Firemaking?

M

mora the explorer

Joined
Jan 3, 2011
Messages
168
As I was walking through the woods this morning the thought occurred to me if I needed to make a fire how would I? I've done it before on a hot day when everything is dry but what do you do in the middle of winter when everything is snow covered or its raining?

The tools I have are a Bic and Swedish fire steel. I don't carry maya dust or vasaline soaked cotton balls(but I'm considering it) as I prefer to source tinder from the woods(leaves, paper I find, etc.)
 
Really, the only answer to your question is to practice many times and under different sets of conditions using on-site foraging and materials when possible.

mora the explorer said:
I don't carry maya dust or vasaline soaked cotton balls(but I'm considering it) as I prefer to source tinder from the woods(leaves, paper I find, etc.)
Click to expand...

Frankly, I hear this a lot and I really cannot fathom any reason for not taking a bit of tinder with you. Whether it be some jute, a bit of fatwood, a coghlan firestick or two or other sources. Just because you have those items on your person doesn't mean you have to use them while practicing or in an enjoyable state. In fact, not taking them along is forcing yourself into a risk scenario that simply need not be.

In the winter your hands can get cold and uncoordinated. What was easy to do in your garage or on a warm sunny day may be impossible when you lack coordination. In the cold I always keep an emergency need fire now kit that consists of fire gel, a small bundle of fatwood and REI-windproof matches. The idea is that if I'm losing coordination, I slather the gel onto the fat wood and light it with the matches. The fatwood is serving as fuel and the gel as kindling. I choose the fireproof matches as an ignition source because they are windproof and because of all that sulfur reinforcing the stem of the match they can be lit with little dexterity and with little regard to breaking the match while its being struck. Anyhow, the idea is to use the emergency fire kit to warm my hands and body enough that I can then gather fuel for a real fire.
 
kgd, I'm right there with you. If you're practicing firecraft or what not, there's no need to dig into your emergency supplies. But carrying dry, pre prepped tinder for an emergency situation is wise.
The idea for a PSK came from mountain men carrying a possibles bag, small kit with firecraft neccesities. Dry tinder and a way to get heat to the fuel. If men who lived in the mountains carried tinder, you bet that I'm going to as well

Heck, I cheat and carry a road flare
 
A bic, assuming it's working, should get you there if you prep the materials right. Go out and practice.:D

Also, I never go out into the woods without PJ soaked cotton stuffed into straws. A means to start a quick fire is a must and doesn't take up much space in your pack or pocket.
 
mora the explorer said:
The tools I have are a Bic and Swedish fire steel.
Click to expand...

Well, i sure do hope you also carry a knife of some sorts. It'll make your fire-prep and lighting much easier :D

Making a fire in snowy conditions is easier than making it in rainy conditions. Birch bark is a fine natural source of tinder, itll even light when wet. At times you'll need to build a small lean-to or windwall to shelter your little fire from the wind and rain/snow. Other than that youll need to practice, you cant just read up on it. And i can almost guarantee you'll get better with each time.
 
gruntinhusaybah said:
Heck, I cheat and carry a road flare
Click to expand...

I like your style.:thumbup:

If I was heading into deep woods during colder, rainy months, I would refuse to travel with someone who didn't have the means for "FIRE NOW" on them. I could very well be the one who falls through the ice and the last thing I want to see, as I stand there shivering to death, is my partner priming his bowdrill kit. If I managed to get through the ordeal, only losing a few fingers and toes... I hope I would atleast retain the dexterity to choke him unconscious with my nubs and set his junk on fire with, you guessed it.... a road flare.;)
 
plus 1 on building a shelter for the fire... I tried lighting a fire 3 days ago, average windspeed about 20 kph, snow accumulating so fast it was falling off our heads in clumps every time we moved... used up a good portion of my firesteel because I wasn't carrying tinder and had to use slightly moist cattail fluff
 
Regardless of snow, rain or shine. Build your fire off the ground. When it comes to tinder, kindling, and fuel look off the ground. Dead standing wood or patially fallen trees should easily found this time of year. If by any chance you did not bring tinder, learn your area. Birch bark is king in my area and it's what I look for. You can always split small branches and make thin shavings for other Tinder. If you have Conifer trees(pine, cedar, etc) there are always dead branches at the base. These branches should be able to give you every stage of kindling needed to start your fire with a match or lighter. You will need finer tinder if using a fire steel.

Practice, Practice, practice..

Note that every stage of fire is prepared before striking a flame and each stage is off the cold wet ground and on top of a base of larger wood.



The tinder in this case is Birch bark and is being lit by firesteel. Note the tinder is on dry bark.


 
Last edited:
hey buddy, I do a lot of fire making in really wet conditions and over the years ive learnt a thing or two. Fire steels and vaseline cotton are great but when everything is soaking wet your pushing shit up hill. heres some basic advice for ya

first off if its raining build a fire shelter, high enough so you can sit under it, use whatever branches, ferns or natural material you have, this will require tools, your choice of tools depend on the environment your in.

collect a heap of fire wood and stack it under your shelter, when collecting wood dont get wood off the ground get deadfall caught up in trees etc as its drier

if its really wetyou can batton timber to get to the drier centre of the wood for kindling and batton or split some larger suff to so It has one dryish side.

make a base for your fire out of sticks so its not right on the ground

have your dryish kindling and fire wood of various sizes all cut ready and stacked under your shelter next to your fire base

make a couple of fuzz sticks

Now for the starting of the fire I always carry a lighter and hexemine or fire starters and they even when wet will burnwell.

Ok so now all your preps done, make a little nest on your fire base with your fuzz stick shavings hexemine and battoned kindling and light her up and the combination of the dryer kindling and hexemine will make it burn

once the firer is going stack your next size up wood around your fire so its drying as your fire burns and your set

Thats the best description I can give really, you will get the hang of it with practice, but remember having a lighter and heximine/firestarters makes all the difference and cuts the stuffing around time in half, if you have a look at my thread called NZ hiking trip pics you can see how I do my fires, practice and good prep are the keys to fire success
 
kgd said:
Really, the only answer to your question is to practice many times and under different sets of conditions using on-site foraging and materials when possible.

Frankly, I hear this a lot and I really cannot fathom any reason for not taking a bit of tinder with you. Whether it be some jute, a bit of fatwood, a coghlan firestick or two or other sources. Just because you have those items on your person doesn't mean you have to use them while practicing or in an enjoyable state. In fact, not taking them along is forcing yourself into a risk scenario that simply need not be.
Click to expand...

Agreed 100%. As mentioned above, you don't have to use your tinder kit. You can practice with whatever natural fire making material you have at your disposal.

I do a lot of ultralight backpacking where weight/space is a concern. I ALWAYS carry a zip lock baggie with a mag block firesteel, some dryer lint, and some PJ cotton-balls in straws. It weighs very little and packs down nice and small. I ALWAYS carry a bic on me. If I don't need my tinder it like in the summer months, I don't use it. But I have it for a J.I.C scenario. I'm very familiar with natural tinder in my area. I have used my tinder kit, due to weather several times. Would have been a real PITA if I didn't have it.

Sooo practice my friend. It's half the fun. But when things stop being fun..... carry a tinder kit. :thumbup::D
 
Rick Marchand said:
I like your style.:thumbup:

If I was heading into deep woods during colder, rainy months, I would refuse to travel with someone who didn't have the means for "FIRE NOW" on them. I could very well be the one who falls through the ice and the last thing I want to see, as I stand there shivering to death, is my partner priming his bowdrill kit. If I managed to get through the ordeal, only losing a few fingers and toes... I hope I would atleast retain the dexterity to choke him unconscious with my nubs and set his junk on fire with, you guessed it.... a road flare.;)
Click to expand...

LOL that post just made my day, you summed up my thoughts exactly, I just spilt coffee on the key board I laughed so hard
 
I carry quite a few ways to make fire on me as well as a small tinder kit for just these reasons. I agree with Rick - when you are freezing - you want fire NOW!

TF
 
Alotta good advice here.. don;t know that I can add much..you're thinking critically "if I had to start a fire how would I" which is great.. now stop thinking and do it.. That's the only way to own the skill..emergency gear for fire starting is not only a good idea, it is essential to anyone regardless of level of experience.
Lastly where are you located.. email me your address her bushbum75@yahoo.com and we'll what I can do about donating a fixed blade your way.. provided you are over 18
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top