Lit my first fire without matches.

[Gotte]

Had my daughters off school for Easter, and thought a nice wat to spend some time was set a tent up in the back garden and cook then dinner (sausage and beans) over a fire lit with a fire steel.
We collected tinder (long dry grass), a load of dead bindweed from the bushes, and got a pile of twigs.
Took a moment or two to get used to the firesteel, but after about 30 seconds, and just when I thought it wasn't going to catch, it did do.
got it going, put on the bind weed and twigs, but then it went out when put the bigger wood on again.
So tried again, after chopping the main wood smaller and making some feather sticks. And you know what, got it going again, and kept it going, and cooked the sausage and beans in a billy.
Kids loved it. I loved it.
Not the greatest achievement in the world, I know. But a great feeling to know I can do it.

 

[resnikov]

Excellent work there. Great sense of achivement there I expect. I have yet to do that but off next week so going to give it go then.

 

[Stratts]

Well done mate something nice for you all to remember. Did you get pics though to look back on!?

Even basic grub seems to taste better when you've put a bit of effort in to cook it!

 

[Qwerty]

Good man Gotte, a lovely post and a great little achievement!

 

[ged]

Had my daughters off school for Easter ... got a pile of twigs ... firesteel ... cooked the sausage and beans in a billy.
Kids loved it. I loved it.
Not the greatest achievement in the world, I know...

Don't knock it. That's what I call real quality time.

 

[Gotte]

Thanks for that. yes, I did get some shots. Not had time to put them up yet. One thing I think really helped was something I got off dual survival - rubbing the tinder so it broke up - I think the guy on the prog referred to it as getting the most surface area. I think it gets rid of any possible residual dampness as well. I'll put the shots up when I've done them.

All the best, and yes, you're right, Ged, it was quality time.

 

[Stringmaker]

Thanks for that. yes, I did get some shots. Not had time to put them up yet. One thing I think really helped was something I got off dual survival - rubbing the tinder so it broke up - I think the guy on the prog referred to it as getting the most surface area. I think it gets rid of any possible residual dampness as well. I'll put the shots up when I've done them.

All the best, and yes, you're right, Ged, it was quality time.

That's the key to it alright, getting the tinder as fine as possible. I haven't tried it yet because my wife will have a sense of humour failure, but one of the chaps here swears by scuffing an old egg box with a coarse cheese grater to get good tinder.

Anything fine and dry does the trick; good work.

 

[luke_s]

Nice one Gotte. But the kids were well proud of Dad.
I'm enjoying the Dual Survival series too.

Luke

 

[AussieVic]

Great to get the kids involved. I'm not surprised they loved it.
Using a pencil sharpener (on a stick) can be good too if you want fine shavings; kids can do this safely on their own.

 

[Morrolan]

Don't knock it. That's what I call real quality time.

I agree - you can't beat times that like that. Not only can you look back on it fondly, but the magic of creating the fire from a piece of steel is sometimes all it takes for the passion to catch on...

 

[Gotte]

Thanks for that guys. I've got the tipi up in the garden today for the kids to play in. Hopefully if I keep chipping away I can offset all the harm Britain's got talent and x-factor does them (blame the wife).