Best of luck with the unexpected shift - packing and unpacking at Christmas - a recipe for confusions
What bombproof tinder?
- Thread starter BigMonster
- Start date
-
Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
I picked up SparkLite tabs before U.S. postage charges went up.
Boiled a pan of water and stuck a jar of vaseline in. When the vaseline was liquid, I dipped a tab in 1/3rd of the way. Vaseline infused, not smeared. and the top 2/3rds are teased open enough to take the spark from the SparkLite or firesteel.
In the absence of this, buy NatraCare tampons (all cotton), dissect them and wrap some thread around to stop the sections gradually falling apart, then do the vaseline infusion thing
Boiled a pan of water and stuck a jar of vaseline in. When the vaseline was liquid, I dipped a tab in 1/3rd of the way. Vaseline infused, not smeared. and the top 2/3rds are teased open enough to take the spark from the SparkLite or firesteel.
In the absence of this, buy NatraCare tampons (all cotton), dissect them and wrap some thread around to stop the sections gradually falling apart, then do the vaseline infusion thing
Interesting method. Recently thinking some of the fire plug stuff is dental cotton rolls or nasal plugs (for nose bleeds) infused.
I broke some tea light candles up,melted them down,poured into an ice cube tray,mixed with sawdust,i use the wicks from the candles so i can light them easier.
Accelerant to turn a weak smoldering fire into a torch. Big hydrocarbon like paint thinner or car parts washing petrol.
Even in the boat, back with the fuel tanks, Dad always had a bottle of "Varsol," shop cleaner to start fires no matter how wet the wood was.
Big red highway emergency flares burn hotter than Hades for exactly 10 minutes. I can start any fire with one of those.
Break open a few rifle shells = there's your dry powder exactly when you need it. Modern powders are not explosives but they do give a steady burn.
If you pump it up good and hard, the petrol tank out of a Coleman 2-burner "green box" will provide all the encouragement that your fire might need.
I have a screw-top aluminum can, maybe 6" tall x 4" wide. Rides in my day pack, go nowhere outside the village without it. Besides a roll of magnesium wire, there's boxes of hurricane matches, a wire saw and other incendiaries. Some birch bark and a mag block with a ferro striker on one edge.
Just about all of my life, I have been close to the great Boreal Forest of various conifers. The driest twigs are always closest to the main trunk and always very resinous. Bash them to fiber between 2 rocks. Lay the fire with wood up to 1" if we could. Any spark source should catch in the twig tinder fuzz.
Funny, it's such a habit that I forget that I have the can-of-fire in my pack. I have practiced with the Mag block, ferro sparks and birch bark shreds. Flames in 30 seconds.
Even in the boat, back with the fuel tanks, Dad always had a bottle of "Varsol," shop cleaner to start fires no matter how wet the wood was.
Big red highway emergency flares burn hotter than Hades for exactly 10 minutes. I can start any fire with one of those.
Break open a few rifle shells = there's your dry powder exactly when you need it. Modern powders are not explosives but they do give a steady burn.
If you pump it up good and hard, the petrol tank out of a Coleman 2-burner "green box" will provide all the encouragement that your fire might need.
I have a screw-top aluminum can, maybe 6" tall x 4" wide. Rides in my day pack, go nowhere outside the village without it. Besides a roll of magnesium wire, there's boxes of hurricane matches, a wire saw and other incendiaries. Some birch bark and a mag block with a ferro striker on one edge.
Just about all of my life, I have been close to the great Boreal Forest of various conifers. The driest twigs are always closest to the main trunk and always very resinous. Bash them to fiber between 2 rocks. Lay the fire with wood up to 1" if we could. Any spark source should catch in the twig tinder fuzz.
Funny, it's such a habit that I forget that I have the can-of-fire in my pack. I have practiced with the Mag block, ferro sparks and birch bark shreds. Flames in 30 seconds.
Has anyone been able to get the big red highway emergency flares in the UK?
when i search on google it comes back with LED flashing lights!
Not quite the same thing....
when i search on google it comes back with LED flashing lights!
Not quite the same thing....
Have a look at a website called Pirates Cave,they seem to have a selection of flares.
Distress Flares UK - Boat Distress Flares
We stock an excellent range of pyrotechnic and led/laser distress flares, as well as pre-made flare packs. Fast delivery. Shop now.
www.piratescave.co.uk
You are bound to have suitable emergency pyrotechnics approved for your country. Maybe a phone call to your nearest chandler on the coast would turn up some marine pyro devices.
Hand sanitiser good to get things going, should you be struggling.
I make sawdust & candle wax blocks. Just scrape some shaving off.
I make sawdust & candle wax blocks. Just scrape some shaving off.
Last edited:
Bombproof? Bit of an oxymoron.
There’s lots of good suggestions but one PRACTICE. Gear cannot replace skillsets
There’s lots of good suggestions but one PRACTICE. Gear cannot replace skillsets
It used to be a dinner party game on the fireplace hearth. You get birch bark, ferro rod, knife and a block of magnesium metal.
How fast can you make a substantial flame to start a bird's nest of grass tinder? This should never take more than a minute.
How fast can you make a substantial flame to start a bird's nest of grass tinder? This should never take more than a minute.
Similar threads
