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How about firepistons?
- Thread starter wildmike
- Start date
Very recent thread:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=557357
My fire piston:
Video of my fire piston:
http://funditor.110mb.com/wiki/index.php/Fire_piston
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=557357
My fire piston:
Video of my fire piston:
http://funditor.110mb.com/wiki/index.php/Fire_piston
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2005
- Messages
- 11,135
After you get the hang of them, they are a grat supplement to a fire kit. I carry one in addition to a bic, matches and army firesteel in my bravo sheath. Might be redundant, but....... I also carry charcloth to use with it, and a couple chunks of fatwood.
Heres a pic of mine
Heres a pic of mine
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2007
- Messages
- 42
In the latest issue of Backwoodsman magazine there is an article on a do it yourself fire piston using stuff off the shelf from hardware store. Haven't done it yet but looked very doable.
That article in Backwoodsman was great. There is no such thing as redundancy when it comes to survival gear. I always carry at least three methods of starting a fire. But then I've also been real cold before, and if I hadn't been able to get a fire going I wouldn't be here today.
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2002
- Messages
- 10,317
They are interesting and work very well if kept clean...however, they make more sense to use in a static location like at home/cabin rather than being carried about for hiking and camping or for survival usage.
1. They need to be kept clean, difficult if you are out & about and have dirty fingers.
2. The piston needs to be lubed, which means that you need to carry fat or grease with you at all times.
3. They need a very small pc. of tinder at the end of the piston. Can't get lube on it & easy to blow off.
It's pretty hard to manage all 3 in a survival situation. A faster source of fire would be better in emergency circumstances.
1. They need to be kept clean, difficult if you are out & about and have dirty fingers.
2. The piston needs to be lubed, which means that you need to carry fat or grease with you at all times.
3. They need a very small pc. of tinder at the end of the piston. Can't get lube on it & easy to blow off.
It's pretty hard to manage all 3 in a survival situation. A faster source of fire would be better in emergency circumstances.
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2007
- Messages
- 7,443
I just did a review on one that I got from e-bay. Search for my post.
I get an ember basically 100 percent of the time.
TF
I get an ember basically 100 percent of the time.
TF
CanDo...would you mind providing the actual dimentions of the compoinents you used? I watched your video but apparently missed that part. I think you said you use a 4" long piece of copper tubing threaded on both sides with 3/8" ID...What about the bolt? What dia and what length? 4" long bolt (I'm assuming 3/8"?) with the threads cut so that probably makes the bolt 2.75 to 3" long - correct?
What size "O" ring?
Thanks!!
What size "O" ring?
Thanks!!
Hi Quirt,
I'll measure and get back to you soon. If not, please just bump the thread, I've been extremely busy lately, but it should cool down within a couple of days.
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2001
- Messages
- 546
I have a coco bolo firepiston with a small matching cobo bolo canister designed to carry tinder. I actually found it easier to carry a supply of vasoline in that container and my tinder sealed in a ziplock bag.
Over all I had had a lot of experience with a firepiston and the only conclusion I can come to is that in rural areas where the firepiston is the principal means of fire starting they must be a shortage of flint and steel.
Any environment where a firepiston can be constructed a friction bow or fire plow could be made as well. A properly made firepiston would be somewhat more resistant to a WET environment as long as your tinder is dry. The firepiston is also smaller than your typical friction setup and therefore easier to keep dry. I often wear mine as a necklace under my shirt and/or coat. I have used mine when both my clothes and my firepiston was soaking wet. If you can dry your fingers enough to put a pinch of dry tinder on the ram it will usually light. Try that with a soaking wet hearth board and drill.
Firepistons can be made of jungle products like bamboo or cane, twine, grease and dry tinder. Making one from native materials does require a degree of knowledge and tool working ability. They do not require hard volcanic or flint type stones or metal to work. However I think making one from native materials in a temperate forest would be difficult but I have never tried. A friction bow or fire plow would be much simpler and lower tech.
Given these factors I carry a good lighter, a firepiston, a Swedish Firesteel, a flint and steel and dry tinder most of the time. If limited to only one I like a the firesteel. I think it is more versatile but it does have a limited number of strikes before needing replacement.
Over all I had had a lot of experience with a firepiston and the only conclusion I can come to is that in rural areas where the firepiston is the principal means of fire starting they must be a shortage of flint and steel.
Any environment where a firepiston can be constructed a friction bow or fire plow could be made as well. A properly made firepiston would be somewhat more resistant to a WET environment as long as your tinder is dry. The firepiston is also smaller than your typical friction setup and therefore easier to keep dry. I often wear mine as a necklace under my shirt and/or coat. I have used mine when both my clothes and my firepiston was soaking wet. If you can dry your fingers enough to put a pinch of dry tinder on the ram it will usually light. Try that with a soaking wet hearth board and drill.
Firepistons can be made of jungle products like bamboo or cane, twine, grease and dry tinder. Making one from native materials does require a degree of knowledge and tool working ability. They do not require hard volcanic or flint type stones or metal to work. However I think making one from native materials in a temperate forest would be difficult but I have never tried. A friction bow or fire plow would be much simpler and lower tech.
Given these factors I carry a good lighter, a firepiston, a Swedish Firesteel, a flint and steel and dry tinder most of the time. If limited to only one I like a the firesteel. I think it is more versatile but it does have a limited number of strikes before needing replacement.
I agree. With the kit I plan to make one to experiment with and to provide an option other than the firesteel. I generaly carry a firesteel ( gerber strikeforce ) and flint and steel with matches in a matchsafe. The firepiston just looks like it may be a very efficient and convenient option. Just hoping it is worth the effort.
Quirt,
The tube is 3 1/16" w/ ID of 5/15". The bolt is longer by about an inch and narrower - nominally 1/4". I put a nominally 5/16" o-ring on it. The exact dimensions are rather unimportant so long as the device is small, tight-fitting, and well lubricated (that sounds sort of wrong, doesn't it?).
To cut the groove, try chucking the bolt in a stationary drill or drill press and then holding a very thin blade to it as it rotates. Mine didn't come out perfect, but it works just fine.
The tube is 3 1/16" w/ ID of 5/15". The bolt is longer by about an inch and narrower - nominally 1/4". I put a nominally 5/16" o-ring on it. The exact dimensions are rather unimportant so long as the device is small, tight-fitting, and well lubricated (that sounds sort of wrong, doesn't it?).
To cut the groove, try chucking the bolt in a stationary drill or drill press and then holding a very thin blade to it as it rotates. Mine didn't come out perfect, but it works just fine.