Novice firestarting gear

C

cardimon

Joined
Sep 20, 2000
Messages
1,539
Speaking as someone whose main firestarting practice comes from trying to light Duraflame logs in our fireplace, I nonetheless try to be prepared.

In my everyday kit, I carry a couple of disposable lighters and a box of matches, double-bagged in Ziplocs. I also carry a handful of trick birthday candles.

Is there anything else you would recommend prepared beginners carry for firestarting that you don't have to be wilderness survival experts to use?
 
Buy a Boy Scouts of America "Hot Spark" fire starter, which is a fine example of a small ferrocium rod which you've probably read about in other posts here - cost $2.00. Make up a few vaseline impregnated cotton balls, which you've probably also read about in other posts here - cost pennies. Find an appropriate place and spend about 15 minutes practicing striking the spark into your newly made tinder. Once you've mastered the sparking technique, you'll probably want to experiment with other sources of tinder. The ferrocium rod is the most reliable way I've found to ensure myself a fire in the worst of conditions and probably the best survival tool currently available besides a good knife.

Mike
 
Another way to use the cotton balls is to drip candle wax on half of the ball. Then when ready to start your fire, just fluff out the other half and strike sparks onto it. It should catch rather easily, and usually burns for a good 4-5 minutes. This is plenty of time to get your tinder going and build a nice fire.
Doc
recondoc
 
I've been using sgtmike88 method for some time and it works very well. Even in the wet and humid jungles of Brazil, it has never let me down.
 
I have used the 0000 fine steel wool frequently discussed here and it works well. Especially in a container with a little kerosene.
 
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