Tell us about your PRIMITIVE fire building techniques!!

[mcfarmall]

Only stories and personal experiences making fire with primitive, survival style techniques.

I started fire with a fire piston that I built a few years ago and some char cloth.

[3'senough]

Does a flint stick, pine needles and TP count? I've done this on more than one occasion.

[RUSSELL5000]

What is a fire piston?

[Threebutchers]

I've started many fires with a good magnifying glass....but I don't take it camping, accelerants are far too cheap (and faster) [ATTACH][/ATTACH]

[mcfarmall]

A fire piston works on the heat of compression just like a diesel engine. You have a piston which is just a rod about 1/2" in diameter with a concave dimple in the business end and a larger handle on the other. It is a close tolerance fit into a cylinder with a closed end. You put a small piece of char cloth in the dimple on the end of the piston then insert it into the cylinder and press down sharply. When you withdraw the piston from the cylinder the char cloth "should" be glowing. You pick the char cloth out of the dimple and onto your tinder bundle and blow on it until the tinder bundle bursts into flame. There used to be a forum called firepoppers.com that was all about fire pistons. Do a youtube and google search and you'll find all kinds of stuff.

You can buy one ready made or make one yourself if you have access to a precision lathe.

Flint and pine needles count but the TP reeks of civilization!

[Rustic Eagle]

Here is another recent JOF thread on the same subject that touches on some fire-starter ideas as well: http://www.jaycoowners.com/showthrea...g-boxes!/page3

Bob

[Flyrotor]

For several years now I have been teaching my kids how to start the campfire without matches or lighters, I use a flint and steel, pine needles and bark and moss, then small tender until the fire gets bigger to support larger firewood.

It's cool to watch them learn the survival skills.

[NewBlackDak]

My camping knife has a piece of fire steel in the handle, and a rough spot for sparking it on the spine. Super easy to start a fire with.

[fredbear92]

Believe it or not I use a propane torch.Like the one you would solder copper pipe with together.

[stjohneyre]

Fine steel wool and a 9volt battery. Awesome, cheap and no chemicals.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtRkdttaYqs

[mcfarmall]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

Here is another recent JOF thread on the same subject that touches on some fire-starter ideas as well: http://www.jaycoowners.com/showthrea...g-boxes!/page3

Bob

That thread is what prompted me to start this one dedicated to PRIMITIVE fire building methods. Not too many people get stranded in the wilderness with a propane torch and some egg carton and candle wax fire starter thingys.

So to rope this thread back into alignment with the original post, tell us about your PRIMITIVE fire building experiences. These would be methods that do not use refined petroleum by-products or other items that you might not be carrying if you went on an extended hike. For example, fire piston, magnifying glass, eyeglasses, bow & spindle, fire plow, flint & steel (magnesium & flint are ok) and others.

[RoyBraddy]

I have great success using these sticks and always have several boxes of these STRIKE-A-FIRE FIRE STARTERS sticks on hand everywhere we go...

They come in a small 8-piece box and are made by DIAMOND. Coleman also sells the same stick under their name at the local WALMART stores...


I buy these in 48-piece bulk when I can and save my individual 8-pack boxes to repack them in for easy packing.


I know others will have all kinds of different way to quickly start a bon-fire but this small package is easy to carry with you and gives me a big edge on getting a full bon-fire going in less time.

I use a regular gas lighter similar to these to start the FIRE STARTERs with... The fire starters will burn a few minutes to get your wood started. I always carry this FISKERS 17-inch hand ax (AMAZON) with me as well.. Always need to split up things around the firepit.




Roy Ken

[Crabman]

A Magnesium bar scraped with a knife into very receptive and dry tinder is one method we use in the Scouts.

[Bassdogs]

Primitive is in the eye of the beholder. In that regard, I heard on a recent surviver style show, that he was going to use an ancient Indian technnique, diesel fuel and a bic. In the age we live, getting somewhere without the means to start a fire is pretty much an example of poor planning or an air of bad judgement. I have a couple of mag sticks, and keep telling me to try one out, but never seem to get to it. On our current trip to Florida, my fire was started with a can of charcoal fuel that was left by the bathroom by a departing camper. Doesn't that count as primitive in the sence that I scrounged up available resources to cobble together a fire.

If you take your Jayco out on the road and find yourself in need of a way to light a fire, check with a neighbor.

[djalbrec]

Originally Posted by fredbear92

Believe it or not I use a propane torch.Like the one you would solder copper pipe with together.

I also use a propane torch. I have tried of the above methods before, but the propane torch is so much faster. My "roughing it" days are over.

[mcfarmall]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

Primitive is in the eye of the beholder. In that regard, I heard on a recent surviver style show, that he was going to use an ancient Indian technnique, diesel fuel and a bic. In the age we live, getting somewhere without the means to start a fire is pretty much an example of poor planning or an air of bad judgement. I have a couple of mag sticks, and keep telling me to try one out, but never seem to get to it. On our current trip to Florida, my fire was started with a can of charcoal fuel that was left by the bathroom by a departing camper. Doesn't that count as primitive in the sence that I scrounged up available resources to cobble together a fire.

If you take your Jayco out on the road and find yourself in need of a way to light a fire, check with a neighbor.

Primitive is as defined in my earlier post

[clubhouse]

My primitive camping all went away with the purchase of an RV :-)

However as a Boy Scout we were forced to experiment quite a bit with fire building techniques…as well as at the same time always being reminded we need to "Be Prepared". In those days we started fire with a variety of methods; flint and steel, magnifying glass (or a kids eyeglasses), steel wool and a 9V battery, even a spindle and bow. I will say the spindle and bow was the most satisfying, probably because is took hours. Needless to say we only did that once and I never plan to do it again.

Now I still pride myself on knowing how to build a proper fire and show my kids each time. It amazes me how many folks in a CG simply don't know what they are doing. Dump 5-6 logs in a fire douse with lighter fluid, over and over again, only to get a smokey and unsustainable fire. Every fire requires fuel, spark and oxygen -- the oxygen part seems to be what lots of campers ignore.

[Crabman]

^^X 2 on many folks being clueless on fire building and sustaining. I witnessed one camper roasting marshmallows under a fire fed by a stream of charcoal lighter fluid after they could not keep the wood fire going. Bet that was a real tasty treat. That stuff stinks too!

[LkptRvPilot]

Ok, Clubhouse and Crabman,

How about some tips and tricks for the people who didn't make it to Boy Scouts (I stopped once I earned the AOL). Now, I have never resorted to using lighter fluid (that is just wrong), but I can't seem to get a good, long lasting burn going.

Any tips?

Kris

[Crabman]

Kris,

Two fire building methods we use, my favorite being the tepee:

log cabin style:



teepee style:





Ingredients for a successful fire:

Tinder, kindling, fuel.

Start small, add larger fuel woods as the fire grows. Never use "green" unseasoned wood. This will lead to a frustrating smoker of a fire that will likely go out. When you have the right ingredients, you can light a "one match fire" every time, wind allowing.