......Wind is often one of the most difficult demons to fight. I always grab a couple of logs to place on either or all side of my fire........
I like to do this with three short logs laid in a triangle with one corner pointing in the same direction of the wind. In this corner, I build my "twig fire" and build the rest of the material over it so 1) it is ready, and 2) so that it helps shelter the tinder and finest kindling initially. As the pencil-diameter kindling gets going and has some glowing ends, I remove the "bottom" of the triangle to let the wind IN. The remaining two logs form a funnel and increase the velocity of the air moving through the fire. The wind is as much a helper as not and you may even have to replace the "bottom" log to block the wind after things get going or you burn too much fuel too fast. If you need "wind" on your tinder bundle or some minor coals after you have placed the tinder bundle, a "straw" lets you blow into it without sticking your head in the triangle. Blowing coals can make you dizzy enough - doing with your head hanging upside down can make you dizzy enough to pitch over, head-first, into your would-be fire and scatter your work. You'll "come-to" soon enough but you'll be colder and have to start over.
Unlike any other animal, we are dependent upon carrying "stuff" with us to survive, be it a lighter, ferro-rod, flint & steel or matches. As we face that fact and realize, that without these basic elements in fire-making, we can more easily rationalize carrying some other "stuff" as well, such as emergency tinder. It's great fun and necessary practice to try it with what's available, in a controlled environment, but there should ALWAYS be some form of back-up emergency tinder on our persons and in multiple locations throughout our "layers." Generally, the less it weighs, the better it is for starting a fire, so there is no reason not to have several ounces of back-up on our persons at any time. Experimenting is a blast anyway. My wife's lap-dogs, which supposedly do not shed, leave whispy balls of fine hair under my woodstove, and although they STINK when lit, they WILL light.:thumbup:
The "straw" idea, for blowing embers which are already safely sitting in the base of the potential fire came from a British site I found once. The fella was carrying part of an aluminum arrow shaft for this purpose and I thought it was a great idea. Like I said - we have to carry stuff. May as well look for ways to carry any means that will help assure a fire. Granted, just having a ferro-rod is a huge step in the right direction and it's great to practice without the benefits of the "niceties," but having PJCBs on-hand when it's "for real" is NOT "cheating." Best to practice with that stuff too though.
I have an idea that I want to try for this, and maybe someone already has a defunct portable "pocket" radio from the days when they had telescoping antannae which could be collapsed to about 4" in length (try THAT with your MP3 player
). With the tip and solid end portion removed, and the bottom cut off at the base, one might have a dandy little, telescoping "blow-poke" that would fit in a fire kit? If someone beats me to it, and is inclined to try it, please post your findings. I would blow from the larger end to increase air velocity, thereby decreasing effort and conserving energy. This would focis the remaining oxygen from your lungs right where you want it and decrease the potential for pitching over into your work.
) is one that comes readily to mind, and the flower heads are tinder!!! - that dual purpose survival thing again! 