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Fire Starting Tips and Tricks????

20K views 76 replies 54 participants last post by  billwilla 
#1 ·
Hey guys, just was wanting some cool and creative fire starting ideas and or URL's To tutorials. If you know some cool ways to start fires either with or without man made tools throw it out plz :) Thanks
 
#7 ·
Chapstick + cotton balls also works well plus is easy enough to EDC. Lots of people carry chapstick anyway, so just add a couple cotton balls in your pocket for virtually no added weight or space.

I carry a permanent match/butane lighter combo. It will throw sparks and light a cotton ball even if the fluid is dry and the butane is empty, although I don't carry cotton balls around with me.
 
#33 ·
Dude, you gotta watch Les Stroud in Survivorman.

That guy even claims in one episode he started a fire with a chocolate bar.

Seriously, he shows more ways of getting a fire going than any body I ever seen in my life.

Here's a real good documentary link where you can watch his shows.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/survivorman/
I believe he used the chocolate bar to polish the concave bottom of a pop can and then used it as a parabolic mirror to focus the sun onto some tinder.
 
#14 ·
For my tinder bundle, I prefer cedar bark. Rubbed briskly between one's hands it breaks down into fibers that makes for a great bird's nest. The other item that I carry is pine rosin found on jack pines. Even wet, rosin will burn with no problem. The next preferance is for the bark of the paper birch. As I carry a flintlock, my firestarting technique is a peice of char cloth in the pan with a light sprinking of black powder. **** the hammer, pull the tigger, and simply dump out the pan into the bird's nest.....
 
#15 ·
The 5 C's
1. Cutting tool. A good fixed blade knife usually is what is meant here.
2. Cover. For me it's a tarp or reusable space blanket.
3. Combustion device. That's something for starting a fire. I prefer a Bic or my Zippo that is always in my pocket.
4. Container for boiling. Stainless steel water bottle or cup.
5 Cordage. 550 cord or bankline or rope. The options are pretty endless here.
I will post up a couple Dave Canterbury's video's here since he explains it really well.

 
#16 ·
Here's my tip: Practice with natural tinder. Doesn't matter if you are using a lighter, matches, flint stick, bow drill, whatever. Tinder that you pick up in the woods can be a lot harder to use than tinder you have stockpiled (like shavings, lighterknot, birchbark) or made (charcloth, petro-cotton balls, lint). So by all means use that stuff. But practice with stuff that you find outside. Don't rely on what you carry. Practicing with stuff you've found will make you much better at firecraft, you'll understand why twigs taken from a tree are better than those from the ground, and how small amounts of moisture can have a dramatic effect.

Practice in poor weather conditions as well. Anyone can light a cotton ball on fire on a nice sunny day.
 
#19 ·
Pottasium Permanganate and Glycerin. You can start a fire in snow.

Multiple uses.

Water purification, medical, skin, fire. I carry a small container of each in my bags.

Just be sure to carry them seperately and sealed very well.
 
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#20 ·
tobbaco pouch with shavings a pencil sharpener and section of alum arrow shaft as a blow poker



hardest part of starting any fire is getting dry tinder to t\start the bigger stuff is typically only wet on the outside and a small fire will dry it quick the pencil sharpener can take a fingerling and shave thin wafers that take to the flame well as well as exposing the dry interior of small twigs
 
#23 ·
and i just find it awesome how many different ways you can start a fire. It's bizarre
You're easy to please.
Nothing was mentioned about:
Chocolate bar and coke can
Magnifying lens
Condom filled with water
Icicle
Car headlight
Flashlight
Basic chemicals
Eyeglasses
Crystal ball
Fire steel


If you search on youtube, there's someone using an odd object to start a fire.
After BOB and MREs, fire starting is most asked question.
 
#26 ·
Drop of water in a grass loop or on a hole punched through a piece of paper....only works when it is really really sunny ~!

But try it when you have the chance just for fun !
 
#35 ·
Corn chips can be useful too. I showed the guys at work today how well they burn and it flipped them out! Fire Pistons are pretty cool too. I never go out with out char cloth though, I like my flint and steel. Chaga is something else to be on the look for while your out scouting. Bottom line is the more you learn to better off you are. Always keep your mind open.
 
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