they’re just simple and reliable.

 

[1 pot hunter]

Just wanted to find out how people start their fires generally.

I have used firesteels and various types of natural tinders and always tend to struggle, maybe I need to practice more! So I usually use a hexamine/esbit tablet as a base for my fire and then build on that. Does anyone else do it the lazy way or do you use flints and steels or other traditional methods?

Depends on the resources at hand Iff available I bowdrill occasionally but mostly use a lighter I believe a ferro rod is more modern than a lighter but use both.

 

[Pattree]

The old petrol lighters WERE ferro rods with rotating scrapers. The “flints” were mixed iron and something.