Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game starting a fire without matches

I am tagged out; therefore cleaning, organizing and sorting my hunting stuff. I found in my pack flint, steel and dryer lint, on a shelf probably received as stocking stuffer was the magnesium(?)with the flint back. So for sh*ts and giggles I compared how the 2 worked in my BBQ (nice safe place to play with flame). As expected the dryer lint with the flint and steel had flame in seconds. The Magnesium(?) and flint was another story. You are to shave some of the metal off into a pile and then strike it with the sparks from the flint and steel.

After 30 minutes and multiple attempts a dull with a dull and spark stained knife I was able only once to generate flame. The magnesium(?) needs to be on some flammable material the bottom end of the striker must rest in the metal filings so the sparks are originating close to the metal; then she goes. Even after figuring out how this works it chucked it out. There many better ways to start a fire. As well as the dryer lint, flint and steel, I carry a bic lighter was paper and waxed cotton balls.

What do y'all carry for starting a fire? BTW I have never HAD to start a fire. GRF

GRF;
First of all, congratulations for being tagged out.

We are in the last weekend of our season and have 3 uncut whitetail buck tags that we'd love to see used up. The morning run today with our eldest daughter and I doing a bit of a "road trip" was a great time, but we saw only two whitetail does, one young mulie buck who was very attached to a mulie doe and one young whitetail buck that was hit by a car yesterday sometime - guessing by how frozen he was.

On the fire thing, here's what I've found and carry.

In a pocket of my hunting pants is always a small zip lock bag of toilet paper - which also burns when called upon for that secondary duty.

In another pocket is a "Light My Fire" ferrocerium rod and striker, as well as a few cotton balls soaked in Vaseline and some 0000 steel wool soaked in the same stuff.

After trying to light a fire with various tinder products using a ferro rod, I found that the combination of Vaseline soaked steel wool and cotton balls lit the easiest and gave a nice hot fire quite soon.

Interestingly, the runner up was short sections of sisal type twine that I'd "fuzzed" when cutting. You know - it's the stuff one gets in the dollar stores that breaks when you look at it....well, what it lacks in use for string is made up somewhat by the fact that it does burn!

In my day pack I've got a butane pocket soldering torch - the ones that Canadian Tire sells. The ones I've got for me and the girls seem to work in most conditions we've tried and at various altitudes as well - up to say 5000' for sure anyway.

As well in the pack is a magnesium bar and striker made from a section of hacksaw blade. The hacksaw blade is high carbon which makes a nice spark and also the blade produces nice even shavings of magnesium. Oh, this unit again works much better with Vaseline soaked cotton balls than anything else I've tried.

Lastly, in old film containers I carry windproof matches and waterproof matches. I will say though that these can be sketchy to get lit sometimes even though I carry the original strike strips from the match box in there. I wouldn't like to bet my life on those matches actually.

As for the Bic type lighters, I've had them fail at higher elevations when it's below freezing, so I quit packing them.

Anyway, one way or another and unless I'm really rendered non-ambulatory, if I ever get waylaid in the local mountains, they will find me in front of a fire!

Hopefully that was some use to you sir. All the best to you and yours.

Dwayne

ZIPPO gets it done every time even when wet.A bic or other butane lighter will work as long as your hands/fingers are dry.
When going hunting out there way out there I always carry a ZIPPO fueled up just in case.
I found out it will light when wet when mine fell into the toilet...once a long time ago.

Flint and steel plus some cotton balls laced with vaseline in a flim cannister. Will burn for about 15 to 20 minutes. Film cannister? Yes. I'm old.

I have a zippo always forget to keep it filled. Film canisters, great little things, I think all of mine have gone into children's crafts more than a decade ago.

Flint steel and jute twine soaked in parrafin wax. The twine can be cut into 6" strands then when you need it you can unravel it. Just jute twine alone works very well on it's own. The wax just makes it burn longer and hotter. The wax also waterproofs it. I've tested this by soaking the strands in a pot of water then unraveling it to light it and it was an instant flame. I keep a soap dish full of the waxed soaked stuff and carry a spool of the twine "just incase". You never know when you might need some cordage.

I use a bic, but need to upgrade to something better. My buddy carries a flair. (cheater)

In Jan-March the boys and I walk into the woods and practice making fires. Cold and wet is the norm and it can be humbling, no matter how good you think you are. It's amazing how out of practice you can get. Making a fire in the wet woods is a skill that needs to be refreshed yearly, imo.

HAJ and Calvin, some very good ideas. GRF

The jute twine has come in handy for many different occasions. Even can make great fish stringers by using a thorn. Tie six or so of these to a ling stick and lay it over a stream. Bait the thorn and just let them hang in the water a while while you tend to other needs. Come back after an hour or so and haul in some protien rich dinner.

plain ol' Chapstick burns well

Very cool ideas gentlemen. Dwayne somehow I missed you post, how big are these butane torches? Thanks GRF

Like Calvin said.. A Railroad Flare will get chit started.

Since 1957 I have carried a thin old half a wash cloth (terry cloth) dipped in melted paraffin wax folded in a zip lock bag in my right hip pocket. Some windproof, waterproof matches in a metal tube match carrier. Open the cloth and shave off a few quarter inch strips the full length of the cloth and place them under the wood kindling. They burn for about five minutes and will dry soaked wood 'till it kindles. It's worked for me. .Usually one match

Jim

flares are the nuclear option of fire starting....when it absolutely positively has to get lit. I keep two of the small ones in my day pack.

as mentioned, cotton balls soaked in vaseline in a film can. have one of the little one hand strikers....plus a big "survival" lighter. waterproof matches....which I wouldn't want to bet my life on, also in a film can.

and I always have at least a zippo or a big cigar lighter on me, usually both if I'm hunting.

Actually, those magnesium bars are pretty useful. However, just as with learning to light paper matches without burning yourself as a kid, there is a learning curve. I would suggest that anyone who chooses to use them buy two. Use the first one up practicing, and keep the second for safety use. I have used them in the rain, soaked and cold in the wind when boating, and under much better circumstances. You just need to learn how to use them.

Of course, using alternative methods, excluding flares, it is all the more important to make sure you have your tinder, kindling, and larger fuel all gathered and prepared for your fire.

If you want a challenge, albeit a cheating method based on older ways, try a shoelace bow drill. A bit of gunpowder to cheat with makes it another useful fire starting tool. It sure beats the embarrassment of explaining why you're eating raw hot dogs after you've just run 30 miles by boat to a favorite fishing spot.

I just take dryer lint and form it into little balls. Then I smear petroleum jelly on the outside of the lint to form little vaseline-coated lint balls. These burn hot and long (about 5 minutes for a 1" diameter ball), and start easily if you expose a little bit of lint. I've had to use them a couple of times, and they work great with flint and steel.

A road flare and an old tire and I can make fire anywhere and make it last!

I'll carry the flare if you pack the tire.

VCBs are my go-to fire starter. Vaseline is so thick, I've used a little mineral oil on them and nuked them a little in the microwave too. It helps to soak the fule into the fiber, IMO.

A lighter and bicycle innertube will burn hot and long. A backpack version of Steely's idea.

Mg scrapings and a sparker on the VCBs will always work.

Esbit squares burn nicely.

There are sawdust bars soaked with some sort of fuel available commercially.

Fire paste is a for-sure option as well.


And as far as lighters are concerned, I will only use a bic lighter as a last resort. when you absolutely, positively, gotta-have a fire, there's a real good chance you are wet and cold. my fingers start to lose cooperation at that point.

I far prefer a piezo lighter. They can usually be found in a cigarette shop, or tobacco shop. Just push the button - no wheel to turn and try to make a spark.

'bender...I agree with you

I always throw in a few different starters, but laughed when I saw the first "fire starter" you posted. That cheap crap works great. Thumbs and cheap lighters are always questionable.

Nice to have back up, but I will continue to keep Cognlan's in my pack.