[wells]

Camping at a park in Western Michigan, I told my granddaughter that I would show her how to start a fire with no matches or lighter. We put some paper in the pit, shaved a little Coleman firestarter stick on them, put some kindling on it and put my Firesteel to work to start a fire. There were three neighbor families that came to watch. They were amazed that the Firesteel shot out that many sparks and that we actually started a fire. City-dwellin' doubters! I explained what happened and probably recruited three boys for local scout troops! It was nice to see folks get excited about woods ways!

 

[desert wanderer]

That's a good thing you did! Now, if you want to impress them even more, use a magnifying glass to start a fire. If you REALLY want to impress them, use the primitive fire bow method. It only took me 10 tries and one hour to make a fire with that method!

The best thing is that you got your grand daughter and others to appreciate the outdoors more, and that's always a good thing.

 

[Rascals]

Its never to early to make things fun to learn. Everything you teach her now will help make her more well rounded.

 

[Celt1776]

I taught the boy at a very young age how to start a fire using a piece of flint, steel striker and a bit of char cloth.

 

[preparedinKS]

I'm glad you could share this w/ other campers. More people need to have these skills and it's unfortunate that so many city folk are so incapable of providing basic needs like fire, water, shelter while in nature.

 

[fwshooter]

Only way we roll.

My steel has a small spot for tinder so I normally shove dryer lint in there. We try everything under the sun to not bust out the dryer lint but know it is there. Most of the time it is scavanage the camp site or even backyard for it. Amazing after using it for a couple fires I am better at starting using steel than a lighter.

 

[Wanderingson]

Good for you. I have found that most people are facinated with learning basic functioning skills in the outdoors.

 

[kevinthenurse]

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. TEACH a man to fish and he will spend thousands on gear n beer, and fish drunk for a lifetime!

Kudos for passing a bushcraft skill to your granddaughter!

__________________________________________________ __________________________
Maintainer of the new groups "Discount Survival Gear Hunters" & "Dehydrators Anonymous".

 

[drobs]

Reading the title I thought you were going to break out the bow and string! :

Fire steel is good to go!

When car camping I cheat and use these things:

Coleman Fire Starter Sticks.

 

[chaplain]

Good on you! Too few appreciate the outdoors. Looking back I wish that I'd done the Boy Scout thing but I too was one who didn't appreciate the outdoors back then. Gained a bit of knowledge over the past ten years though and love the outdoors. Still have to practice with firesteel though, among other methods for starting fires haha.

 

[wells]

Thanks for the feedback! I work a lot with my scout troop on survival skills. Challenge a youth and they rarely dissappoint.

 

[spectre68]

great post man. sometimes i dont know who is more amazed in a situation like this. the people that your showing or your own amazement!

 

[WannaLearn]

Great job and keep up the good work.

 

[SamboRoberts]

I took a fire piston to show a few mates last year. They'd never seen anything like it before and were completely amazed.

 

[corndogggy]

Is it really any more self sufficient if you have to rely on a store bought Coleman firestarter and a store bought firesteel?

 

[DaveMc]

In a world of greasy cotton balls, I don't think I've seen anyone say much about the Coleman sticks.

How much do you need off of a stick to get the base tender going?
Are they any more compact and useful than the almighty cotton wonder?

 

[SamboRoberts]

Is it really any more self sufficient if you have to rely on a store bought Coleman firestarter and a store bought firesteel?

I don't think it's about self sufficiency, it's more about alternative means of lighting fire.