Flint & Steel, Charcloth for Survival - WHY?

I figure if I need to start a fire outdoors it's going to be wet, cold, and miserable. So, I put my trust in liquids like acetone, gasoline, and diethyl ether as "tinder" and a magnesium/ferro bar (I always have several on my person and my vehicle) as a spark source. Survival is no time for romance.
 
Quiet Bear said:
As everyone else here, I carry multiple ways to start fire. One of them is carrying char cloth BECAUSE I carry a high carbon steel knife and a sharp rock is easy to find.
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Why go looking for a rock?

If you're going to the trouble to carry charcloth then why not also carry a decent flint as well? (I recommend a musket flint from Dixie Gun Works, it's about the size of a quarter)

We have natural flint some places here in the northeast, but considering the depth of dirt and duff and leaves, it's not easy to find, and trying to find a decent rock under the snowpack will be impossible.

Bring the rock with you, it really doesn't weigh much.

If you're going to work with charcloth, then bring the whole kit...flint, carbon steel, and tow or jute or whatever birdsnest material you want to work with.

Big +1 on milkweed...never heard it called "placenta" or "ovum" :) I just call it fluff, the stuff that carries the seed airborne. It easily catches a spark and makes a great flame. The only problem is you can't collect it until late summer or early autumn when the pod splits open (I may be wrong on that, maybe you can split the pod open earlier and use the green "ovum") Anyway, I gather handfuls of it whenever I'm out and stuff it in my pockets. No special container is required.

Edit: Anybody ever tried dandelion fluff for tinder? I will make a point of trying that this spring.
 
Edit: Anybody ever tried dandelion fluff for tinder? I will make a point of trying that this spring.
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No but I darn near burnt down a forrest once monkeyin around with large build-up of cotton from Cottonwood trees in spring.:o

As far as Flint and Steel:
The Steel itself will outlast any of the "other" tools; it doesn't run out of gas, tinder can be improvised,if wet it will dry, works with most any Silica based material. Like most things, you'll get faster the more you practice...etc.
 
Liam Ryan said:
Many people might ask us, "why do you guys go tramping off into the woods and sleep on the ground. If I want some nature I will go play a round of golf, it's so much easier."

Some of us just go the extra mile to connect with nature, I'm all for it. The first fire I made from a ferrocium rod felt just that much cozier, and the tea tasted that much better.
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I get it Liam, but are you saying that you ONLY carry flint, steel & charcloth for firestarting?

Horse said:
Flix- Charred cloth is not the only thing a true piece of flint and a steel will light. Try the placenta out of milkweed pods or thin slices of burdock pith. They do not have to be charred. Innonotus obliquous is a fungus the works fantastic, and only needs to be dry. It is a skill to explore!
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Thanks, Horse. Now if I can ever figure out if suitable stones are in my region, then I'll have to figure out tinders that can be lit at the lower temp sparks that it generates. (Actually, I'm always keen to find new natural tinders.)

Stainz said:
I tried dipping Q-tip cottons in my wife's Wally World 'house branded' (Equate) Chest Rub - a spark easily ignites those into little fireballs. I guess the 'charcloth' makes sense - thanks!

Stainz
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:confused:

SkinnyJoe said:
I figure if I need to start a fire outdoors it's going to be wet, cold, and miserable. So, I put my trust in liquids like acetone, gasoline, and diethyl ether as "tinder" and a magnesium/ferro bar (I always have several on my person and my vehicle) as a spark source. Survival is no time for romance.
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SkinnyJoe, do you really carry accelerants with you all the time? Perhaps a pint? ;)


Coldwood said:
Anybody ever tried dandelion fluff for tinder? I will make a point of trying that this spring.
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Coldwood, heres a thread I started last spring on using dandilion fluff as tinder. I don't know if it would work with flint and steel, but it was fine with a ferro rod!

-- FLIX
 
FLIX said:
ISkinnyJoe, do you really carry accelerants with you all the time? Perhaps a pint? ;)
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In very small quantities, except for gasoline. For that one I have a siphoning hose and a syringe. A solid rope will also do, just dip it in.

Needless to say, have some nitrile gloves in your vehicle.
 
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