Starting a fire
- Thread starter D2Cat
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CaveCreekRay
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Being able to start a fire is a critically essential skill.
In the USAF Survival School outdoor week north of Coeur d'Alene, ID, I had 40 year-old men in my element crying because their hands were too wet and cold to build their parachute shelter for the night. A day earlier, these guys were all Macho and full of bluster. Merely standing by a roaring fire in the light rain vastly improved everyone's spirits.
Figure out a way and practice it. That skill may save your life and those who depend on you.
Ray
In the USAF Survival School outdoor week north of Coeur d'Alene, ID, I had 40 year-old men in my element crying because their hands were too wet and cold to build their parachute shelter for the night. A day earlier, these guys were all Macho and full of bluster. Merely standing by a roaring fire in the light rain vastly improved everyone's spirits.
Figure out a way and practice it. That skill may save your life and those who depend on you.
Ray
Lil Foot
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My parents took us all over the country when we were kids, camping & seeing all the sights. My Dad had a strict policy that each of the kids in turn (me, older sister, 2 younger brothers) had to start the night's camp fire, rain or shine, snow or hail, wet wood, no wood, no kindling, it did not matter. We we allowed one kitchen match, and failure to start the fire meant no supper for you that night. Then, once or twice per trip, we got no match & had to use a bow drill, flint & steel, or other method. My favorite "no match" method was a 9V battery & steel wool. My poor sister went hungry a lot.
Lil Foot
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1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
I know many people who cannot ever start a fire without using this method, and then bitch that their food tastes like gasoline.My preferred method, is a railroad flare and 5 gallons of gas
LOL,,, yes I have never tried to start a fire with a battery and gum wrapper, but I have used steel wool and 9 volt battery. I taught the grand babies how to use flint and steel and a bow drill too. The youngest told me he is never going camping with Mom and Dad again, unless he has a BIC with him
How to make a fire was ahhhh . . . oooooh . . . drilled into me as a child.
Always have a couple ways to start one on me. Never made one with a gum rapper before. Had an uncle that accidentally burnt up his car by leaving his glasses on a newspaper on the passengers seat. To this day, I do not leave glasses any where where the sun can hit them causing a focal point.
Carry a zippo lighter instead of a butane lighter, gives you more options.
How to make fire with a hand drill.
Always have a couple ways to start one on me. Never made one with a gum rapper before. Had an uncle that accidentally burnt up his car by leaving his glasses on a newspaper on the passengers seat. To this day, I do not leave glasses any where where the sun can hit them causing a focal point.
Carry a zippo lighter instead of a butane lighter, gives you more options.
How to make fire with a hand drill.
CaveCreekRay
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3800 HST, KingKutter box scraper, KingKutter 66" rake, County Pride Subsoiler
In survival school, we would get spot checked by the instructors once a day...
"OK CAMPERS!!! YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES TO MAKE FIRE!!!"
It rained on us three of the last four days in the woods so you carried tinder in your coat to keep it dry. We used a carbide sparker to get the tinder going. The one thing you had to find was fairly dry wood to burn and something for the tinder to catch, like shavings. Those I would make cut my Buck 110.
My instructor happened to be standing right over me when I was splitting a small limb for some dry wood and as I struck my blade to cut the limb, the knife failed and the blade folded back. Without missing a beat, the instructor said, "Huh... never seen that before. Here's mine. Send yours in when you get home. They are guaranteed for life."
Still have that thing. What a nice blade.
Ray
"OK CAMPERS!!! YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES TO MAKE FIRE!!!"
It rained on us three of the last four days in the woods so you carried tinder in your coat to keep it dry. We used a carbide sparker to get the tinder going. The one thing you had to find was fairly dry wood to burn and something for the tinder to catch, like shavings. Those I would make cut my Buck 110.
My instructor happened to be standing right over me when I was splitting a small limb for some dry wood and as I struck my blade to cut the limb, the knife failed and the blade folded back. Without missing a beat, the instructor said, "Huh... never seen that before. Here's mine. Send yours in when you get home. They are guaranteed for life."
Still have that thing. What a nice blade.
Ray