[Semper Paratus]

This is what I have in my massive fire starting "arsenal" spread out amongst my different water tight pouches.

Magnesium Fire Block x2 (If you havent done so, practice starting fires with this and find out what technique works best for you-took me days to get the BEST technique)

Sweedish Firesteel (Army Model)-NEEDS TINDER to be truly effective

Bottle full of dryer lint - best tinder ever

Sandwich bag full of dryer lint x4

Fire starter logs x 12- yaaaaa i couldnt resist 47c for a foot long fire log

Wind/waterproof matches-2 packs

Fire starter slow burn matches- essentially a match that burns for 6 min

Another variety of fire starter logs.

My matches are contained in the plastic watertight containers with the cheap flint on the bottom- with the matches secured i roll dryer lint in toilet paper and stuff it into the cap of the container...works fantastic, I have aprox 3 of these containers.

 

[PATHFINDER-ENE]

Got Skills?

 

[Semper Paratus]

Got Skills?

Plenty my friend, plenty

 

[PATHFINDER-ENE]

Bottle full of dryer lint - best tinder ever

Sandwich bag full of dryer lint x4

Fire starter logs x 12- yaaaaa i couldnt resist 47c for a foot long fire log

Wind/waterproof matches-2 packs

Fire starter slow burn matches- essentially a match that burns for 6 min

Then you can DX all this...Not hacking on ya bro..Just seems like a lot. W/ some skill and practice you can ditch all this...

 

[Semper Paratus]

Ya, all of that isnt in my BOB that is in my Long term bag only 1 block some lint and the steel (which is on my keychain) are in my BOB. I just like to have a multitude of ways for my family to start fires that require less than minimum skill in a high stress environment. And after all, like my name indicates...im always prepared

But ya i can totally see where the aformentioned might be viewed as excessive. The stuff not in my bag is spread out between either a duffel bag (secondary bag) and a big tupperware container (long term unit)

 

[agentzundrcovr]

semper, what unit are you assigned to?

 

[Zorba]

Then you can DX all this...Not hacking on ya bro..Just seems like a lot. W/ some skill and practice you can ditch all this...

One never has enough ways to start a fire no matter how skilled. No fire, no survival.

 

[Zorba]

I just like to have a multitude of ways for my family to start fires that require less than minimum skill in a high stress environment.

+1 on that... At least a half a dozen ways at all times.... the only thing is I have not found my dryer lint to work well at all... might be the lion hair....

 

[Semper Paratus]

I will be in the Marines in a few years

 

[agentzundrcovr]

Oh ok . . . I was wondering with the name Semper Paratus, that's the Coast Guard creed. I've got 6 years in Coast Guard as a federal officer . . .

 

[357revolverfan]

Semper Paratus

Oh ok . . . I was wondering with the name Semper Paratus, that's the Coast Guard creed. I've got 6 years in Coast Guard as a federal officer . . .

I don't want to hijack the thread, or initiate a long discussion here on the topic, but to be clear, Semper Paratus is actually the motto of a large number of groups.

For the curious/interested:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semper_paratus

 

[PATHFINDER-ENE]

One never has enough ways to start a fire no matter how skilled. No fire, no survival.

You can if it out wieghs your food and ammo....

 

[2manygunz]

This is what I have in my massive fire starting "arsenal" spread out amongst my different water tight pouches.

Magnesium Fire Block x2 (If you havent done so, practice starting fires with this and find out what technique works best for you-took me days to get the BEST technique)

Sweedish Firesteel (Army Model)-NEEDS TINDER to be truly effective

Bottle full of dryer lint - best tinder ever

Sandwich bag full of dryer lint x4

Fire starter logs x 12- yaaaaa i couldnt resist 47c for a foot long fire log

Wind/waterproof matches-2 packs

Fire starter slow burn matches- essentially a match that burns for 6 min

Another variety of fire starter logs.

My matches are contained in the plastic watertight containers with the cheap flint on the bottom- with the matches secured i roll dryer lint in toilet paper and stuff it into the cap of the container...works fantastic, I have aprox 3 of these containers.

What about a Bic, and a fire piston?

 

[ZZ7]

I didn't find the magnesium starter very easy to use. I'm sure my skill level is deficient due to being a city boy. With the magnesium scraped into a pile onto a dried leave, I kept swatting the pile and dumping it on the ground (due to hitting the leaf) when trying to strike the flint near it. I can understand the pros of this vs. a lighter. But a good lighter shouldn't fail that easily so all that's left is the number of uses, which the flint far outweighs a ligher. But if a novice outdoorsman gets stranded in a position where he needs to build a fire for more than 30 days, he's probably going to die of dehydration or starvation way before he runs out of something to start a fire with. I wouldn't mind having this flint, but a lighter would be my first choice.

 

[Ramius]

My firestarting kit I keep in my pack is rather simple:

2 bic lighters, each stored in its own small zip lock style baggie
2 books of matches, each stored in its own small zip lock style baggie
1 magnesium lighter
1 99 cent pocket knife to scrape the magnesium bag (keeps main knife from getting dull)
1 30mL bottle with cotton balls soaked in vaseline (standard tinder)
1 or 2 trioxanne bars (for really wet conditions)

On my person I carry a bic lighter, swedish firesteel, and another 30ml bottle of cotton/vaseline incase I lose my pack.

So far I have never had a problem getting a fire started with this setup, even in the rain. The key is the knowledge and skill to get everything set up. In the rain, I always arrange the wood in a series of tepees. A small tepee of kindling (about 1 inch thick) is placed first. A side is left off the tepee to allow access to the interior. Next, a larger tepee is built over this, consisting of larger wood (about 3 inches thick), with a side left open to access the interior. These two "roofs", if built dense enough, should provide enough protection from the rain to get the tinder lit. The tinder is placed inside of the kindling tepee, lit, and carefully fed sticks of pencil lead thickness until a full blaze erupts. The blaze, if fed long enough, will dry out the kindling tepee and set it ablaze. At this point, the fire is fed with the 1 inch diameter and pencil lead thick kindling until the main roof dries out and catches fire.

 

[Zorba]

I didn't find the magnesium starter very easy to use. I'm sure my skill level is deficient due to being a city boy. With the magnesium scraped into a pile onto a dried leave, I kept swatting the pile and dumping it on the ground (due to hitting the leaf) when trying to strike the flint near it.

One pulls the rod rather than push the striker, that why you don't upset the tinder.

 

[dmen]

It gets too cold to play around up here so I carry a bic/zippo in my pocket and self igniting road flares in the car. dmen

 

[Semper Paratus]

What about a Bic, and a fire piston?

I have a lighter xD....so basic I didnt think to mention that, plus I am capable of doing various other methods (bow drills and what not)

 

[Semper Paratus]

I didn't find the magnesium starter very easy to use. I'm sure my skill level is deficient due to being a city boy. With the magnesium scraped into a pile onto a dried leave, I kept swatting the pile and dumping it on the ground (due to hitting the leaf) when trying to strike the flint near it. I can understand the pros of this vs. a lighter. But a good lighter shouldn't fail that easily so all that's left is the number of uses, which the flint far outweighs a ligher. But if a novice outdoorsman gets stranded in a position where he needs to build a fire for more than 30 days, he's probably going to die of dehydration or starvation way before he runs out of something to start a fire with. I wouldn't mind having this flint, but a lighter would be my first choice.

Hence my commment that one must experiment. After HUNDREDS of uses i have only eliminated eeeeeeeeh maybe, 1/8 of the block.

Method 1
My process- 1. Attain bark, dry grass, man made tinder (amazingly easy no need for the magnesium the rod practically is a firesteel, and my other natural material... leaves.
2. Scrape magnesium onto a SINGLE leaf (have about a quarter sized pile)
3. Spread magnesium slightly (dont have all of it in one giant cone/heap) have a slight "trail" if you will
4. Lay only 1 leaf ontop of pile
5. Ignite magnesium via movement of the bar not the striker. That will cure your problem of smashing the tinder and destroying your pile.
6. The bottom leaf tends to burn/catch lower, however the top leaf is usually engulfed in flame thus burning the bottom leaf. Have other leafs/dry grass/ etc. ready to catch.
7. After all the above is complete work your way up the fuel chain.

Method 2
As ramius was saying, constructing a tepee fire works great.

1. Construct your tepee
2. Have tinder already inside tepee
3. Scrape magnesium onto leaf/ dry grass/ (insert tinder type here)
4. Ignite
5. Put burning tinder with waiting tinder
6. Enjoy your fire!

 

[Thedragon]

Blaster match
Mag block
water proof matches
Bic lighter
Glass magnifying lens (very small) with protective covers.
Dryer lint.
Rubber strips.