Fire starters

[Mike H]

While a lighter is convenient, easy and cheap, alternative fire starting methods have interested me. Ferro rods are cool, but my current favorite is flint, steel and char cloth. The steel is an Emberlit bear claw. I’ve not attempted a friction fire yet.

 

[Bobbers]

I think starting a fire is a lost art for most people. I like the Ferro rod myself for consistency. It has been years but while in boy scouts we practiced with many different options. We tried friction not a fan of this method. We also used a magnifying, 9 volt battery and steel wool those 2 were fun to get to work.

 

[OkieStubble]

I like to keep a zip lock bag full of lint from the dryer with a magnesium bar tucked inside. The bar is waterproof and the shavings ignite easily once the sparks from the ferrocerium rod on the side of the bar is struck with a knife blade.

It works better if your pine needles and grass isn't wet, that's why I keep a ziplock bag full of dryer lint with it. You want an explosion of flame on cold, wet days? Dryer lint plus Magnesium will definitely give it to you.

 

[stone and strop]

Fire strike (ferro rod) for me.
I bring a small ziplock sandwich bag of cotton balls coated in Vaseline when camping.
Open the cotton ball a bit and it will catch first strike and stay going plenty long enough to start any tinder.
Super light weight, works every time.

 

[Doc4]

It works better if your pine needles and grass isn't wet, that's why I keep a ziplock bag full of dryer lint with it. You want an explosion of flame on cold, wet days? Dryer lint plus Magnesium will definitely give it to you.

I like to soak cotton wool in parafin wax. Then the cotton becomes waterproof all by itself, and there is a greater fuel source with the wax rather than just the cotton. (Sort of like the dryer lint, but less fall-apart-y.) Carry it as a solid nugget, and when you want to start a fire work it open a bit.

 

[tube_guy]

I'm an Eagle Scout and I've used all kinds of methods to start a fire. A bow drill is pretty consistent, but the one I find most interesting is a fire piston. I've made a few fire pistons on the lathe in the past few years. My son brings his camping with the Boy Scouts, and the clickspring model is probably his favorite:

We don't put a compass in our models though.

 

[ColtRevolver]

Hand sanitizer works great...when you can get it

 

[OkieStubble]

Hand sanitizer works great...when you can get it

Great idea!

 

[Legion]

Cotton balls coated with petroleum jelly. Keep a baggy of those and a ferro rod in my camping/bugout bag.

 

[Ad Astra]

Great thread.

I keep an Altoids tin with cotton balls soaked in vaseline, but there's also jute twine pieces in there. You can weave those effectively in and around your tinder. Shave a bit of magnesium in there and one spark!

Char cloth is easily made with another Altoids tin - poke/drill a hole in it, put cloth pieces, and throw it on the bbq grill. Char cloth is about the only thing i can catch sparks on! Flint and steel really takes practice. You'll bless the ferro rod when you pick it back up!

Exotac makes a few products here, but they have a rubber Bic lighter that I carry. It's submersible. Because when you're wet and cold, medieval tech is optional ... A Zippo is a great compromise. It IS flint and steel ... Sorta. A commando band (piece of bike inner tube) around it slows the Zippo fuel evaporation rate.


AA

 

[Atlantic59]

Dryer lint mixed with a bit of paraffin wax. Mold into the cups of a cardboard egg carton. Separate the individual cardboard cups and put into a ziplock bag.

 

[Mike H]

My current favorite fire steel is the small Light my Fire steel. Throws a ton of sparks with a small stroke. I’ve got several eBay ferro rods from China that have been hit or miss. The Coghlans fire steel is not bad, I don’t care for the mag block. The individual rod (they call it a flint striker) is pretty good.

I tried using a hand drill yesterday, made smoke and blisters, but no ember.

 

[Ad Astra]

Dryer lint was a standby in the days before a lot of nylon, rayon etc. clothes

Cotton balls, easy and cheap.

I've also heard cheap mag blocks (Chinese, HF etc.) don't have a lot of magnesium in them. Probably aluminum.

Saw where Zippo has a new product, ZEF or something. A tube with spark wheel, uses Zippo flints of course, and some cotton pads.

A regular Zippo will do, especially if you replace it's rayon filler with last-ditch cotton.

AA

 

[OkieStubble]

Dryer lint was a standby in the days before a lot of nylon, rayon etc. clothes

Cotton balls, easy and cheap.

I've also heard cheap mag blocks (Chinese, HF etc.) don't have a lot of magnesium in them. Probably aluminum.

Saw where Zippo has a new product, ZEF or something. A tube with spark wheel, uses Zippo flints of course, and some cotton pads.

A regular Zippo will do, especially if you replace it's rayon filler with last-ditch cotton.

AA

Last ditch cotton?

 

[Ad Astra]

Last ditch cotton?

Yes. When the Zippo goes dry, rip out its cotton fill, shred them, and use the flint wheel to light 'em up!

Zippos are classic, but they evaporate in a matter of days. A piece of bike inner tube ("commando bands") wrapped around helps.


AA

 

[OkieStubble]

Yes. When the Zippo goes dry, rip out its cotton fill, shred them, and use the flint wheel to light 'em up!

Zippos are classic, but they evaporate in a matter of days. A piece of bike inner tube ("commando bands") wrapped around helps.


AA

That’s pretty smart. Funny how I had never thought of something so simple and obvious.

 

[Ad Astra]

That’s pretty smart. Funny how I had never thought of something so simple and obvious.

Before I collected razors ... I collected Zippos.

So I have a zillion of them ... Lifetime supply of flints, wicks ...sounds familiar?


AA

 

[OkieStubble]

Before I collected razors ... I collected Zippos.

So I have a zillion of them ... Lifetime supply of flints, wicks ...sounds familiar?


AA

Lol'd.

 

[Ad Astra]

And a gallon can of Coleman's stove fuel/white gas - whatever they call it. Works fine in Zippos and a gallon lasts ... Who knows? Makes evaporation moot.


AA

 

[Swedish Steel]

Regarding tinder, the fine, dead and always very dry little twigs you find on the bottom of spruce trees, shielded from the weather by the rest of the tree, work every time. The lower part of of spruces is also a good source for larger dry sticks.

And birch bark. Rough up the white side with a knife and it will catch a spark.