I'm always looking to start a fire!!

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I've recently been teaching my kids to use a fire steel and make their own fires in our little hobo stove. They're getting quite good now and realise they have to start small then pile on larger stuff once it gets going. We collected birch bark the other day but we normally use cotton wool since that ignites very easily. I noticed at the weekend whilst canoeing that the bull rushes are exploding into seed so I said they'd make good fuel to get a fire started. My oldest lad (8) said "you're always looking for stuff to start a fire". Hmm, true, I think I must go on about it all the time?

Is this normal, are there any others among us here that do this too?

Gibbo.:campfire:
 
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markie*mark0

Settler
Sep 21, 2010
596
0
warrington
Guilty, my lad and anyone else that usually comes with me for overnighters are always asking why do you keep picking stuff up and/or where did you get that from :D haha
 

Ogri the trog

Mod
Mod
Apr 29, 2005
7,182
71
60
Mid Wales UK
Is this normal, are there any others among us here that do this too?

Gibbo.:campfire:

Very normal, and you and your young ones will get better at it too!

You'll notice that, as different firelighting resources come into view, you'll see that they need different processes to get the best from them....

Then you'll start to see other resources for other tasks - medicinal plants, good carving woods, cordage plants - it soon becomes a tool kit distributed along a journey's path or your journey can take the path of the resources you need!

ATB

Ogri the trog

Edit to add - Wow thats a bit deep for a monday!
 

Stringmaker

Native
Sep 6, 2010
1,891
1
UK
I've recently been teaching my kids to use a fire steel and make their own fires in our little hobo stove. They're getting quite good now and realise then have to start small then pile on larger stuff once it gets going. We collected birch bark the other day but we normally use cotton wool since that ignites very easily. I noticed at the weekend whilst canoeing that the bull rushes are exploding into seed so I said they'd make good fuel to get a fire started. My oldest lad (8) said "you're always looking for stuff to start a fire". Hmm, true, I think I must go on about it all the time?

Is this normal, are there any others among us here that do this too?

Gibbo.:campfire:

I do it too!

On my way to work there is a house with a pond chock full of reed mace in seed; I have to stop myself coming back at night and harvesting it..
 

lannyman8

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 18, 2009
4,005
3
Dark side of the Moon
I've recently been teaching my kids to use a fire steel and make their own fires in our little hobo stove. They're getting quite good now and realise they have to start small then pile on larger stuff once it gets going. We collected birch bark the other day but we normally use cotton wool since that ignites very easily. I noticed at the weekend whilst canoeing that the bull rushes are exploding into seed so I said they'd make good fuel to get a fire started. My oldest lad (8) said "you're always looking for stuff to start a fire". Hmm, true, I think I must go on about it all the time?

Is this normal, are there any others among us here that do this too?

Gibbo.:campfire:

mate im totaly the same, when i get draged kicking and screming shopingby the wife, we pull up in the car park and im already looking at trees and bushes...

the wife just looks at me and says, "NO!!!! we are here to go shopping not get tinder".....

happens all the time, had to wear my walking jacket tother day, pulled a handfull of dry bracken out the pocket, the wife just looked at me and rolled her eyes.....lol

;)

chris.
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,109
2,847
66
Pembrokeshire
I was watching "Time Team" the other night...it was set in woodland...I found myself thinking "The bark in that birch looks just right for peeling little bits off for firelighting..."
Today I walked up to my bit of woodland to watch a Nuthatch and a Woodpecker nesting in the same tree...came back with pockets full of dried grass...
It is addictive!
 

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