Got to get and get some practice, learned some stuffs

Rsmith_77

Rsmith_77

Joined
Jun 4, 2010
Messages
4,186
Yeah everyone always saying you gotta get out and practice, saying things like you never know what works until you try it.

well those folks are right.

Went to hang out with a buddy of mine, we werent out in the woods, but he had a fire pit in the backyard and so we decided to try an start a fire without a lighter or whatever.

I'm sorry, this was spur of the moment, so no pics :(

So we sat down with some kindling and shaved a bunch of shavings to get the fire started

1) thing i learned, while i was using my bk11, he came out with a Gerber Prodigy, he wanted to try it out cause its the same length as the BK2 he is looking at. What i learned was, the serrations on that knife worked WONDERFUL for making shavings. I always hearing folks say that plain edged knives are better for outdoor use and easier to maintain etc etc. But the serrations seemed to make the best shavings, like the wood followed the serration to make superior curls.

so we get our pile of shavings and set it up on a flat log and try to light it with my light my fire and my bk11. I just couldnt get the shavings to light on their own, so i tried some fire sticks i picked up today at bass pro shop. Now i dont know if I just had unreasonable expectations but we just couldnt get the firesticks to light either, the instructions said to break in half and would light even if wet....so we tried a lighter on one and it DID burn pretty easily, but it just wouldnt catch a spark

finally i dig out a couple of cotton balls from my PSK, now these arent treated in anyway (not soaked in vasaline or anything for that matter) and after maybe 5-10 minutes of sparking it finally lights

YAY!! i finally lit my first fire with my light my fire stick. But that brings me to a question. I stripped and then filed the back of my BK11 to spark with, but it appears that i am...pitting the spine of the my 11. It may just be residue from the stick, or maybe the extreme heat, is that something others have experienced? or is something wrong here....

anyways, we sat down by the fire, roasted a few marshmellows, drank a few beers and BS'd for a few hours. It was a good night.
 
First off, good job on getting in some practice. Second, the cotton balls should have caught a spark very easily. Are you getting a big shower? Maybe you are spraying the sparks and not concentrating them enough. I am by no means a survival expert or master bushman but I can get an untreated cotton ball to light on the first try most of the time.
Also, just curious, what type of wood were you shaving and was it still moist and new? I use a few different knives with my Swedish Fire Steel and none of have any pitting. Try and make a video of your technique. The guys and girls on this site are wonderful people and will definitely help strengthen your skills.

Happy dirt time
BushOgre
 
Yeah i dont have any real way of making a video...at least, i should check my camera to see

I am getting a shower, but not a big one, probably 4-5 sparks if that makes sense, but some were real good sparks, although they werent all good ones.

the firewood was pretreated stuffs. Some sorta pine for kindling, lots of resin...i wonder if I wasnt sweating so bad i was getting the cotton balls wet with my hands though

the pitting seems to have been some residue left over, after getting home and watshing the blade thoroughly with dawn and an old toothbrush it seems to have disappeared...
 
Rsmith_77, good for you getting outdoors and learning new stuff. One thing I learned from Pit & Mist here on the forum was when I was having a %$%# of a time trying to get my fires lit with a firesteel was to hold the knife/striker/file down by the tinder pile & pull the firesteel up and away, not move the striker towards the tinder pile. After I started doing this, it was a snap to start fires.
Now the bow drill, that is a separate discussion all by itself . . . . :D
Good luck with your future trials and tribulations . . . .
Be safe.
 
yeah yeah one skill at a time :p

so that may be my problem, your description of technique is ...interesting
sounds like i am doing it like you USED to, forcing the knife towards the tinder pile

might have to try again tomorrow
 
oh I also learned something wierd.

in the course of comparing knives and testing sharpness, I discovered that my knife that wouldnt shave my arm hair, would in fact shave his
i guess i have less arm hair than he does and i guess its finer, my knife wouldnt shave it, but on his arm, it shaved with no problems

weird
 
Just for fun next time you are trying new things.... I was AMAZED when I learned how to start fire with a 9V battery and steel wool. Take some fine steel wool and just rub it on both the negative and positive ends of the 9V Battery and viola.... the inferno begins. Much easier than than a firestick although not always handy or desired. Take care and keep practicing. Regarding the cotton balls, with practice you will be able to light them the first strike. Keep the stiker at the same level and pull the rod up. This will concentrate all of the sparks at a much lower target area. AND, don't get so excited when you make fire that you leave the rod in the fire. Learned that one!!

________________________________
Beckerhead #32
 
yeah i am familiar with the steel wool and 9v battery trick

we tried that out last time we got together (last august i think?) i've also had to show that trick to my wife and my nephew :p
 
The steel wool will catch a spark. Just take a small, up to a few inches, of the wool and nest it up bit. Then spark it with your fire steel. I have found that 000 and 0000 work the best for me.
 
Anytime I'm having trouble figuring something out or just learning a new skill I'll watch a few you tube vid's. theres lots of great work there.
 
BushOgre said:
The steel wool will catch a spark. Just take a small, up to a few inches, of the wool and nest it up bit. Then spark it with your fire steel. I have found that 000 and 0000 work the best for me.
Click to expand...
I assume when you say 000 and 0000 you are refering to the size or whatever of the steel wool. I never knew it came it different sizes or grit or whatever ya call it. You never know what your gonna learn around here lol.
 
Sounds like you were using a mag block, when you talked about shaving that's what you meant right?

Some people say they have atougher time with the mag blocks becuase the shavings blow away and the small firesteel doesn't throw a ton of sparks. I don't have trouble becuase I use vaseline cotton balls. The mag shavings stick to the vaseline and spark real easy.

Cut a small length of straw heat one end and crimp it shut with pliers, take a cotton ball and pull it apart, roll it in your hand so it is long. Cover it with vaseline, push it into the straw length, heat a crimp the other side closed. I carry one in my pocket, 3 or 4 in my PSK, and another 3 or 4 in my backpack.

When you strike the firesteel are you holding it above the tender, or right on top? I place the firesteel touching the tender and strike down, I never have a problem lighting cotton ot drier lint.

Can't say about the pitting on your knife. On all my firesteel I use a small piece of hacksaw blade as my striker, and on the mag block I also use it to scrape shavings and it works like a charm.


lunch017.jpg
 
not a magnesium block, but a Light My Fire firestick
yeah i held the firesteel above (3-4 inches) the tinder

the pitting was a residue on the knife, when i got home and washed it thoroughly it went away...
 
In my experience 3 or 4 inches is way too far you should almost be touching the tinder with the firesteel imo.
 
yeah i think i've learned that

practice is good, cant wait till the next time i get to get out and do this again
of course, now i am looking into the mish metal rods that wider and derek were telling me about :)
 
yep can't hold it that far away. I have it touching the tender and just push the striker down.
 
I have one of those as well, a fox mischmetal blank from goinggear. it throws huge sparks.
 
Just wondering, did you fluff the cottonball out some to create a bird's nest effect? This has always worked well for me. I've never tried the pj cottonball,but I use wax coated jute twine.
 
Spit on something and shave your mag. bar onto the spit. The wind shouldn't blow it away then. Light it up like a christmas tree baby.
 
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