We see lots of stuff online showing firecraft practice and tutorials but what about in a real world setting such as a group outing. Fire with an intended purpose, not just for the purpose of showing though clearly lots of people show firecraft being used for cooking etc. No big deal and nothing new here but maybe worthy of a video? We did two fires in the above group outing.
1. Knife and chaga fire aka flint and steel.
2. Ferro rod.
Both worked rather well however clearly the ferro rod was the winner and that along with a lighter and matches has always been my actual hiking/prep firestarting kit not that I don't enjoy friction fire, flint and steel or other bushcrafty methods. The firecraft here is just an ends to a means or is that means to an end? Each fire was done on a separate day during the same outing so used the same tinder and basic prep. We intended to use the fires for cooking and group caveman TV. Few things provide a better distraction and entertainment all at the same time in the woods than a fire and it's size sometimes doesn't matter. The hobo stove fire was just as entertaining for the smaller group as the larger blaze was for the bigger party. Both fires were in the same general area, maybe a mile at most apart.
Looks dry!
More.
Targeting these what looks like golden rods around the fallen pine.
More good looking tinder.
Not the best looking Yellow birch in terms of fluffy hanging bark but it will work.
Beech leaves are good as well.
Fallen over tree.
If I needed rocks as a striker for either the knife or firesteel and the ground was under a snow base I would consider checking out some of these attached to fallen tree roots but had flint with me so moved on.
For the smaller group outing, just 4 people a hobo stove fire was decdided on. Small, fast and needing little wood it seemed ideal. The prep took no time at all, basically a twig fire in a box.
Source of ignition was a striker knife, flint and chaga. If my memory serves me correctly this chaga was taken from these same woods a year or so ago. I like to do that when going old school if possible. Then again I could have taken the wrong chaga by accident making that simply delusional ideology. Doesn't really matter because I got it just the same.
The tinder bundle.
And it ignites.
Soon the stove was burning good. I don't think the process to ignite it then get a sustaining fire was anymore than a few minutes or so minutes. That said sometimes flint and steel using uncharred materials doesn't go smoothly. For example I didn't even know there was a small ember in the first chuck when moving to a second for another try. Both ignited.
Now for the entire group. Same basic idea the next day but more people. Hike from base camp then setup a daycamp. When you have a larger group of people who are also experienced the firewood just appears like magic.
Strikeforce firesteel, foraged tinder plus some wood prep ready to GO! This time it would be a rookie at using a firesteel working the striker.
He did one of the fastest firesteel starts I have seen. Not sure faster is even possible. It's in the video.
The traditional pork product on a stick.
Nothing ground breaking but a good time and use of firecraft. Here is a video and thanks for looking.
[video=youtube;q1prsMkA-Ew]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1prsMkA-Ew[/video]
Thanks for looking.
1. Knife and chaga fire aka flint and steel.
2. Ferro rod.
Both worked rather well however clearly the ferro rod was the winner and that along with a lighter and matches has always been my actual hiking/prep firestarting kit not that I don't enjoy friction fire, flint and steel or other bushcrafty methods. The firecraft here is just an ends to a means or is that means to an end? Each fire was done on a separate day during the same outing so used the same tinder and basic prep. We intended to use the fires for cooking and group caveman TV. Few things provide a better distraction and entertainment all at the same time in the woods than a fire and it's size sometimes doesn't matter. The hobo stove fire was just as entertaining for the smaller group as the larger blaze was for the bigger party. Both fires were in the same general area, maybe a mile at most apart.
Looks dry!
More.
Targeting these what looks like golden rods around the fallen pine.
More good looking tinder.
Not the best looking Yellow birch in terms of fluffy hanging bark but it will work.
Beech leaves are good as well.
Fallen over tree.
If I needed rocks as a striker for either the knife or firesteel and the ground was under a snow base I would consider checking out some of these attached to fallen tree roots but had flint with me so moved on.
For the smaller group outing, just 4 people a hobo stove fire was decdided on. Small, fast and needing little wood it seemed ideal. The prep took no time at all, basically a twig fire in a box.
Source of ignition was a striker knife, flint and chaga. If my memory serves me correctly this chaga was taken from these same woods a year or so ago. I like to do that when going old school if possible. Then again I could have taken the wrong chaga by accident making that simply delusional ideology. Doesn't really matter because I got it just the same.
The tinder bundle.
And it ignites.
Soon the stove was burning good. I don't think the process to ignite it then get a sustaining fire was anymore than a few minutes or so minutes. That said sometimes flint and steel using uncharred materials doesn't go smoothly. For example I didn't even know there was a small ember in the first chuck when moving to a second for another try. Both ignited.
Now for the entire group. Same basic idea the next day but more people. Hike from base camp then setup a daycamp. When you have a larger group of people who are also experienced the firewood just appears like magic.
Strikeforce firesteel, foraged tinder plus some wood prep ready to GO! This time it would be a rookie at using a firesteel working the striker.
He did one of the fastest firesteel starts I have seen. Not sure faster is even possible. It's in the video.
The traditional pork product on a stick.
Nothing ground breaking but a good time and use of firecraft. Here is a video and thanks for looking.
[video=youtube;q1prsMkA-Ew]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1prsMkA-Ew[/video]
Thanks for looking.
