***ZS Homework*** Build a Fire

[Towanda]

Has anyone tried a fire piston?

[TheLastRifleMan]

Yep, and it does work but it can be tricky. Good tinder, no matter what method you are using, is critical.

Post 2700!

[Swoop411]

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[Rooster]

I've not hardly mentioned this, but I do a lot of Living History, Rendezvous, Treks, and even a Portage now and then (that's why I don't post much in the summer). My primitive firemaking skills are something I'm rather proud of. Just last weekend I attended the TeTonkaHa Rendezvous in MN and all my fires were lit with flint and steel. I also have a magnifying lens and various other things in my fire kit. I used to trade for charcloth, but now I have a firepit in the backyard and make my own. By the way- don't use your kitchen stove to make charcloth. Trust me.

There's a certain mushroom/fungus that grows on trees that can be dried and used as a coal source for both lighting a fire and carying a ember with you. We call it tinderconch. There's also guys who make giant homemade sulfer matches called Spalls that you light off of your charcloth. They burn hot as a mutha. I can't remember much detail of it right now, but I will look through my notes at home and find more info about it to post.

Has anyone tried a fire piston?

Yes, and they work very well. I'm currently in the works of making one. I will gladly share directions on how to build one if anyone wants.

Also, if you absolutely suck at making a matchless fire, carry a wad of steel wool and a 9v battery in your BOB. When you have your tinder ready, touch the wool across the battery terminals and it will instantly flame. But batteries weren't intendet to be used as firestarters, so be carefull.

[Kilo 07 Delta]

gasoline is what i like. lol.

[Towanda]

Glad I'm not the only one who has heard of fire pistons. I tried one on my camping trip last year and everyone in my camp thought I was a loony. I also learned that Burt's Bees lip balm makes excellent fire piston grease -- it's made mainly of beeswax and lanolin and the tube is pretty handy. One of the things I do on my annual week-long campground camping trip is try various new (to me) firestarting methods or get more proficient with old ones. This year it was magnifying glass and Swedish firesteel, using (for the first time) unraveled jute twine for tinder. I've put a ball of jute twine in my permanent car kit and carry some in my purse now.

[Apollo-11]

When I was a kid I went on a scouting trip for a weekend. Rained like hell when we arrived and the Scoutmaster, 2 assistants and 4 assorted parents were unable to coax a fire into life. After about an hour the Scoutmaster gave up and asked who had Scout Juice. Us always prepared types manager to produce about 11 cans of lighter fluid and soon had a nice little blaze going.
My usual method of fire-starting involves asking the wife to do it, as I really suck at igniting flames with out large quantities of petroleum products. Does that count as an alternative method?

The Scouts around here are not allowed to use anything liquid to start a fire any more. At all, very strictly enforced.

We went on a very wet campout with them. After watching them screw around for half an hour I offered to let them use a road flare and a spare tire. Now THERE is a good fire. These folks that get lost out on some lonely road in the woods (in their car) baffle me with their lack of ability to signal for help.

[Aeon]

mu ha ha ha
behold my celebrations tin of doom

[Apollo-11]

mu ha ha ha
behold my celebrations tin of doom

Very nice! I made something like this out of a small tuna can, cardboard, and wax many years ago. They work pretty well for light cooking, heating water, and emergency heat/light. Of course they are waterproof. But mine were merely flammable... they didn't blow up or anything...