Magnifying glass fire lighting with ice??

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Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,154
1,546
Cumbria
I'm curious, is it myth or truth that you can make a lens out of ice and use it to light a fire. Has anyone read about or seen a video of someone doing this?
 

Billy-o

Native
Apr 19, 2018
1,981
975
Canada
I haven't seen that, no, but I do remember an episode of a BBC ROugh Science TV series when they were depositing scientists in wilderness spots and setting them tasks. One of them, Kathy Sykes, managed to melt sand enough to make a lens. No firemaking with it, but could see cells with it. The expression on her face when she realized what she'd done was quite something. The things we can do.
 
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woodspirits

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 24, 2009
4,209
903
West Midlands UK
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I did something similar a few years back, i didn't use ice though I had about a half cup of water in a clear plastic bag, sunny day I focused a hot spot like a magnifying glass onto tinder, I got smoke but my work break was over. I think had I carried on it would have ignited, the video clip above shows how it works. :)
 
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Deleted member 56522

Guest
Thanks for showing those videos. I was dubious because I know they use water to absorb IR, and I'd tried lighting a fire with a pair of classes and it just didn't work. However, it could be that there isn't enough sun even on a sunny march day in Scotland. On the other hand, the only place you're going to need this is either in the far north where the sun is low, or very high up a mountain.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Local photographer casts ice lenses in the bottoms of beer cans.
Mounted in simple lens boards, the photographic results are quite pleasing. The ice shape does control the light path.

Cast a bunch, keep them in the freezer for bright, sunny, summer days. Get your tinder piles all ready to ignite. Grab one ice lens, run outside and shape it with your bare hands. See if you get a burn.
 

grizzlyj

Full Member
Nov 10, 2016
181
126
NW UK
Search for lens carving tool. One popped up a while back but I now can't find it. This has similar tools to carve your own
 

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