That story really creeped me out as a kid, when I first read it... good lesson though.
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Fire Starting methods....
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That story really creeped me out as a kid, when I first read it... good lesson though.
I have four fire-starting principles.
1. I'm too lazy to start fires under most circumstances.
2. If I do start a fire, I have no compulsion to mimic Neanderthal man's methods.
3. I carry a couple of butane lighters plus matches.
4. I carry some Wetfire Tinder, but I've never used it. (See principle #1.)
1. I'm too lazy to start fires under most circumstances.
2. If I do start a fire, I have no compulsion to mimic Neanderthal man's methods.
3. I carry a couple of butane lighters plus matches.
4. I carry some Wetfire Tinder, but I've never used it. (See principle #1.)
The fire starting method I mentioned above are for the evening entertainment, when we need a fire
G
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The story, To Light A Fire, has stayed with me too.
It has a parallel to the one here in that both protagonists started their trips at a bad end of the season and against the advice of seasoned locals.
And having suffered accidents in dire circumstances, both were under big pressure to perform. You never know how your head is going to work in a given crunch.
It has a parallel to the one here in that both protagonists started their trips at a bad end of the season and against the advice of seasoned locals.
And having suffered accidents in dire circumstances, both were under big pressure to perform. You never know how your head is going to work in a given crunch.
I haven't used matches for a very long time now - too boring 
After that it was the standard ferro rod with a small piece of broken hack saw blade - too simple.
Then I discovered the "old time" version which is a piece of flint, a half-moon of steel and some home-made tinder - way too much fun.
Chaga is also a "must" to find and use. Both true tinder and false tinder chaga can be found on birch trees. I carry a bit of dried and ground chaga in my tinder box.
Again, just for fun, I sometimes keep a smouldering ember in a piece of chaga. The longest it's lasted for me was 4 hours before moving the embers over to a new piece of chaga.
And I always carry a waterproof tube of waterproof matches and some dryer line/PJ for serious emergencies. But thank goodness have yet to need them.
Cheers Ted
After that it was the standard ferro rod with a small piece of broken hack saw blade - too simple.
Then I discovered the "old time" version which is a piece of flint, a half-moon of steel and some home-made tinder - way too much fun.
Chaga is also a "must" to find and use. Both true tinder and false tinder chaga can be found on birch trees. I carry a bit of dried and ground chaga in my tinder box.
Again, just for fun, I sometimes keep a smouldering ember in a piece of chaga. The longest it's lasted for me was 4 hours before moving the embers over to a new piece of chaga.
And I always carry a waterproof tube of waterproof matches and some dryer line/PJ for serious emergencies. But thank goodness have yet to need them.
Cheers Ted
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Sweeper, that is the same tool I use to light my wood stove every day. No fool'n around!
With a new knife and hatchet spurring me on I made a practice fire today using a PJ Cotton Ball, wood shavings (mostly sycamore) and some kindling sized sticks of sycamore and cedar. I sparked it with a ferro rod and the spine of the knife.
What did I learn? It takes a lot more material to get a decent fire going than I had thought. There was some wind fueling the flames and the fire was consuming the kindling sized pieces quicker than I had thought it would.
I know, I know, big deal. Just letting you know I'm committed to learn and practice what I don't know. If the weather stays nice, I may just go for a walk around the block later while wearing my big boy pants ;-)
What did I learn? It takes a lot more material to get a decent fire going than I had thought. There was some wind fueling the flames and the fire was consuming the kindling sized pieces quicker than I had thought it would.
I know, I know, big deal. Just letting you know I'm committed to learn and practice what I don't know. If the weather stays nice, I may just go for a walk around the block later while wearing my big boy pants ;-)
Good for you.
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Hi Hanz, There's nothing wrong with fiddling with stuff at home, it's sure the place to find out that something doesn't work! I think really, I learn more when the pressure's off and I'm not under the gun, as I am when camping.
Case in point; I made one of those jute thread wicks with the melted wax like we saw in the u-tube video. Used jute from a burlap bag, took it apart until I had some dandy long jute threads, make the braid and so on. Just as it was done in the video. Couldn't get it to work worth beans; turns out with the jute I used, the slight twist to make the thread, once it's had melted wax on it resists any attempt to "frizz" it up to where a spark will ignite the flame.
Maybe I got too much wax into the braid, I don't know. Murat, your a better man than I am! Anyway, finally I got a sewing needle and picked apart each thread (groan!) and it worked. But for me, too labor intensive.
The end result is that I'm feeling a lot less guilty using vaseline soaked cotton balls. One useful thing I did learn was just how small a wisp of cotton is required to catch the spark and get the fire going. Using the long nose pliers on my Leatherman to pluck wisps of cotton, I suspect I could make one ball last the whole camping trip. Not that you'd need to, just saying.
Best Wishes,
Rob
Case in point; I made one of those jute thread wicks with the melted wax like we saw in the u-tube video. Used jute from a burlap bag, took it apart until I had some dandy long jute threads, make the braid and so on. Just as it was done in the video. Couldn't get it to work worth beans; turns out with the jute I used, the slight twist to make the thread, once it's had melted wax on it resists any attempt to "frizz" it up to where a spark will ignite the flame.
Maybe I got too much wax into the braid, I don't know. Murat, your a better man than I am! Anyway, finally I got a sewing needle and picked apart each thread (groan!) and it worked. But for me, too labor intensive.
The end result is that I'm feeling a lot less guilty using vaseline soaked cotton balls. One useful thing I did learn was just how small a wisp of cotton is required to catch the spark and get the fire going. Using the long nose pliers on my Leatherman to pluck wisps of cotton, I suspect I could make one ball last the whole camping trip. Not that you'd need to, just saying.
Best Wishes,
Rob
Go for hikes in the woods and try to get a fire going there too. The more practice the better.
LOL. There's a whole website dedicated to that concept (bushcraftusa.com). Yes, I agree. Practice hard (bow drill, flint and steel, 'one match'), "Do" easy (carry a lighter.) Know that you can "Do" hard, because you practiced.
OM, yes, jute twine has to be frizzed to take a spark. If you wax it, just bend/twist it around some, to knock the wax off and expose some single fibers. Cotton balls are the same way... if you coat the whole thing with Vaseline until it looks like a wet clump of down, it won't do anything. if you take a knife point or small twig and "fluff" it some, it takes a spark like nobody's business.
Some guys take jute twine, pull it apart into threads, then fluff the threads back into fiber. This 'fluff' is then pushed back together in a wad and rolled up in a small piece of birchbark and tied into a bundle which is then dunked in wax to make a firestarter. When needed, you just crush it in your hand and expose the fluff. probably can do the same thing with a cotton ball, but I like jute.
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I joined up over at bushcraftusa.com looking to learn more about improving my all around skill. I've been doing a lot of reading there. You're right there's no substitute for trying things out in the field. Now that I can do it at home I'll have to try it out away from home. Luckily, I live not too far from a largely undeveloped park that sees little use outside of dog walkers and people up to no good. I'll try my luck there when I can.
Here we are discussing how to start a fire but ....
Doesn't anyone else wonder about how a smoker can flick a lit butt into the woods and start a forest fire while at the same time we discuss how to start one at a camp site in the same forest trying every method shy of a using the glowing embers from a meteor strike?
The same wood, the same tinder. Yet a tossed smoke burns down a forest? I never could figure that one out.
Given that thought, I should be able to start a fire anywhere. Yet it's never that easy.
If anyone can explain this to me I'm all ears.
Dave
Doesn't anyone else wonder about how a smoker can flick a lit butt into the woods and start a forest fire while at the same time we discuss how to start one at a camp site in the same forest trying every method shy of a using the glowing embers from a meteor strike?
The same wood, the same tinder. Yet a tossed smoke burns down a forest? I never could figure that one out.
Given that thought, I should be able to start a fire anywhere. Yet it's never that easy.
If anyone can explain this to me I'm all ears.
Dave
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Well, Dave....I think it must be one of the cosmic rules of the universe. Like gravity or something. In the service we had a name for those kind of guy's: "F--- up's" And at what they did they were amazingly able. And modest too; it was never their fault. It's well to be careful around one because they have the ability to suck in innocent others into the vortex of what ever problems they are creating. Sort of a black hole/A-hole!
The only thing I've found to do, once you've identified you're in the presence of one of these guy's is to flee!! Resist any well meant thought of helping solve or clean up what ever the present situation is; you'd do better to go to the zoo and check out the tonsils on the tiger!
Vaseline/cotton balls/Zippo for me!
Best Wishes,
Rob
The only thing I've found to do, once you've identified you're in the presence of one of these guy's is to flee!! Resist any well meant thought of helping solve or clean up what ever the present situation is; you'd do better to go to the zoo and check out the tonsils on the tiger!
Vaseline/cotton balls/Zippo for me!
Best Wishes,
Rob
Think of it like the seeds from a tree. A tree will produce thousands of seeds and it may take the seeds from a thousand trees to get one tree to grow to maturity, it takes the right conditions.
A smoker can get away with tossing a butt in the woods for years without a problem, but given the right conditions...
Like Rob said about the, "cosmic rules of the universe", do something long enough and something will happen, as long as you're not talking about the government of course.
A smoker can get away with tossing a butt in the woods for years without a problem, but given the right conditions...
Like Rob said about the, "cosmic rules of the universe", do something long enough and something will happen, as long as you're not talking about the government of course.
Good points.
I like the seed analogy.
I like the seed analogy.
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