Just got a fire piston any one else?

T. Erdelyi

T. Erdelyi

Joined
Feb 3, 2001
Messages
32,359
Anyone else have a fire piston I just got one off ebay, it cost about $26 shipped and came with enough stuff for over 2000 fires, the guy even threw in a tinder box and lots of extras, it took me about 5 minutes to start my first fire.

firepiston.jpg


Anybody else have one of these, any tips to get a faster ignition I think my timing is off or maybe I just hit it too hard, probably, I just need more practice.

Any tips would be welcome.
 
The fire piston link you have in yor thread does not seem to be the same piston you show in your picture.
I have one and it works well. Use a small pcs. of tinder no larger than 1/16th Sq. for the best results. Also have the base well supported when you strike the piston, its easy to torque the unit and slip, the resulting ember.
The tinder box works like a champ.
Have fun.<><
 
TE,
That little fire piston is tooo coool! :cool: Sounds like it would work well after reading frediver's post and with a little practice. Does anyone know what these little puppies cost brand new?
 
$45-$65 with supplies, depending on finish and materials. Cocobolo seems to be most popular, but I like the black water buffalo horn. Do an eBay search "Fire Piston".
 
Mine is plexiglass. After some searching I found this guy and he assured me it is not the cheaper plexiglass that others have used and had problems with.

http://www.firepiston.com/

It works well, but you can't use charcloth with it because of the abrasiveness of it. Do any others out there use any different materials?
 
There is a guy on ebay selling then NIB with tinder from about $30.00

Jeff Wagner sells a classier looking model from Cocobolo for about $60.00 (This will be a Sebbie / Syderco issue, it is what it is and they cost what they cost) You are paying for his time and workmanship.

The cheap guy uses a brass tube and a pretty robust gasket (the Achilles heel of Firepistons) for prolonged maintenance free life.

Jeff's older models use a cotton string wrap that are lubed with a little Vaseline or similar. He is also making models with O-Ring gaskets and a hollow piston that holds a micro fire steel.

The best tinder for a Firepiston in my experience is True Tinder fungus, but if you are selective about your material you can make char cloth that is pretty robust and mess free.
 
Don't be tempted to use black powder, not even a little bit. This is what we call a "rocket"!!:cool:
 
I have a plexiglass one, and it usually takes about a dozen strikes or so, but it eventually works.
 
Dozen strikes! My Horn model from Jeff does it first time every time. What kind of gasket does it have and what are you using as tinder?
 
It has a rubber gasket (with a little lubricant) and fungus. I can smell it after 3 or 6 strokes, but it does kind of work it's way into it.

It must be my technique...
 
sodak, Temper is right (now what have I done! :D ), One pop, two at the most and you should have ignition. Your O-ring may be worn out or just too small to get compression. As a cheapie experiment, wrap a few wraps of teflon pipe thread tape around the o-ring to make it tighter, then give the piston a strike. Chapstick makes a good lube as does Burt's Bees lip balm.

Codger
 
Alright about a half an hour practice and I got ignition almost every time, it seems it doesn't need the forse you might think.

I grab the handle and with the jabbing motion I compress and pull the piston out I blow on the ember and drop it on the tinderbox, (ingenius little device) blow it into a flame and start my fire.

The concept is a great way to fire, I'll have to try it in more adverse weather.

BTW I paid about $26 dollars including S&H on ebay include were 7 or 8 blocks of char, a big bag of cedar bark tinder, tinderbox, 4 cakes of beeswax and about 20 replacement gaskets for the piston.

I fit the whole kit n kaboodle in one of those big red plastic Folgers resealable coffee cans.

I would highly recomend one, it's well worth the price for the satisfying feeling ya get when ya start yer first fire
 
Codger_64 said:
sodak, Temper is right (now what have I done! :D .

Codger
Click to expand...


Hey I resent that, according to my wife, I'm never right! :)

Dental floss works well as a gasket tuner.

Hold the cylinder in the left hand parallel to the floor palm down, place the piston just inside the cylinder. Use the heel of your open hand to slap the end of the piston while pushing the cylinder at the same time, almost before you think you are done grab the head of the piston and yank it out.

I think the plexiglass ones are more critical of time. There is scant air in there to feed the ember so you must get it out ASAP. For a compression test, push the piston slowly into the cylinder, as you get the end you should feel a pneumatic springiness if you dont I think your gasket is a little tired.
 
Here's some pics from a fire I started last night, took about 20 seconds.

The works

stuff.jpg


The fire.

lit.jpg


Next fallls dinner.

yesdear.jpg
 
Thanks for all the advice guys, I'll try it some more this weekend. Nice pictures!
 
yah, i got me one of the EBPrimitives off ebay models, full kit, about $32 with TONS of extras (generous guy!)... once it's lubed up properly, it's pretty much 100% per. starting fires was never so magical :)

bladite
 
Well, you guys talked me into it. I ordered one from ebprimitives on e-Bay. He is very generous. It just came today. I got an extra tinder box, a big bag of shavings and enough char to start fires for years! The guy is wonderful to deal with! Now I have to go out and see how good I am with it. If you are thinking of getting a piston, don't hesitate to deal with this guy. :D
 
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