- Joined
- Aug 30, 2007
- Messages
- 5,483
A few years ago, I was out in the woods doing an overnighter with a buddy of mine. He brought his new firesteel and wanted to test it out by using it to make a fire in wet conditions. It had been raining for 2 or 3 days and everything was soaked. We got out there and he got to work.
I said, "how do you plan on getting this fire going?"
He said, "I'm going to find some tinder that'll take a spark and use the firesteel."
Then, I said, "ok, then what?"
He said, then I'm going to put some split dead wood on it. It'll be dry on the inside." I said, "okie dokie."
He started gathering up all kinds of fallen limbs and even started hacking down some small dead trees around us. Meanwhile, I'm sitting there enjoying some sipping time with my flask. He then started walking around all over the place, picking up small bits, inspecting them, then throwing them back on the ground. I just sat there watching, extremely amused. He kept looking at me with this ticked look. Finally he finds some little "dry feeling" tinder to start his fire. He spends a good 40 minutes splitting limbs and all his firewood, getting it ready to go on the fire.
Now comes the really fun part. He gets down with his little fire bundle and starts trying to get a flame going with his firesteel. I just sat there, incredibly entertained, sipping my flask.
Finally after switching tinder bundles a few times and trying his damndest to get a spark to light the bundle he gets all pissed and yells, "this is total bullsh#t!! How does anyone light a fire this way? F#CK THIS!...and you, just sitting there doing jack sh#t! Why don't you give me a hand?"
Laughing, I stand up and trot over to his little fire bundle and pile of sticks. I didn't say anything. I felt his tinder bundle and could tell it just needed a little something to get it going. I took my knife out, cut a small piece from the top of my sock, put it in the bundle, took the firesteel from him, struck it one time, and blammo... fire. After that it all took pretty easily.
He just looked at me with this disgusted look. I said, quite smartly, "dude, you walked out here with this best fire starting materials in the world on your feet. Sometimes you just have to think outside the box. Now what was the better idea, using 2 hours of gathering and dicking around with "almost dry" stuff, or sacrificing a small piece of clothing to get the fire going in a matter of seconds? I think my way was a little more efficient. Your best survival tool is your brain."
He didn't start talking to me again until he had a good amount of booze. lol
I said, "how do you plan on getting this fire going?"
He said, "I'm going to find some tinder that'll take a spark and use the firesteel."
Then, I said, "ok, then what?"
He said, then I'm going to put some split dead wood on it. It'll be dry on the inside." I said, "okie dokie."
He started gathering up all kinds of fallen limbs and even started hacking down some small dead trees around us. Meanwhile, I'm sitting there enjoying some sipping time with my flask. He then started walking around all over the place, picking up small bits, inspecting them, then throwing them back on the ground. I just sat there watching, extremely amused. He kept looking at me with this ticked look. Finally he finds some little "dry feeling" tinder to start his fire. He spends a good 40 minutes splitting limbs and all his firewood, getting it ready to go on the fire.
Now comes the really fun part. He gets down with his little fire bundle and starts trying to get a flame going with his firesteel. I just sat there, incredibly entertained, sipping my flask.
Finally after switching tinder bundles a few times and trying his damndest to get a spark to light the bundle he gets all pissed and yells, "this is total bullsh#t!! How does anyone light a fire this way? F#CK THIS!...and you, just sitting there doing jack sh#t! Why don't you give me a hand?"
Laughing, I stand up and trot over to his little fire bundle and pile of sticks. I didn't say anything. I felt his tinder bundle and could tell it just needed a little something to get it going. I took my knife out, cut a small piece from the top of my sock, put it in the bundle, took the firesteel from him, struck it one time, and blammo... fire. After that it all took pretty easily.
He just looked at me with this disgusted look. I said, quite smartly, "dude, you walked out here with this best fire starting materials in the world on your feet. Sometimes you just have to think outside the box. Now what was the better idea, using 2 hours of gathering and dicking around with "almost dry" stuff, or sacrificing a small piece of clothing to get the fire going in a matter of seconds? I think my way was a little more efficient. Your best survival tool is your brain."
He didn't start talking to me again until he had a good amount of booze. lol
