I've never crawled up on the shore out of 33 degree water & tried a fire. But have practiced after ice storms & such. All here are correct in saying every one should practice with what they choose. Some choices can be eye opening.
And another thought... certain tools & gadgets should be on your person. Not in a pack that's in the boat or vehicle. Those supplies are useless when the pack is is gone for 1 reason or another. If certain important things aren't on your person they should just as well be left at the house.
A 1-1/2" or 2" Forstner Bit, will make some really good wood chips for tinder before you leave, place it in a low temp oven to make sure it is good and dry and seal in a bag or tin.
A 1-1/2" or 2" Forstner Bit, will make some really good wood chips for tinder before you leave, place it in a low temp oven to make sure it is good and dry and seal in a bag or tin.
Phil
Givethe kids a box of pencils and a sharpener and tell them to help Dad by getting them ready sharp.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
I've never crawled up on the shore out of 33 degree water & tried a fire. But have practiced after ice storms & such. All here are correct in saying every one should practice with what they choose. Some choices can be eye opening.
After giving some thought to making fire in winter with hands so cold that it's difficult to grip anything small, I've supplemented my fire starting kit in winter with a 6"x1/2" ferro rod and half a dismantled pair of scissors with the pointy half of the blade sawn off.
What's left is about the same length as the ferro rod, the handle should be easily gripped with a cold hand, and the sharp angle on the back of the stubby blade has a burr that throws big, fat globules of burning rod material.
Speaking of starting a fire in very cold, very adverse weather conditions, if you boys and girls have never read Jack London's short story, To Build A Fire, take heed where you build your fire. A good read.
I, as almost everyone here, have always carried several ways to make a fire in adverse weather. Used it twice. Glad I had my stuff and knew how to use it.
L.W.
"Always go straight forward, and if you meet the devil, cut him in two and go between the pieces." (William Sturgis, clipper ship captain, 1830s.)
I always carry a 'fire bag'. It's a small nylon bag with about a half doz ways to start a fire. It goes in whatever pack I'm carrying. It contains a Zippo and extra fuel, hurricane matches, a Strikeforce striker, vasoline cotton balls, and a couple types of other fire starters.
Problems with finding something that will strike one of our 'modern' anti-dopehead matchs? Here's what I use. It's a stick-on sheet of match striker paper. I cut it to size and stuck some on tongue depressors (available in Walmart's crafts section). It'll strike any match if you keep it dry. An 8.5x11" sheet will make a whole lot of small strikers to carry in packs, etc. MATCH STRIKER PAPER Here's another source if you don't like Amazon: OTHER MATCH STRIKER PAPER It can also be used to repair a paper match box that has the striker stuff worn off. Just cut a piece and stick it to the box.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
The only survival fire I needed to make we didn't have any dry matched or lighters. We were on our way back from ice fishing at night when we hit a pressure ridge with our four wheeler and going in the water. We climbed out of the water fortunately with big tires on the wheeler it didn't sink immediately and we were able to wrestle it back onto solid ice somehow. Fortunately we were close to a island that had a bunch of blow downs we kicked off a pile of branches, piled them out dumped the gas out of our jiffy ice auger onto the pile and onto a rag. Pulled the wire off the auger and after a fee pulls on the auger we lit the rag with the spark from the spark plug. We had a roaring fire in minutes. A few hours later we were dry and on our way home. Very cautiously
I always carry a 'fire bag'. It's a small nylon bag with about a half doz ways to start a fire. It goes in whatever pack I'm carrying. It contains a Zippo and extra fuel, hurricane matches, a Strikeforce striker, vasoline cotton balls, and a couple types of other fire starters.
Problems with finding something that will strike one of our 'modern' anti-dopehead matchs? Here's what I use. It's a stick-on sheet of match striker paper. I cut it to size and stuck some on tongue depressors (available in Walmart's crafts section). It'll strike any match if you keep it dry. An 8.5x11" sheet will make a whole lot of small strikers to carry in packs, etc. MATCH STRIKER PAPER Here's another source if you don't like Amazon: OTHER MATCH STRIKER PAPER It can also be used to repair a paper match box that has the striker stuff worn off. Just cut a piece and stick it to the box.
I frequently use flares at work I keep the striker with the plastic top to strike matches. Much more durable than paper strikers
My name is WMR, and I like fire. Admitting it may be the first step to recovery. I hope not. I am a fatwood junkie. I hoard dryer lint. Vaseline on cotton? Oh yea. Never far from a ferro rod, I ‘ll make fires in wet conditions just to know I can.
That said, there are around 146,000 choices in commercial firestarters for outdoorsmen. They all work. Get some and carry them. They are cheap and, well, sometimes you just need a fire. Besides my trusty Strike Force, I’ll have a Bic and waterproof matches. The bigger the better. I like bushcraft but, like I said, sometimes you just need a fire.
To make a bic lighter easier to use with cold finger, pry that small chrome strip of metal between the thumb wheels off with a small screwdriver or knife.
To make a bic lighter easier to use with cold finger, pry that small chrome strip of metal between the thumb wheels off with a small screwdriver or knife.
That's why I prefer a Zippo. You can light a Zippo on your pant leg if you have to.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
cotton balls will produce a flame but it is not very hot. if you need a fire get trioxane. trioxane is a little hard to get and esbit will work as a substitute but is a little harder to light. on a rainy alaskan trip i used a dozen cotton balls in an attempt to get a fire and gave up. half a bar of trioxane got the job done.
i always have esbit or trioxane in my coffee kit and i do make coffee every day in the field rain, snow or shine. stomp a hole in the snow and light off a bar and start to heat water every time. test it before you trust it.
^^ These are both of my go to starters^^ Trioxane lights fast every time and weighs nothing in the pack. Road flares for the car are a no brainer and must have.
Always been a Vaseline and cottonball guy until recently...started to carry Shoe Goo it is highly flammable and works as a fire starter; upside it also glue so it has more than one use.
Like other have mentioned in extreme cold road flares, thanks to the experiences of our Alaskan / Yukon friends for this tip.
