Me Make Fire! Strong ju-ju

P

PaulTX

Joined
Aug 9, 2006
Messages
74
I recently purchased a small flint and steel kit with char cloth. The flint seems to me to be small and a little hard to work with. I'm going to acquire more flint. The steel striker is very good though.

Tonight I put the char cloth on top of the flint and started and striking and low and behold - I caught a spark! I have no doubt with reasonable tender I could have started a fire. A most uplifting experience!

Paul
 
nice work bud. i always used to use matches before bf. my first spark fire was quite exciting.
 
Your first spark fire is really uplifting.

I am working on a bow and drill and that is challenging.
 
I know the feeling, surprisingly I never actually had to get a fire going in all of my years in scouting with a flint or firesteel. Now I do it just because out of that good feeling of accomplishment;).
 
I was in scouting for a year or two and learned quite a bit. I didn't learn many of the old ways of doing things and I'm enjoying the learning now. I look forward to a camping trip to use my new skill. I know the basics of bow and drill and would like to try that too.

I ordered flint and a tinder box with the glass lens from Track of the Wolf.

What are the steps between flint and steel and a lit candle? Is there a fast way to do it?

My next task will be making char cloth!

Paul
 
Has anyone here used a fire piston? That is really cool way to start a fire. Talk about a good feeling.
 
when i worked as an intern park interpretor in CO back in my college days i made a bow and drill with good succes. i used dried cottonwood for the socet and the board. used an old dried up yucca flower stalk for the spindle and a green cottonwood stick and a leather string for the bow. i cut and dug out the bowls for the socket and the fire hole with a knife, the socket was rounded and shallow, the fire board i dug deeper and conical. also put in the fire notch that allows the charcoal to fall out on another peice of wood. It took some spinning before the dug out areas were properly adjusted. its a bunch of fun!

- Eric
 
My roommate had a big plank of cedar for cooking salmon, so of course I split a big chunk off it to practice. Now I just need a bow and I will give it a try.
It was easier then I thought to use the firesteel. I did use drier lint, I have yet to try with natural tinders.
 
The holy grail is starting fire with NOTHING but materials around you (very few have done this). This includes making the cord for the fire bow if thats your method. Think being dropped naked in the middle of nowhere. All tools must be fashioned with only your hands.

Boil a quart of water in a natural container you made of some fashion under the same rules and you can say you have conquered fire.

Skam
 
skammer said:
The holy grail is starting fire with NOTHING but materials around you (very few have done this). This includes making the cord for the fire bow if thats your method. Think being dropped naked in the middle of nowhere. All tools must be fashioned with only your hands.

Boil a quart of water in a natural container you made of some fashion under the same rules and you can say you have conquered fire.

Skam
Click to expand...

i say that becomes a new thread and all who succeed must post the video to earn earn the exclusive W&SS patch or knife or somethin.
 
Thought this might be a good thread to post this in. I always just carry a Bic lighter, but this forum has had me experimenting with lots of other stuff recently. Over Christmas, my wife bought me a magnesium keychain with attached striker and I was surprised at how easy and effective it was. Then I came across the site below a few days ago.

I've linked a video to a pile of magnesium shavings lighting in between 2 blocks of dry ice. In case some of you don't know, dry ice is solid carbon dioxide and is around -109 °F. After seeing this I can't help but think this might be the best choice for colder climates/ low O2 environments (high altitudes).

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/01/video-magnesium.html
 
Making fire by a primitive means really makes you feel like you can acomplish anything. While not always practical in a modern camp setting, it's a good skill to know and fun to practice.
 
skammer said:
The holy grail is starting fire with NOTHING but materials around you (very few have done this). This includes making the cord for the fire bow if thats your method. Think being dropped naked in the middle of nowhere. All tools must be fashioned with only your hands.

Boil a quart of water in a natural container you made of some fashion under the same rules and you can say you have conquered fire.

Skam
Click to expand...

1+:thumbup: That is my number one bushcraft goal!
 
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