Fire building from an expert

B

Bowie Mike

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Sep 30, 2006
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The Denver Sportsmans Expo is this week end and I was lucky enough to stumble on a brief survival seminar presented by Greg Davenport (see gregdavenport.com). I didn't catch it all, but I thought I would summarize and pass on what I saw.

Greg's recommendations for fire starting:

Have the materials (tinder, kindling, etc.) to start three fires when you begin. The fire may begin to die at any stage and you can revive it with the extra materials.

Don't use up all you "man-made" fire starters. Try to use your first fire to dry out and prepare natural tenders. Preparing the tender was heavily emphasized.

Cattail down and magnesium shavings are "flash tinder" and are not the best tinder for starting a fire alone. They burn up too quickly and don't always get the kindling started. He was really not in favor of the magnesium (surprised me, but makes sense when he explained it). He recommends adding it to natural tender. I've tried both and I have to admit, I ended up mixing cattail down with better tender to get a fire going.

Collect your tinder last to keep it from getting wet. If you collect it first, put it in a plastic bag or otherwise keep it dry.

He emphasized that a flint striker is way better than matches and lighters. Winds easly blows out the matches and lighters don't work as well at high elevations (>10,000 ft).

He prefers the cotton ball/vaseline tender. He puts the cotton in a small ziplock back, puts the vaseline in the bag and then neads it (can't believe I didn't think of that one - I always do each cotton ball indiviually and end up with vaseline all over the place).


Hope some of you find this useful.
 
Bowie Mike said:
He puts the cotton in a small ziplock back, puts the vaseline in the bag and then neads it .
Click to expand...

Hmm, I never thought of this either, but it makes sense. Just goes to show you how little people think about improving on something that seems like it is good enough.

Thanks for the info.
 
"erm sorry but why start three fires?? is there a reason ?"

you don't start three fires...you just collect the stuff to start three fires. you start one, and if it starts to die at any point (ie; you fall asleep and you wake up an hour later to see embers or small flames...) you can take the appropriate sized fuel and build it back up to full size. this means that you don't have run around getting more stuff while your fire slips ever closer to the great coal pit in the sky.
 
I have his book, with the generic name of wilderness living. It's not too bad, though the illustrations are rather bad.
The fire section is first rate, though, and contains the first example of a pump drill I have ever seen, as well as a few other friction methods I never saw.
It's a good book for the primitive ways, including knapping, bowmaking, basket weaving, and I would reccommend it for anyone looking to get into primitive skills.
 
Well...

I think it would be better to get one fire the first time. Build up from that.

This is huge subject.

steve
 
There is always the BLUE ANGEL method of fire starting. Enjoy a few pickled eggs, tacos and beer the night before your trip. However, the down side of this method is the possible HERSHEY SQUIRT which may put a damper on your kindling. :D
 
I didn't go to the link. SOmebody asked why three fires(?) I don't know what brought that up *maybe the link) but here's a possible explanation...

- either the lesson is, have 3 to 5 times the firewood that you think you'll need (self-explanatory)

- or, three fires for signaling. The international distress signals come in threes. Three fires, 3 whistle blows, 3 gun shots, 3 flashes from a light, etc.
 
ok thanks both of the reason sounds possible and it is also fgood if we need to start a fire in a moment notice so it is both possible thanks
 
Bowie Mike said:
He emphasized that a flint striker is way better than matches and lighters. Winds easly blows out the matches and lighters don't work as well at high elevations (>10,000 ft).
Click to expand...

I would generally expect a lighter to work better at higher elevations becuase of the lower ambiant pressure. This is certainly the case with butane canister stoves and other things that depend on pressure gradiant. Cold on the ohter hand would be a problem. I have used lighters above 10,000 feet in the mountains without problems. Another thought... above 10,000 feet there isn't really much campfire material to begin with anyway.
 
Will, remember at higher elevations there is less oxygen. All fire needs oxygen. The butane mixture in lighters is made to mix with O2, and burn correctly from 0-6,000 feet.
I personally don't worry about this, one, I'm not at 10,000 feet too often.

Let's take the woman that survived 5 weeks in Gila.
At some point we "could" run out of our man-made tinders. I think the advice about having 3 sets of tinder when building a fire is a good one, as well, we should be always preparing "future" tinders at each fire-session.

We can tear peice of cotton cloth and make char cloth. We can "super dry" materials at each fire session to have the ultimate in dry tinder. Also, collecting tinder as you notice it is important.

We typically have a ziplock bag or three with us. If in a situation, one of them could be used for keeping tinder dry. At minimum dedicate a closeable jacket pocket for tinder collection.
 
"lighters don't work as well at high elevations (>10,000 ft)."
I beg to differ; I regularly camp above 10,000 ft and BIC lighters work just fine. He may be speaking about zippo type lighters though.

Enjoy!
 
upnorth said:
There is always the BLUE ANGEL method of fire starting. Enjoy a few pickled eggs, tacos and beer the night before your trip. However, the down side of this method is the possible HERSHEY SQUIRT which may put a damper on your kindling. :D
Click to expand...

These days, I could make a Blue Angel just about any time of the day - just ask my wife:D

I haven't tried it at 10,000 feet though:cool:
 
Happy Joe said:
"lighters don't work as well at high elevations (>10,000 ft)."
I beg to differ; I regularly camp above 10,000 ft and BIC lighters work just fine. He may be speaking about zippo type lighters though.

Enjoy!
Click to expand...

HJ, everyone states this about lighters above 10k, it's a pervasive belief.
I'm glad to hear it may not be entirely true.
Just replying to say it's what we read and hear from survival trainers.
And they do mean Bics.


Either way, I'm not going to be above 10k unless in an aircraft, or with a well equipped parade of sherpas. ;)
 
I am a tinder hound grabbing it when I see it. If it is damp out i look for tinder FIRST so i can start dring it out by keeping it close to my body, usually the pocket of my shorts.

if this post works i am in big trouble because i just did it from the airport on my Q. :)
 
Quiet Bear said:
I am a tinder hound grabbing it when I see it. If it is damp out i look for tinder FIRST so i can start dring it out by keeping it close to my body, usually the pocket of my shorts.

if this post works i am in big trouble because i just did it from the airport on my Q. :)
Click to expand...

That is the best Idea I have heard in a while:thumbup: I will have to try that. Thanks a bunch.

-Blair
 
My son and I are working with the firesteel every weekend- this weekend we tested Trioxane tablets, rubber cement and super glue gel. Super Glue Gel did squat- gave the rest f the tubes to my wife to fix nick nacks. Trioxane was GREAT did not even crumble any up- first set of sparks ignited it-- do watch though, the flame is barely visible and could cause an accidental burn. Rubber cement- again, first set of sparks set it off and it burned well in a moderate breeze, a good sized drop burned plenty long enough to heat and catch oak mulch chunks(size of dominos).
Always searching for natural and man made portable tinder. Last weekend was natural.
Bill
 
Liam Ryan said:
I have his book, with the generic name of wilderness living. It's not too bad, though the illustrations are rather bad.
The fire section is first rate, though, and contains the first example of a pump drill I have ever seen, as well as a few other friction methods I never saw. It's a good book for the primitive ways, including knapping, bowmaking, basket weaving, and I would reccommend it for anyone looking to get into primitive skills.
Click to expand...


Hey there Liam and all the rest here,

The book referred to here, 'Wilderness Living' also happens to be written by the very same Gregory Davenport, who is also the same guy who put on the fire starting seminar in Denver that this thread's subject was all about. This book is a very fine book in deed!. I would also recommend it as well for anyone even remotely interested in primitive survival.

BTW, Thanks for this thread..:thumbup:
 
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