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Exactly. Start a fire with a knife and ferro rod. All materials gathered on site. That takes practice
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Making Fire w/ Ferro Rod- Repeated Failure
- Thread starter waveone
- Start date
Exactly. Start a fire with a knife and ferro rod. All materials gathered on site. That takes practice
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- Oct 8, 2006
- Messages
- 2,097
Just say surface area!
And I prefer to rely on natural ingredients found at site.
Cotton ball and vaseline? Might as well have a lighter. I thought the purpose is to build a fire from rod and natural local materials. I suppose it wasn't specified.. But if you are using a rod and cotton ball.. You probably are carrying real backups, such as a lighter. Or two. And matches, possibly two different kinds.
I guess what I'm getting at is, how is a cotton ball with vaseline helping you learn to start a fire from "scratch?"
Just some thoughts on this... all the prep talk got me thinking... WHY.
It's late for me.. hah
I thought the purpose was to learn to build a fire.
Not everyone is looking to refine his well grooved skills.
An astonishing number are raw beginners. They think you can light a log with a match.
When you have invented twelve ways to fail to lay a fire, the last thing you need is a fight over ignition. Sure, youre PJ & Cotton ball light right up. They still dont ignite the log.
Next lesson? Kindling!
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2011
- Messages
- 913
I carry PJ/cotton balls for emergencys, better then a Bic if it's wet. Burns hot and long enough to dry out anything reasonable. It is hard to beat the convenience of a lighter, as long as I works. That said, I practice with stuff I find! Fat wood is prevatent here. I also had a two strike light with cat tail and grass yesterday. And prob a five strike in birchbark.
stabman
Gold Member
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- Sep 17, 2007
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- 21,321
Vaseline impregnated cotton balls are great for getting a fire going.
You can skip the tinder step and start with non-optimal sticks right away. :thumbup:
Does far more than what a simple lighter can do, that's for sure.
I am pleased to see this thread moving to Vaseline impregnated cotton ball and lighters
I will add batoning branches to get dry wood
Fire = lighter or rod
Tinder = Vaseline
Kindling = feathers and scrapings from batoned dry center wood
Scenario
Catastrophe, I and all my gear is wet
I need to light a fire to dry myself
Is it raining or snowing?
Is there any dry tinder?
Vaseline is waterproof
Buy a waterproof lighter or carry a Bic in a zip lock, or light the Vaseline with any quality rod
Baton branches for scrapings, feathers and dry split wood
Good to go
Scenario
Catastrophe I lost all my gear except my knife?
Stop.....
Risk assessment is about probabilities not possibilities
What is the possibilities of loosing all my gear except my belt knife and the ferro rod, if it is on my sheath? Minimal
Carry a belt pouch that never leaves us to meet the minimal chance of stuff happening, the possibilities bag.
So the scenario of 'I have lost all my gear except what is on my belt' will mean we have a 'PSK' or the like
Good to go
I will add batoning branches to get dry wood
Fire = lighter or rod
Tinder = Vaseline
Kindling = feathers and scrapings from batoned dry center wood
Scenario
Catastrophe, I and all my gear is wet
I need to light a fire to dry myself
Is it raining or snowing?
Is there any dry tinder?
Vaseline is waterproof
Buy a waterproof lighter or carry a Bic in a zip lock, or light the Vaseline with any quality rod
Baton branches for scrapings, feathers and dry split wood
Good to go
Scenario
Catastrophe I lost all my gear except my knife?
Stop.....
Risk assessment is about probabilities not possibilities
What is the possibilities of loosing all my gear except my belt knife and the ferro rod, if it is on my sheath? Minimal
Carry a belt pouch that never leaves us to meet the minimal chance of stuff happening, the possibilities bag.
So the scenario of 'I have lost all my gear except what is on my belt' will mean we have a 'PSK' or the like
Good to go
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2011
- Messages
- 5,021
I understand vaseline is a good survival backup (waterproof is good). I have a mini survival bag in my truck, I carry a second one with me whenever I go anywhere outside of my town, in the back of my truck I have a large one in a truck box.. redundancy is key here...
On my keychain I carry a exotac ferro rod w/striker, a leatherman style cs, a klarus Mi10, and a pry tool opener dealio.
In my smallest pouch, is a ligher, wind/water proof turbo matches IN a plastic water tight case. These little, I'll call them wicks, about 1.5in long and inpregnated with some fuel (no clue what it is honestly), normal matches, AND a light my fire steel and scraper. Plus 2 batteries I rotate out, another Klarus light, a Ti knife, a SAK, twine, fish line, weights, hooks, bandaids, and some other odds and ends.
The above is always with me. We go to the beach for a day trip, I carry that pouch inside a large bag that stores water, food, extra first aid and some other goods.
Oh and I also carry a large (4in diameter by 12in sack) stuffed with cedar bark and fuzz, stored in a dry location in my truck.
So this thread is about making fire with a rod and .....
I agree, be prepared.. but be ABLE to start fire with at material on site..
One step further, which I hope to achieve soon, is starting fire WITHOUT ferro rod... That is true fire survival.
Oh and on your keychain, you could carry a small Ti "pill" container stuffed with your tinder... my keys are almost always on me til I go to sleep at night...
On my keychain I carry a exotac ferro rod w/striker, a leatherman style cs, a klarus Mi10, and a pry tool opener dealio.
In my smallest pouch, is a ligher, wind/water proof turbo matches IN a plastic water tight case. These little, I'll call them wicks, about 1.5in long and inpregnated with some fuel (no clue what it is honestly), normal matches, AND a light my fire steel and scraper. Plus 2 batteries I rotate out, another Klarus light, a Ti knife, a SAK, twine, fish line, weights, hooks, bandaids, and some other odds and ends.
The above is always with me. We go to the beach for a day trip, I carry that pouch inside a large bag that stores water, food, extra first aid and some other goods.
Oh and I also carry a large (4in diameter by 12in sack) stuffed with cedar bark and fuzz, stored in a dry location in my truck.
So this thread is about making fire with a rod and .....
I agree, be prepared.. but be ABLE to start fire with at material on site..
One step further, which I hope to achieve soon, is starting fire WITHOUT ferro rod... That is true fire survival.
Oh and on your keychain, you could carry a small Ti "pill" container stuffed with your tinder... my keys are almost always on me til I go to sleep at night...
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2011
- Messages
- 913
It rained a little last night, so I thought it would be a good day to try a fire. My 3.25" Damascus fixed blade and a harbor freight 1.99$ mag/ferro thingy. Didn't use the mag, ever. We are fortunate enough to have fat wood, birth bark and cat tails everywhere here. I got a fat wood only, birchbark only, cat tail mixed with all finds of other stuff. This one took the longest. I think I was using too much cat tail. It lights easy and goes out fast. I also did a twine bundle, first strike! (No, we don't have twine trees here!) I have the best luck with a slow, and hard strike. My two tumbs almost touching. My left tumb 1/2" from the end of the ferro, knife resting at the tip of my left thumb, and a twist of my right wrist. This seems to only make a couple of sparks, yet they seem hotter, to last longer, and more controllable aim. I can make a shower of sparks if I pull my left hand back, yet I have a hard time gettin fire that way. Guess it's like shooting, can't miss fast enough! One right spark (or bullet) does WAY MORE then a thousand that miss.