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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
I vac pac 10 matches and some dryer lint/vaseline in small packages and then keep one of each in the pockets of my pants and coat. Also have magnesium starter and the sawdust sticks in my pack. I've tested using both, but hope I never need to in an emergency.
Very cool ideas gentlemen. Dwayne somehow I missed you post, how big are these butane torches? Thanks GRF
GRF; The little lighter/torch jobs were about $20 at Cdn Tire, but for the life of me I can't find them on their website right now and I did buy the last one at least two years ago.
I've picked up 3 over the years and they all worked quite well at various elevations and temperatures.
HugAJ gave the right name for the string I was trying to describe by the way. I must try waxing some as he suggested. As I said, the stuff we get at the local dollar store isn't much as far as string is concerned, but it does burn easily.
Scott's flare idea is a standard with the Search and Rescue folks here in the southern interior. I've always got a couple in the truck, but must admit to not packing them in my already too heavy day pack.
Thanks again for the interesting reading in this thread and of course thanks to all who've provided such excellent suggestions.
Steel wool will get red hot with a tiniest spark. A 9 volt battery will also get steel wool going.
Try lighting a Dorito or like corn chip.
Birch bark lights easily and burns hot.
Yellow pine will light easily and burn hot. You can light a 4x4 while wet, and the oils in the wood never dries out; I've used 100 year old 2x4s to start fires.
9v battery and steel wool that has vasaline and bees wax, plus wind proof "life boat matches", a small flare and a candle, taking a loaded cartdrige stick the bullet in the muzzle and pry off the bullet and take the powder out of a couple and then put the primed case in the rifle and fire it at the powder, will ignite it and start any good kindling.
Like others, I subscribe to the "carry multiple" methods philosophy. There's usually the water-proof matches, bic, small lantern candle, and my goto option...petro-balls (simply vasoline laced cotton balls) and ferrocerium/steel. I usually take the cheap waterproof match canisters (empty the usually crappy matches) and stuff them with the petro-balls. I've found it more important to have the proper tinder ready (and enough of it) when it comes time to light up. Practice pays dividends as well...who doesn't enjoy the challenge of fire.
Yep, on tinder. Mostly carry 2 vitamin bottles of lint both laced with magnesium dust/shavings, with one vasiline for damp wet condition. Then a third with tinder fungus for the fire pistion. So, firepiston and ferrocerium rod n striker, along with a bic lighter or 2. At least one of either the firesteel or firepiston with enough tinder in a small zip lock is on my person at all times, rather than all in a pack. Just in case I get seperated form the pack. I often thought about getting one of these as well, for backup. http://store.sundancesolar.com/sospliposiso.html Really don't need the lighters with either of the other 2. I suppose I really should take waterproof matches as well, just the other 2, I haven't found a need. On the other hand, one can't have too many ways to make heat, as long as it's packable and don't reqiure much space. And speaking of space,,,,also have 1-2 space blankets in the back pocket as well. They by themselves, or to line a quick wikiup, are worth it. And with a wikiup or leanto in mind for emergency shelter, a small roll of clear poly for a front, one can keep a shelter toasty in freezing weather. For the most part, most all of this stuff wouldn't take up hardly room fanny pack, or bellow pockets so it's always with you. Didn't mean to get sidetracked there! Just when talking fire,,,,heat, shelter, and water, kinda go hand in hand when in need.
Western Washington is fairly wet during hunting season. I've actually tried to start a fire a couple times in the field just to test my skills, and the big problem I had wasn't a reliable source for flame (all of the above-mentioned items work fine), but rather, it was finding any quantity of suitably dry fuel. Everything was wet through and through.
The best fuel I could find was old rotten stumps. If you tear into them, the centers are sometimes dry. But finding enough burnable wood to last an entire night was next to impossible the two times I tried.
Western Washington is fairly wet during hunting season. I've actually tried to start a fire a couple times in the field just to test my skills, and the big problem I had wasn't a reliable source for flame (all of the above-mentioned items work fine), but rather, it was finding any quantity of suitably dry fuel. Everything was wet through and through.
The best fuel I could find was old rotten stumps. If you tear into them, the centers are sometimes dry. But finding enough burnable wood to last an entire night was next to impossible the two times I tried.
When a Pine tree is burned or sometimes even dies of old age the stump has a concentration of pitch (resin) in it. It almost looks like amber in heavy concentrations. Highly flammable and virtually impervious to water.
I hate wikipedia but this might help http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitch_%28resin%29
Next time I am out I will find one to take pictures of and cut off a sample.
I have seen these stumps or knots explode when tossed in a fire in a fire place.
Hmmm...I've never encountered a high concentration of pitch in Douglas Fir stumps. Does logging prevent this from happening? Logging is the sole source of stumps in the area I hunt. No fires or trees dying of old age.
Wade; I trust this finds you and your fine family doing acceptably well sir.
We find what we call "fat wood" or pitch seams in larch more often than Doug fir and even then find it in about one out of ten or so trees. I should note that I have found it in Doug firs on occasion though.
Most often it looks to me like an injury to the tree somehow and around here that's usually a stress crack caused by high winds. We have micro burst storms here quite often - actually we found some fresh blow downs this weekend from a Thursday night zephyr that went through.
Anyway I think it's the trees that stay up but get stress cracks that have the larger pitch seams. They are usually closer to the base and may run as long as 5'-7' up.
The ones you want of course are those in which the pitch has absorbed into the wood fiber and not just dripping out and clogging your chainsaw - such as the last Doug fir our daughter and I tied into did. I will say it absolutely waterproofed my gloves though.
If you ever get up this way Wade, I have boxes - large boxes - of the stuff saved up and you'd be welcome to it.
Hopefully that all made a bit of sense? Thanks for the kind comments on my photo thread sir and again all the best to you and yours.
Pitch stumps (also know as "lighter wood" here in the south) are used in making explosives. Years ago the SCL RR between Jacksonville and Wilmington NC would be lined with Hercules Chemical Co. gondola cars filled with yellow pine stumps left from logging operations, on their way to being used in the manufacture of explosives. We learned in the Scouts to gather lighter wood when we found it and chop it with a hand ax and save for lighting fires. Even years after gathering the lighter wood it would retain a very strong odor of resin. The RR tracks were taken up 25 or so years ago so I don't see the cars anymore, could be moved by truck now if they still are used by the chemical companies, but I don't know about that.
Hmmm...I've never encountered a high concentration of pitch in Douglas Fir stumps. Does logging prevent this from happening? Logging is the sole source of stumps in the area I hunt. No fires or trees dying of old age.
I burn about six cords of wood a year, sometimes more. That means my axe sees a lot of the insides of our wood. I do find pitch pockets in some fir and sometimes run into some bigger pockets whenever I try to split spruce. I will save some for you. I have a big spruce that fell in a wind storm two years ago. I will start bucking it up in a couple of weeks and see what I can find.
I thought it was a commonly found, abundant source of burnable fuel.
In my original post, I mentioned that the big problem in wet weather for me is to find enough fuel to sustain a fire. Fire starting materials are carried easily enough, but finding enough dry wood is always the challenge. It doesn't sound like I can readily expect to find enough pitch pockets/pitch wood to depend on using it the next time I want to make a fire.
I am afraid it you were to rely on finding pitch in our part of the country you would have about a 80% chance of ending up dead. However a couple fifteen minute flairs will increase your chances of getting something to burn. I do miss Central Oregon when it comes to building a fire. Shredded juniper bark will start a fire in the worst of conditions and in the desert finding wet wood is harder than finding dry wood here.
Where is a source to find the road or railroad type flares?
Railroad flares AKA Fusees..
Extra long burning flares. Good for signaling or lighting backfires. You can probably find them in a truck stop, or on line. I have a stash from my fire service days..
In the video it shows using two hands. It is not hard to open and use with one. If you ever hurt a hand in the woods the one handed fire starter could make a huge difference. In my part of the world the wood is almost always wet so it will take more than just a match. Sometimes a hundred pound propane bottle and a tiger torch is almost adequate.
I carry a Blastmatch. It can be used one handed and puts out more sparks than anything else I have seen. Blastmatch
I checked some reviews on Blastmatch and many seem to think that it's too fragile. I ran across this video comparing it to Strikeforce. I've never used either so I have no 1st hand comments but this one appears to be of stronger construction although it's larger and definitely not 1-handed. I think either would just be personal preference as they'll both work well.
There are lots of 'mini' firestarters on the market. They market to those who want everything to fit in the smallest possible space. However, try using a mini with frozen hands. When you need a fire fast and furious, you don't need to be fumbling with something so small you can't grab it. You need one large enough to get a foot on if necessary. Small isn't always better.
I won the flint and steel fire making contest at a rendezvous last December with a time of 30 seconds from first strike to burning a string in two that was stretched 12 inches above my fire lay. I use chared cloth for the flint and steel method.
I like to use the bow and drill method when I don't have chared cloth because that makes a large hot coal that will ignite dry grass or other type of tender.
Other methods I have used include a magnifying glass, magnesium-match, fire piston, steel wool and 9-volt battery.
When I pack supplies for an outing where wet weather is expected I take a Zipo lighter and a fire starter I make with paper cup-cake liners filled with saw dust or dryer lint and candle wax. That thing is easy to light and burns hot and long enough to ignite wet kindling.
I checked some reviews on Blastmatch and many seem to think that it's too fragile. I ran across this video comparing it to Strikeforce. I've never used either so I have no 1st hand comments but this one appears to be of stronger construction although it's larger and definitely not 1-handed. I think either would just be personal preference as they'll both work well.
There are lots of 'mini' firestarters on the market. They market to those who want everything to fit in the smallest possible space. However, try using a mini with frozen hands. When you need a fire fast and furious, you don't need to be fumbling with something so small you can't grab it. You need one large enough to get a foot on if necessary. Small isn't always better.
Thanks for the video. Interesting and well done comparison. I have not tried the Strikeforce but I have used my Blastmatch in below zero conditions and was able to use it one handed.
I think what is most important in my part of the world is dry tinder and enough of it to burn long enough and hot enough to get the nearly always soaking wet wood we have in the Pacific NW. Then it has to be small enough that you will never take that first step into the woods without it.
I think it may be time to restart my old "Never Go Into The Woods Without" post.
Another thing about the Zippo...or at least the lighter fluid. It works great for priming a Svea stove or it can be squirted on tinder to get a fire going if you don't screw around too long. It dries fast.
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GRF
