Newbie to BCUK

[Onlyme]

Hi all, always liked the outdoors, fishing in particular. Interested in finding out about making shelters and cooking. Would like to know how to use flint or steels to get a fire going. Of course I carry a lighter and gas stove, but to be a real survivalist, that’s the goal. How do you start a fire, for cooking I hasten to add, if everything is wet.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Hi, welcome and enjoy.

 

[John Fenna]

Hello and welcome!

 

[MartinK9]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

 

[Mesquite]

Hello and welcome to the forum

 

[Onlyme]

Been asked to a provide some details about myself, names John from High Wycombe. Like fishing and hiking, but not too keen in freezing conditions.
Hoping to pick up a few tips on bushcraft to further my hobbies.

 

[Millsey]

Hi all, always liked the outdoors, fishing in particular. Interested in finding out about making shelters and cooking. Would like to know how to use flint or steels to get a fire going. Of course I carry a lighter and gas stove, but to be a real survivalist, that’s the goal. How do you start a fire, for cooking I hasten to add, if everything is wet.

Hi Onlyme,
If you are using traditional flint and steel you will need a piece of flint and a hardened steel striker. You will also need a piece of dry prepared tinder such as char cloth or charred punk wood or fungus which will catch a spark and create an ember. You then have to place your glowing ember in a tinder bundle and blow into flame. You will need to have a selection of tinder prepared in advance starting with a large bunch of matchstick twigs such as birch and then progressively bigger pieces to place on the fire once you get it going. How you prepare or lay your fire is important as well. A Vee lay is good in bad weather.
You can also use a Swedish fire steel or ferro rod which will create a bunch of sparks much easier. These can then be used to light tinder and you can skip the tinder bundle step as with the right tinder you can easily get flame from the sparks( Papery birch bark is good here)
If everything is wet you will have to either have some dry tinder with you or find some which is not easy. Thinking ahead and putting some downy seed heads in your pocket earlier in the day can dry them out with your body heat. Anything charred will obviously have to be prepared in advance. You may be able to find dry wood in the centre of standing dead wood and you can create fine shavings from this and also kindling. Also for kindling again dead birch twigs will light quickly even when wet. You can find them hanging from the lower branches of trees where they won’t be as wet as the ones on the ground. As for the rest of the firewood standing dead wood is the best. Bit of a long winded post I know but hope it helps. There’s plenty of videos on YouTube about all these methods. Jack Raven Bushcraft has pretty good videos on their website.

 

[Ystranc]

I’m a realist, as well as a standard fire kit I also carry some strips of rubber or rubber bands for an emergency, these will help you to kindle a fire even if you’ve just dipped them in a river.

 

[Onlyme]

Hi Onlyme,
If you are using traditional flint and steel you will need a piece of flint and a hardened steel striker. You will also need a piece of dry prepared tinder such as char cloth or charred punk wood or fungus which will catch a spark and create an ember. You then have to place your glowing ember in a tinder bundle and blow into flame. You will need to have a selection of tinder prepared in advance starting with a large bunch of matchstick twigs such as birch and then progressively bigger pieces to place on the fire once you get it going. How you prepare or lay your fire is important as well. A Vee lay is good in bad weather.
You can also use a Swedish fire steel or ferro rod which will create a bunch of sparks much easier. These can then be used to light tinder and you can skip the tinder bundle step as with the right tinder you can easily get flame from the sparks( Papery birch bark is good here)
If everything is wet you will have to either have some dry tinder with you or find some which is not easy. Thinking ahead and putting some downy seed heads in your pocket earlier in the day can dry them out with your body heat. Anything charred will obviously have to be prepared in advance. You may be able to find dry wood in the centre of standing dead wood and you can create fine shavings from this and also kindling. Also for kindling again dead birch twigs will light quickly even when wet. You can find them hanging from the lower branches of trees where they won’t be as wet as the ones on the ground. As for the rest of the firewood standing dead wood is the best. Bit of a long winded post I know but hope it helps. There’s plenty of videos on YouTube about all these methods. Jack Raven Bushcraft has pretty good videos on their website.

Hi Millsey, thanks for the reply, not long winded at all, very helpful. Gives me a very good idea of what is involved.