Fire from torch

N

nick-nack

Joined
Dec 14, 2006
Messages
503
I know most of you will read the title and go "oh god not again - where am i supposed to find steel wool!"

But this is different.

I was mucking around with one of those military angled flashlights that have the exchangeable lenses and the incandescent bulbs.

Heres what i did -
Remove the sections that hold the reflector and bulb.

IMG_2482.jpg



Take the bulb out and give it a good whack with a rock, shoe, stick. (careful the glass can fly pretty far) Till you are left with this -
IMG_2485.jpg


Then assemble the bulb back into the reflector, i assembled it back with just the screw on part that is closest to the torch in the first pic. Not the one with the lense. If your torch has only the lense part just break or remove the lense as well. But if you are in a hurry it is quite easy to hold the reflector in with one hand and manouvere the tinder with the other. I assembled it all back cause i needed both hands with the camera.
IMG_2487.jpg


Remember to make sure the torch is off before assembling it.

Now hold the tinder (tissue - shown)to the two wires. Careful not to damage any of the wires. And switch on the torch. There should be a bright orange flash and some smoke - there should be an ember now.

IMG_2488.jpg


However if it does not work the first time keep the torch on and keep brushing the tinder to the wires. There should still be enough energy for several sparks. It works best with char cloth.

Like this - http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w210/nicknwong/?action=view&current=MVI_2495.flv

Which should leave you with this after a few breaths of air -
IMG_2490.jpg


This would be useful if you need a fire, i managed to get a fire going with dry grass after about 5 - 10mins. I found charcloth was by far the easiest. The tissue was possible but the ember was very fragile and took about 15mins of coaxing to be able to transfer it to a tinderbundle. With dry grass it was impossible to get and ember.
Keep in mind that the first spark, the one when you first turn it on is easily 4 -5 times hotter than the sparks you can get afterwards. So make sure its all perfect before switching it on.

I would also say that im unsure of any harmful substances that may be in the smoke so becareful and do it outside.


-Nick
 
Very nice! I still have that same flashlight with my box of scout stuff from a few years back, and I had no idea that you could do that. I will be sure to pull it out and try it out. Thanks for the great description and pics, J.
 
Neat trick, I didn't think of that either. Now maybe Maglites will be good for something! ( ;) )

(I wouldn't worry too much about lack of response, weekend/monday junctures are folks' busy time.)
 
Maglites are even easier if you have a bit of stainless steel snare wire in your kit. You just take the head off of the light, pluck the "bulb" out and stick two short pieces of SS snare wire into the holes and place a piece of XXXX steel wool to the two pieces of wire and if the batteries are good, it will instantly start to glow and catch fire. Saw it on a Ron Hood DVD! Go buy some! I don't work for him but his stuff sure is good, simple and right to the point.

You're on the right track, you just need a flashlight that is easier to use or some XXXX fine steel wool regardless... :)
 
Not to take away from this thread, but you can do the same thing with steel wool and a 9 V battery. Since the positive and negative ends o a 9V battery just touch the steel wool to both and it should catch a spark instantly.
 
andrew7978 said:
Not to take away from this thread, but you can do the same thing with steel wool and a 9 V battery. Since the positive and negative ends o a 9V battery just touch the steel wool to both and it should catch a spark instantly.
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I'm sure that is true and useful, but not all of us are going to be carrying a 9V battery around out in the bush. Personally I like these flashlight tricks because I carry maglites and I have one of these angle head flashlights.
 
I didnt want to use steel wool or a 9v battery because I dont know anyone who carries steel wool. The 9v battery is also rare in appliances.
 
Well, strictly speaking, XXXX fine steel wool catches a spark so well, you should think about carrying it in your kit. It is also vastly superior to any other type of tinder if you are interested in making "electrical" firestarting a reality with such low output batteries as AA and AAAs.
 
+1 on carrying steel wool. I've actually lit it using the battery out of my cell phone.

-- FLIX
 
My only thought in a survival situation is that you've just eliminated your torch as a source of light! Great idea as a last-ditch effort, tho.

I'd agree that keeping a small section of snare or other wire and some XXXX steel wool in your kit (Or better, under the butt spring in your maglite!) would be a premier solution to be prepared.

J-
 
The larger maglites and military torches all come with a spare bulb. So get it right the first time.
 
Don Rearic said:
Unless you have already used it, right?

Why so combative?
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Just sounds to me that nick nack was simply making a point/statement about the spare bulb. He was just merely trying to enlighten us with the fact (that he proved himself) that the bulb can be used as a fire starter. I'd rather have warmth, good food, and clean boiled water than a stinking light. Not supposed to hike around at night anyway. Just my thought, now I sound combative LOL.
 
I was addressing the, "Get it right the first time."

And people are calling me confrontational and angry in the Busse thread. Holy Hipwaders, Batman. :D
 
Don Rearic said:
I was addressing the, "Get it right the first time."

And people are calling me confrontational and angry in the Busse thread. Holy Hipwaders, Batman. :D
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That's what I meant, but reading back now, it does look like I strayed off the subject just a tad. Well, it is true, in the bush when this flashlight trick is needed, get it right the first time!(lol) Besides, if you have the spare bulb make sure you do get it right so that you can continue using the flashlight. If not, then it is sad but true, your only light has been sacrificed to a good cause.

ps. The guys in the Busse thread are always hostile, simply start a thread saying, "Busse is crap" and explain a sob story about a Busse that didn't work out for you after you paid "X" amount of money for it (real or not just do it....do it). They will light up that thread and you'll have six pages of posts by tonight. LMAO
 
batosai117 said:
Well, it is true, in the bush when this flashlight trick is needed, get it right the first time!(lol) Besides, if you have the spare bulb make sure you do get it right so that you can continue using the flashlight. If not, then it is sad but true, your only light has been sacrificed to a good cause.
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It would seem to me that carrying a bit of steel wire and some XXXX steel wool would be a better idea instead of saying you don't know anyone that carries it...

ps. The guys in the Busse thread are always hostile, simply start a thread saying, "Busse is crap" and explain a sob story about a Busse that didn't work out for you after you paid "X" amount of money for it (real or not just do it....do it). They will light up that thread and you'll have six pages of posts by tonight. LMAO
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And if I did that, I would be a troll and I am not a troll so I would not do that. The problem with the whole Busse Scene on BFC and specifically in this sub-forum are trolls.
 
Got to go to class, but the steel wool would be very helpful to have, not to mention I wouldn't want to burn my only light source either. I bet I could probably fit some match heads in the bottom of my mag lite. I'll tell ya'll how it goes, J.
 
I wasnt trying to come across as combative. I was just saying if you valued your flashlight greatly you would want to get it right the first time so you wont waste your spare bulb.
I know there are far better ways of making a fire. This was just a what if situation and you had managed to lose your firestarting gear and this was still stashed in your bag.
I know it sounds very far fetched but then again why do people get lost.
 
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