Today it was raining all day long so what better time to go out and practice making a one stick fire in the rain using a firesteel (the only tinder used was that which came from my wrist thick piece of wood). I have done this twice before successfully but have never felt very confident about it and last week when I was doing it Terry Barney was standing over my shoulder yelling at me because I forgot everything he taught me!
Firecraft is a perishable skill as I have learned. It is also a skill that cannot be mastered by completing a task once or twice. Making fire in actual rain is much different than using wet wood after a rain. If anyone thinks they are in good shape because they can throw a log in the creek and make a fire out of it they are mistaken although that's not an easy task either.
To prove it was raining:
Here is my chosen tree, a hedge, dead and off the ground:
My prep, it was just enough but I should have had much much more:
Prep was protected from the falling rain by Hickory bark while I worked (The knife from River Bottom Blades):
We have fire!
Making the reward:
Today I felt good about how I did, I got the fire going first try and it never went out. I still need a lot more practice though. My prep like I said was adequate but would not have left any room for failure so next time I need much more and another piece of Hickory bark for cover would have been helpful. Oh, and making fire in the cold rain while soaking wet makes things much more difficult, this is NOT like making a fire in normal conditions. Go out there and try it, you won't be disappointed with the skills you build. For those that have done it I salute you.
Firecraft is a perishable skill as I have learned. It is also a skill that cannot be mastered by completing a task once or twice. Making fire in actual rain is much different than using wet wood after a rain. If anyone thinks they are in good shape because they can throw a log in the creek and make a fire out of it they are mistaken although that's not an easy task either.
To prove it was raining:
Here is my chosen tree, a hedge, dead and off the ground:
My prep, it was just enough but I should have had much much more:
Prep was protected from the falling rain by Hickory bark while I worked (The knife from River Bottom Blades):
We have fire!
Making the reward:
Today I felt good about how I did, I got the fire going first try and it never went out. I still need a lot more practice though. My prep like I said was adequate but would not have left any room for failure so next time I need much more and another piece of Hickory bark for cover would have been helpful. Oh, and making fire in the cold rain while soaking wet makes things much more difficult, this is NOT like making a fire in normal conditions. Go out there and try it, you won't be disappointed with the skills you build. For those that have done it I salute you.
)
