• The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
    Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
    Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.

  • Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. I pray that this nation does not forget the loss of lives from this horrible event. Yesterday conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered, and I worry about what is to come. Please love one another and your family in these trying times - Spark

On fires...and frustration!

Harayasu said:
... Here's a nice video on Ray Mears lighting a fire where he also explains why he builts up the fire like he does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVcHWoT2jmE
Click to expand...

It was good to see he took the time & effort to clear combustibles from aroung the area he was going use for the fire (although here in Australia it would have been better to clear a larger area).

It must be differences in areas & climate, but I've got to admit to seeing quite a number of "fire pics" where there doesn't appear to be much effort put into clearing the ground around the fire site. Is there any reason for this that's not obvious from looking at the pics?




Kind regards
Mick
 
SouthernCross said:
It was good to see he took the time & effort to clear combustibles from aroung the area he was going use for the fire (although here in Australia it would have been better to clear a larger area).

It must be differences in areas & climate, but I've got to admit to seeing quite a number of "fire pics" where there doesn't appear to be much effort put into clearing the ground around the fire site. Is there any reason for this that's not obvious from looking at the pics?




Kind regards
Mick
Click to expand...

That always amazes me, too, Mick. Here in Southern California the fire danger is so high that we tend to clear a large space around any firepit and line it with rocks, too. Other places aren't quite as dry, I guess.
 
SouthernCross said:
It was good to see he took the time & effort to clear combustibles from aroung the area he was going use for the fire (although here in Australia it would have been better to clear a larger area).

It must be differences in areas & climate, but I've got to admit to seeing quite a number of "fire pics" where there doesn't appear to be much effort put into clearing the ground around the fire site. Is there any reason for this that's not obvious from looking at the pics?




Kind regards
Mick
Click to expand...

yup, because the ground and wood here is soaked from 24/7 heavy rain! :D
 
When rafting in Western AK, the ground is usually moist enough that anything that goes out of the fire pit dies out very quickly. But I still try to locate the fire in a safe spot----just good practice.

DancesWithKnives
 
Bushman5 said:
you, shush! :p:D :cool: go roust up a cell phone user why dont you
Click to expand...

I asked you not to get me started on cell phones, didn't I? Now look what you've done; you've got me thinking about them and my blood pressure will go through the roof, I'll fall off the wagon after twenty-one years and I'll... I'll.. I forget what happens after that, but it can't be good for me.

Actually, I have nothing against cell phones themselves — they're great for emergencies, and all sorts of neat apps — it's the idiots that yell into them in supermarket lines, restaurants, and — worst of all — when I'm trying to enjoy a peaceful walk in the outdoors. I'll shush now.

PS: I really would like to see this "rain" thing.
 
Using a fire drill, traditional flint and charcloth, or even a firesteel can really make you appreciate the modern convenience of matches or a lighter.

I've often said that it can be easy to get a glowing coal and harder to turn the coal into a fire.

I agree that getting everything you need before striking a spark is essential. And I especially agree that a sense of humor is of major importance...not just when it comes to lighting fires.
 
DOC i love the beach chair in the canoe... im off to buy one now.. did u secure to the boat at all or just drop it in?
 
pratice practice practice...then practice some more. All those times of building a twig fire or showing your freinds how fast you can get a flame after putting your steel and fatwood in the sink..going out in the backyard to build fire in the rain..practice..for that one time when its dark as pitch,raining like a hurricaine,37 degrees and falling, and you are soaking wet and your kid are showing signs of hypothermia and you're 14 miles back in the bottoms..At that moment all that "play" will let you sit here years later and laugh about it. no sh*t..I was there.
 
m48shooter said:
DOC i love the beach chair in the canoe... im off to buy one now.. did u secure to the boat at all or just drop it in?
Click to expand...

Lol! Glad you liked it. They were just set in the canoes, however the canoes were lashed securely together (did a bit of sailing that week).

I guess I should never describe what we do as canoeing, might offend the purists, more accurately, we 'Huck Finn'. :D

Doc
 
Wow - lots of fire threads last week. I seemed to have missed out on all the fun!

Fire is fun to practice and sometimes requires more practical approaches. Quality of materials/fuels and environmental conditions make for an ever changing game. One thing that is good to do is to practice in different conditions and also go through the hole process of making a full fire, not just getting a flame. I think because getting a flame seems like a convenient endpoint, we sometimes forget how difficult it can be to build that into a fire that will sustain itself.
 
Fire is an interesting beast. I have definitely been beat by it a few times, but usually I then cheat (diesel, white gas, anything like that). Need more practice, to be honest. Funny original post, though.

Proper preparation usually solves most problems, I find. It's interesting that when I go camping with friends, they very often make a huge pile of logs, etc., in a fire pit, and try to light it with a tiny little bit of tinder or hold a lighter under the pile until their fingers are the only things burned.
 
tonym said:
Ha:D Pete sounds like me:D:thumbup:
Click to expand...

I don't need a gun, I've got a Donk...

Whats a Donk?

-----------------------------

When kids depend on it, the cheating part doesn't even look like cheating. Sometimes these guys call the guy with the triox "Prepared" instead of a Pyro. I'm all up for cheating so I don't look like a goon in front of a bunch of people. Great incite everyone!
 
That should be in the "movie lines" thread. A classic from Down Under!

DancesWithKnives
 
dawsonbob said:
No matter how much fun I have with a bow drill or a fire steel, I'm not above using an accelerant (napalm, anyone?) to get my fire going when people are waiting.
Click to expand...

If you're into metals Thermite can make a good "wet-fire" ignition system :D


.
 
note to self: DO NOT GIVE MIST NAPALM FOR X-MAS!! Years ago I tried to come up with a gel type substance to use as an accelerator..all I did was singe off my eyebrows! IMHO firepaste an such is all but useless except to pre-heat a stove and rubbing alcohol is cheap. I did try my hand sanitizer but whatever brand it it it will not burn, the label has worn off so I have no idea what it was. Did someone say 73% alcohol or more to get flameabilty?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top