Best trick to start fire, No need for fatwood or cotton balls

I think it works because non of the sparks or heat is lost in transit before they hit the tinder with this technique. I wonder if it will work using long grass or dry leafs. :)
 
That is interesting and I will have to try it. One thing to note however is that starting up a fire by firestriker indoors is infinitely easier than doing it outside in light to moderate wind conditions. Before you get overly confident with this as a method be sure to try it under realistic conditions outside.

There are a couple of aspects that make using the firesteel a bit more difficult: 1) wind blowing around and 2) usually having to hunker over kindling in an awkward position while striking the firesteel.

Another thing that Bearthedog brought up earlier was the need to practice moving beyond just getting tinder to flame into getting kindling to catch. It is really easy to practice getting flame on tinder because it is a 5-10s excercise. However, getting the kindling to ignite can be as or sometimes even more challenging.

Sorry to be all preachy here - and good post. I will try this, particularly since a roll of TP is often with me when I'm out and about!
 
Pretty cool. I'm surprised that you've managed to get wool to flame. Something I've not been able to do. Just tends to melt and put off a nasty gas.
 
longbow50 said:
Pretty cool. I'm surprised that you've managed to get wool to flame. Something I've not been able to do. Just tends to melt and put off a nasty gas.
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I would guess that you had a synthetic fabric rather than wool if it melted.

Bruceter
 
I have tried it with a cloth I had. dont know what it was made of and it caught fire on the fourth strike. I think it worked on the same principle as making charcloth. The first strikes burn the cloth and the last one ignites it.
 
I remember seeing that one a while back. It's of course a quick way to do things, but the problem is most of the tinders you listed are not wilderness-friendly. They're items that get wet easily, and become useless for firestarting after the fact. That's why PJ-cotton balls and fatwood are so handy.

I do that same trick with frayed jute though, just letting it sit right in front of my scraper. The jute will still work pretty well when wet (just because fraying it will expose the dryer fibers on the inside). But I never have firesteel without fatwood near it, anyway.
 
SpookyPistolero said:
I remember seeing that one a while back. It's of course a quick way to do things, but the problem is most of the tinders you listed are not wilderness-friendly. They're items that get wet easily, and become useless for firestarting after the fact. That's why PJ-cotton balls and fatwood are so handy.

I do that same trick with frayed jute though, just letting it sit right in front of my scraper. The jute will still work pretty well when wet (just because fraying it will expose the dryer fibers on the inside). But I never have firesteel without fatwood near it, anyway.
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Good points but if you can keep cotton balls dry, why cant you keep some toilet paper dry?
 
gazaati said:
Good points but if you can keep cotton balls dry, why cant you keep some toilet paper dry?
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The petroleum jelly will help keep the cotton usable if wet, but I do still keep it in a container. They will also burn longer than plain cotton material. When the choices are just about equally simple, I always like to choose the one that's the most 'uh-oh' proof. (Which is why I rarely use the cotton balls and almost always use jute + fatwood.)
 
I have always used pj-cotton balls (kept in a small film case), but I like this method.
My toilet paper is transported in a ziplock bag for its protection. If I am going to carry the stuff, I want it safe and dry. And I am going to carry the stuff.
 
I like using Fatwood for the simple fact that it's something I can always find in the wild !
 
Ive done a similar way with natural tinders like dried grass or leaves. But I hold it so that the tinder is sitting in front of the striker, held with my index finger.
 
Wool will not burn. Period. Get some proper wool, that you know with 100% certainty is wool, and try it.
Otherwise, this is a good technique for alot of different materials.
I suppose, if you could gather together a bunch of long and dry grass or other fibrous material, this would be a nice little trick up ones sleeve to have, if you were out and about, instead of trying in vain to get the sparks to light the material the "original" way.
 
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