Rather than muck up the previous thread about someone's Flint kit I thought I'd start another thread.
My experience runs along Don Rearic's, I've studied the various methods of producing fire from scratch, from Primitive up to Modern. IMO the joy of learning all the methods is akin to someone who wants to get a certain level college degree.
Let's say that a Bic or matches is grade school, the Ferro Rod/Mag block is a High School degree,the Flint & Steel an AS degree, the Fire Bow a Bachelor's Degree, and the Fire Plow/Hand Drill a Master's Degree. Can you see the progression of difficulty as it rises through the levels of education, good; then one can ascertain that it will be equally difficult in the field to replicate. After schooling one's self as far as they are interested in the various methods; one can then choose the method(s) with which they prefer to light their fires with. Remember the difficulty with which each method attains fire, and that one must duplicate this in the field to get results, regardless of conditions.
Matches/Bic, easiest way to light most fires using some basic common sense.
Ferro Rod/Mag Block next with some patience and practice.
Fire Bow takes regular practice and skill in making up the set if your set gets lost.
Fire Plow/Hand Drill is something you either have the knack for doing or it's just going to make you cry.
If you had a choice in the same conditions which makes the most sense to use
:foot: If you have some time on your hands which then If you are bored to tears and the fish are'nt biting which then
Another note not frequently mentioned in Fire by Friction conversations is the incredible sweat one can build up in getting any of these methods to work. That can spell hypothermia in an otherwise already precarious situation; which is why I prefer the more modern fire methods.
This is not to say one can't enjoy learning all the processes to add to their skill sets, it's just not genuinely necessary to know all of them IMO.
My experience runs along Don Rearic's, I've studied the various methods of producing fire from scratch, from Primitive up to Modern. IMO the joy of learning all the methods is akin to someone who wants to get a certain level college degree.
Let's say that a Bic or matches is grade school, the Ferro Rod/Mag block is a High School degree,the Flint & Steel an AS degree, the Fire Bow a Bachelor's Degree, and the Fire Plow/Hand Drill a Master's Degree. Can you see the progression of difficulty as it rises through the levels of education, good; then one can ascertain that it will be equally difficult in the field to replicate. After schooling one's self as far as they are interested in the various methods; one can then choose the method(s) with which they prefer to light their fires with. Remember the difficulty with which each method attains fire, and that one must duplicate this in the field to get results, regardless of conditions.
Matches/Bic, easiest way to light most fires using some basic common sense.
Ferro Rod/Mag Block next with some patience and practice.
Fire Bow takes regular practice and skill in making up the set if your set gets lost.
Fire Plow/Hand Drill is something you either have the knack for doing or it's just going to make you cry.
If you had a choice in the same conditions which makes the most sense to use
:foot: If you have some time on your hands which then If you are bored to tears and the fish are'nt biting which thenAnother note not frequently mentioned in Fire by Friction conversations is the incredible sweat one can build up in getting any of these methods to work. That can spell hypothermia in an otherwise already precarious situation; which is why I prefer the more modern fire methods.
This is not to say one can't enjoy learning all the processes to add to their skill sets, it's just not genuinely necessary to know all of them IMO.
) my confidence has grown leaps and bounds while out in the woods. It took me less than a minute at the WLC to get a coal since the material I was using was properly prep'd and I had a great instructor, but when I have gotten my own material I sometimes have failed or sometimes it's taken me several attempts to get a coal. (thats why I keep practicing) Yes it's not easy, no it is far from the best way, but in some circumstance it may be the only way. So knowing and understanding how it works is a very valuable skill IMO.
