"I...have...made...FIRE!"

“Please share your best fire-building secrets...

Water-proof matches?
Magnesium?
Fire-starter sticks?

Anyone make fires with no matches, a la Tom Hanks? ;-)

Best book/material you have seen on how to build a fire without matches?”

“You can always make a fire by rubbing two dry cliches together.”

“Does CampMor sell those?”

“Solid KMnO4(potassium permanganate..also good for treating Athletes Foot in liquid form) crystals/flakes and Sugar or glycerol. Grind it together a little and poof, instant fire.”

“Rub two consenting adults together.”

“After years of using matches, I started carrying a disposable lighter. Much easier.

I think it is a good idea to know how to make a fire using a bow-drill. I haven't done it successfully yet, but it would be useful in a drastic survival situation. Some survival books teach this. It is tricky.”

“Bic”

“I used to make a few attempts before it caught. However (I'm almost ashamed to admit this) after the "Abo-Dude" article in "Backpacker" a while back, I take much more care in setting up the teepee and can consistantly do it in one match.

For backup, I keep cotton balls slathered in vasaline in a film cansiter in a pouch by the med kit.”

“bic in stove bag, backup is bic in gear repair kit.”

“I always carry a few firestarters made of paraffin and sawdust, just in case. I carry a bic lighter and waterproof/windproof matches (for backup).

If there is an Juniper tree anywhere nearby, the inner bark makes wonderful tinder when everything else is wet.

It?s been a long time, but I have made fire with flint and steel.”

“I agree; lighters are the way to go; they're unbeatable in the wind. I usually carry 2 plus some waterproof matches. I would like to try to start a fire without either, tho. The bow-drill method, as Phil describes, might be a good thing to know. Carbide would be interesting, but you still need a spark and it's a little uncontrolable.”

“Tee Pee method is the best(I did learn something in the Boy Scouts)but I always carry some jell type starter fluid incase it gets to wet.”

“I use a little bunched up paper & kindling to start my fires.

What book to use for fires? Why read the book when you can physically use it. I used the first chapter of a novel I was reading to start a difficult fire.”

“Oh yeah, and like stix said, I always use the teepee method also. When you add the main wood for the fire, keep a good amount of space between the wood to keep the fire burning underneath. Don't smother your fire.”

“A spectular trick is to use steel wool and two AA batteries. Hold the batteries end to end by hand, and string the steel wool from one outside end of a battery to the outside end of the other battery. Instant spark, and glowing steel wool. Cool!

If you are going to use a spark, the trick is to catch the spark and keep it going. Char cloth works best for this, but some ball of fibrous dry material is necessary. Char cloth is cotton cloth that has been charred and not burned. Put cotton in a metal can, put it in a fire for awhile, pull it out, let it cool off, and you have char cloth. When a spark hits it, it will stick, and grow into the char cloth if you blow on it. The glowing char cloth will start tinder, and the tinder will start tiny sticks, and so on.”

“Although I have never personally done this, I have seen people pour a little white gas on their (wet) wood before throwing a match on.

Note: I have also seen great big balls of burning gas remove all the hair on those same people's arms!”

“Waterproof and windproof matches: The match head is about 3/4" long. I use generic brand, but BCB makes a "lifeboat" match for military use. They will light and stay lit under any condition. They cannot be blown out. Drop it in snow and it burn its way down through it. The only way to stop it is to submerge it in water. I carry 2 doz.

Strike anywhere matches dipped in parrafin: They don't require a box to strike on, and they're cheaper than waterproof windproof matches. Won't stay lit in wind. You may be abkle to coat them in nail polish or laquer to waterproof them. Try and see what works.

Paper matches: Piece of sh!t. they're tempermental under the best of conditions.

Lighter: Near infinite number of strikes, but vulnerable(sp?) to damp and winds. Zippo and "blast" lighter may be better, but I haven't tried them.

Flint striker: Throws a spark in any condition, provided you have a high carbon steel striker. But, your tinder needs to be almost explosive for it to catch. Magnesium helps a little, but don't trust your life to it. I carry one to light the stove in bad weather.

Synthetic Tinder: I've limited experience with this. The Couglans emergency tinder works pretty decently. Dryer lint from a load with lots of cotton works decently, and is the only type that will light off the flint rod. Cotton balls, with 100% real cotton, slathered in vaseline are supposed to work well. I have yet to try wet/dry tinder from survival inc, fire ribbon, fire paste, etc.

Natural tinder: I know dry grass catches well. Anything that is dry, light, and has a lot of surface area should work. Experiment and see what works.

I carry 2 doz waterproof/windproof matches. Either a lighter or 2 doz strike anywhere matches dipped in parrafin. And, 1/2 doz Couglans emergency tinder, but I'm running low and thinking of trying wet/dry by Survival inc. I have gotton fire going in 10-15mph winds with couglans and waterproof/windproof matches. Oh, yeah, carry a knife to make kindling.

Check out www.equipped.com for more info.”

“Try this again
www.equipped.com”

“I just upgraded my fire starting gear from matches to a lighter.”

“THAT'S COOL!!”

“white gas..........and Dude with his new lighter...hehehehe”

“It's happened before.”

“A lot of the above...plus...

Carry a few of those "magic" candles you put on birthday cakes for the kids...you know the ones you try to blow out & they keep "re-lighting". They're very handy to have around when it's windy out & you're using up all your matches or your bic keeps blowing out. And they weigh next to nothing.”

“I like Violin's idea, a fire breathing dragon, especially if I can get him to carry my pack.”

“Heck, with putting him in you backpack, let him fly and carry some of the load. My vote goes for Violin's idea, it's the best.”

“Heck, with putting him in you backpack, let him fly and carry some of the load. My vote goes for Violin's idea, it's the best.”

“Icegirl, I thought about that, but I didn't want to seem too lazy, lol.”

“Did the dragon in "Shrek" have a name?”

“road flares. a little heavier than matches or a Bic, though.”

“dry weather is easy,, but how about the wet stuff? I split the wood and use birchbark from downed trees, the wood rots and leaves the bark, the resin prevents water from getting in. you can soak the bark under water for an hour and it'll still light.”

“Dryer lint and hand sanitizer. Never fails.”