Firestarters

[Irving]

I've given up on the Steel wool + 9 volt battery for now (made two honest attempts). I just lit the TP with a lighter to warm my hands and boost my spirits (that's what my survival book says!).

So I went outside and got my budding bug out bag. I broke a branch off the bush outside my front door, took a wooden dowel from a broken chair, and set to making a fire bow. I had a knife and some paracord in my BO bag. For the first attempt, I've done pretty well; after I got the hang of everything. I managed to get a lot of smoke and stink up our house, but no coal yet. I think the piece of wood I've been using is starting to rot because it is way dry and soft. I'm going to go get a piece of pine fire wood from outside and try again.

Trying all this fire stuff is great! Thanks for the idea to finally try the firebow Ranger!

[Irving]

Hey, I'd also like some input on carrying a couple of shotgun shells in your bug out bag for use as fuel for fires. The idea is that a shotgun shell is sealed, but plastic so you should be able to cut/pry it open with a knife and dump the powder out. Some .22lr would be a lot smaller and easier, but I don't plan on carrying pliers with me.

Anyway, I've never lit gun powder, so I wonder if it is way too volatile and would be a waste of time or what? Kind of like keeping some black cats in your BOB or something? Just an idea that I had. The other thing I was thinking, is that you still have to have a way to light the powder, so it might be redundant to have.

[StagLefty]

Okay, so I was watching Man, Woman, Wild tonight and they started a fire with a 9 volt battery and steel wool in about the same amount of time as it would have taken with a lighter. Just the other day I found a fist sized wad of steel wool near my tool box.

So I got out an old 9 volt I knew I had and the steel wool. Using the battery, the steel wool, and some toilet paper, I just CAN NOT get a spark to catch the toilet paper. I tried for so long that the battery became very hot and I set it down so it wouldn't blow up in my face. I managed to char the toilet paper at one point, but no flames. Any tips?

You need extra fine steel wool for this to work.

[Irving]

Thank you Stag. Sorry I didn't see your post earlier.


Ranger, I need your help. I'm on day three of failure at generating a coal with a fire bow and drill. When I first started, I was using a perfectly straight pressed wood dowel as the drill. Now, after two days of using stuff I found in the back yard, I can NOT keep the drill from popping out of place and flipping out of the bow. I'm even using the same hearth, same top piece, and same bow.

Yesterday, I was using a way too long and way too stiff bow, so I thought that was the problem. Tonight, I went back to the old bow and am still having trouble. The drills that I've been using are only about 8 inches long, while the first drill is closer to 18 inches. Is the drill too short? I'm having trouble figuring out what I'm doing wrong.

Oh yeah, I've been using good form, bracing my support wrist against my upright shin.

What am I doing wrong?


I also couldn't start a fire using a Light My Fire thing I bought. I could light toilet paper, but when I got some dry kindling from out back, I couldn't get it to stay lit. Starting a fire is hard work. I can't imagine how many calories I've burned trying this over the past few days.

[StagLefty]

I also couldn't start a fire using a Light My Fire thing I bought. I could light toilet paper, but when I got some dry kindling from out back, I couldn't get it to stay lit. Starting a fire is hard work. I can't imagine how many calories I've burned trying this over the past few days.

Your tinder setup is the most important part of using this method. Dry,fluffed out,exposing as much area as possible is vital. I use an ESEE fire kit with a GoingGear striker. The rod is misch metal which actually sends out globs of molten metal. It has a waterproof compartment that I keep cotton/petroleum jelly in. The whole prep thing takes time but will save frustration time in the actual fire lighting. We probably will never have to actually depend on this skill for survival but it's a skill that could save your life if needed. Good Luck

[Ranger]

Ranger, I need your help. I'm on day three of failure at generating a coal with a fire bow and drill. When I first started, I was using a perfectly straight pressed wood dowel as the drill. Now, after two days of using stuff I found in the back yard, I can NOT keep the drill from popping out of place and flipping out of the bow. I'm even using the same hearth, same top piece, and same bow.

Fire bows are tricky to say the least! On your base board you need a couple of things, one is that you need to use your knife to cut a bit of an impression for your stick to fit into, then you need air, so I usually crack the base board so I can get air to the coal I'm generating. I also make a handle that has an impression in it for me to apply plenty of downward pressure without losing grip or chewing up my hand.

I'm doing some camping this weekend, maybe I'll do a set up and take some pics for you if I have time.

[Irving]

Thanks Ranger. I've got the proper cut in my hearth (base board). The problem I've been having the last few days is that my drill keeps popping out of the bow and off the hearth, no matter how many different kinds of top holds I try.

As far as I've gotten is lots of smoke and a pile of black dust that I couldn't quite get to form a coal. At that point I suspected that maybe it was the wood that was the problem. I think I've just got a lot more practice to do.

[steveopia]

I've mentioned it before, but I've had some road flares riding around in my trunk for over a year and have still never used one because I live in an apartment. I almost lit one Friday and just hung out on my porch with it, but I realize I don't know if the flares are water proof or not.

Anyone have any experience with a road flare? How can I put it out in a hurry if I need to? Cut it? Water? Mud? Dry leaves and a bird's nest?

LOL. In a hurry like if you light it on the porch of your apartment? Sorry man. I don't know much about them. I'd say light it on your neighbor's porch. Test all the extinguishing methods you mentioned and tell us which one works the best.

I just picked up one of these Swedish fire starters. It works great on some toilet paper in the bathroom . . .

[Backinblackrifles]

I am in the process of moving and knew were My 0000 steel wool was and had a 9 volt in the dash I fluffed the 0000 touched the bat and blew on it I had a ball of white heat in My hand that was sustained for about 4 minutes very cool and easy. Great idea.

[Irving]

So I was able to finally test out my road flare the other night. I forgot to time how long it lasted, but I'd say that 30 minutes was about right. It was very easy to light. I didn't experiment with putting it out, as I used it to light my fire instead.

Also, tonight, I pulled out my magnesium fire started again and used it with cotton balls. It was so easy I was amazed. One swipe and the cotton was on fire. So now my little pack has my fire starter and a large pill bottle full of about 12 cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly. Pretty confident in my ability to at least get a semi steady flame with this set up. Now I just need to work on making reliable tinder without having a phone book handy to crumple up the pages.