Fire starting techniques examined.

R

Robbie Roberson

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Dec 27, 2003
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Today, while rubbing a stick in a groove until my arms ached........:o

I started wondering how many people have really researched other ways to make fire from scratch.

Guess I'm always looking for alternative methods for this elusive skill (at least to me) :o.

The way I speak of is using only the things you have on you when you need a fire.........at that very moment.

You know, shoe lace etc.........

Has there been trials, test and methods examined by the pros that anyone knows of ?

I guess I need to be more specific. I am familiar with most of the common ways.........spark from objects, magnifiers, and all the newer methods realized like polished cans etc.

I guess I am wondering if anyone has REALLY pushed the limits in this area and tried things like huge poles for friction heat or other methods or tricks.

You know how a group of people in one room can often brainstorm and think of a better way to do something ?

Seems to me there needs to be a web site devoted only to fire starting trials and test....listed and discussed.....you never know.........someone might just hit the jackpot and discover a super fast and simple way to make fire without matches, lighters etc.

One example I was thinking about, a larger pole moved rapidly on a larger log groove in some manner looks to me like this would make intense heat very fast........if you could locate the right log etc.........


Robbie Roberson.
 
Not sure there have been any major breakthroughs in primitive fire techniques. I'm a pretty firm believer in the old saying that, "Everything you can do or say, has been done or said before by someone else, the trick is remembering it."
That said, there might be a few things you haven't come across yet. Such as, the two stick fireboard(rather than having to cut a notch), or the more exotics that are pretty material specific like fire thongs and fire saws.
If we look at what's needed to create fire, I'm sure you could come up with some time savers or different combinations that would work.
Not exactly sure what it is you're after though, might need some clarification, but I'm all for helping the brainstorming process along.

Edited to add various means of fire by category.
Incomplete List off the top of my Head;

Friction Based-
Hand drill
Bow drill
Pump drill
Fire plough
Fire saw
Fire thong
Any of the above done in variation or tangent(two stick hearthboard, fungus hearth, two person hand drill, etc.)

Sun based-
Magnifying lens(including Fresnel lense, distorted condom, ice formed into a convex lense, etc.)
Parabolic mirror(reflector of a flashlight, polished bottom of a can, etc.)

Spark based-
Ferrocerium rod(including other mischmetal blends, magnesium, etc.)
Natural flint, quartz, iron pyrite, etc. struck against carbon steel(technically works on friction, but since it creates a spark I've separated the two)
Shorting a battery with a conductor(steel wool and a 9v, disassembled hand torch with tender, toothpaste+salt+potato+2 wires+tinder=fire)
Lighters ofcourse(Bic, butane, acetalene torches, etc.)

Compression/Dieseling-
Fire piston used with charcloth or tinder fungus


Chemical and Exothermic reactions-
Potassium permangenate and glycerine
Potassium permangenate and antifreeze
Linseed oil soaked rag
Matches
Rapid oxidization(thermite reaction, etc.)
Powdered iodine+powdered aluminum+water

Naturally occuring sources-
Lightning/electrical storms that cause wildfires
Lava tubes and volcanic areas(i.e. Hawaii, and Yellowstone)


This is a incomplete list as it's off the cuff, from memory. That covers a lot of ground though, I think.

Gautier
 
Thanks for the insight. I guess I'm just wondering if everyone thinks everything has been tried ?

It's funny how different people think. I think there are probably many more ways to make fire by friction than we will think of for the next many years.

Friction means heat.........rope on a tree moved extremely fast........I know, it's probably been done but for inexperienced people like me it sure would be nice to read about all the methods that have been tried or thought about being tried to make fire.

I just feel there has to be untried methods that are waiting to be discovered. :confused:

Robbie Roberson.;)
 
Well, the rope type friction that you speak of, is basically the same premise as the fire thong. Most times it's made using bamboo or rattan since those are long thin fibers, but durable enough to stand up to the abrasion/heat needed to make an ember. If you do a search on the internet I'm sure you could find posts on it. It's a pretty common practice in places like the Philippines and among Polynesian people, etc.
I'm sure once I get to thinking about this I'll remember more means or variations of fire, the storms in my brain have largely been replaced by drought and the occasional light shower hehe.

Gautier
 
RR, go on youtube.com and search on firemaking. It is pure pyromanic porn!

If anyone ever wondrs what I do with my time when I am not on BF, (probably not) but anyway I am on youtube watching wilderness vidoe clips.
 
Robbie Roberson said:
I guess I'm just wondering if everyone thinks everything has been tried ?
Click to expand...
Welllll.... the ability to start fires with primitive tools has been around for at least 10,000 years.

And people have studied and practiced it continuously since then.

I would suspect that the simplest ways still remain with us, and that any other technique, in any other culture, throughout history would also be known *if* it were truly efficient and repeatedly effective.

I could be wrong, but I wouldn't count on there being an easy primiative way.

We have, of course, found fast and effective and efficient ways since then using technology....
 
Then there's looking at Rosie O'Donnel naked and bursting into flame! (Or wishing you did!) :eek: :eek: :D

-- FLIX
 
Either my memory is failing me, or I don't know as much as I thought I did. After sitting and thinking about it a while. I've concluded that I only know about 35 means of making a fire from about 6 different categories.
I could have swore that at one point I figured out about 40-50 different ways to make fire out of 9 different categories.
Anyone notice anything I'm leaving out, care to jog my memory? :confused:

Gautier
 
Although a sub-category, probably the newest (re)discovery is that of the Egyptian bow drill. If there is a friction fire technique that can be described as easy (a relative term, of course), it would be the Egyptian bow drill.

Doc
 
Kind of worked that one in mentally with the friction based methods. I will agree though that that is an easy and effective means for sure. Definitely a blessing with natural cordage.


Gautier
 
Electric discharge, rubbing plastic on plastic, ideally with a bit of lighter fluid.
 
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