Alternative Ideas

[Okiepan]

So what if you had to cook a meal and there is NO public utilities, What is your backup plan A, B , C ,D etc
Wood is wet ? No matches or lighter to ignite it , Can you start a fire with a flint and steel ? Etc

 

[frustratedearthmother]

We have a Swedish Firesteel similar to this:

I am embarrassed to say we've never even tried to use it. I think we will remedy that tomorrow. It's a small miracle that DH knew where it was and I'm looking at it right now, lol.

We also have a camp stove and about a million and a half of those small propane bottles to power it. I know they won't last forever, but it would be my first 'go-to.'

Thanks for starting this thread - I'm anxious to see what others do.

 

[Okiepan]

As you stated let us know if you get a fire started ,
Don't forget the charcloth ( easy to make ) and tinder

 

[flowerbug]

around here i have some old lighters which have flints and steels in them enough that i could get a spark from them, but more likely we would have matches (i have some various packs of matches and kinds in a jar here that i've had for over 20 years - i probably also have a working lighter around here too someplace).

i also have a camping kit that might have some other fire starter stuff in there but i've not opened it up completely yet to know all that is in there. i'll do that sometime in the next year before i decide which of it to keep and which to get rid of. i'm trying to get rid of things i'm not using and the whole camping kit was the ex-step--dad's stuff that he left behind when he split. he's since died. it's in the same corner of the closet as the tiny double tent and scuba flippers...

 

[flowerbug]

since this does fit under this topic, i'd just want to add that we often have a lot of small jars here and old lids that can be reused and rusty rings that would otherwise go to the recycler anyways so it wouldn't hurt much at all to pack those small jars full of good wood stick matches and then crank the lid and ring on tight and then keep those at various places around the house so that if you ever need some in a pinch you'll have 'em.

i've been trying to figure out how to get rid of some of these small jars i have on hand that no longer get used and that's what i'm going to do.

don't forget a few strike boards as that makes life easier too.

 

[Okiepan]

Save the jars, Add any kind of cooking oil and a wick ( cotton cordage ) and you will have hours of light when you have no power, or if you want to save candles

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Don't forget the charcloth ( easy to make ) and tinder

I told DH that we should start saving the dryer lint.

 

[Hinotori]

I have actual flint and steel. We also have a couple fire pistons that we have practiced with. They do take practice.

 

[Britesea]

We have our wood stove, followed by campstove (as long as we have some propane) followed by the grill which can use either charcoal or wood. To start fires we have lighters, matches, and steels. A fire piston is on my list since it's one of the easier "primitive" ways to start a fire.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

We have our wood stove, a camping kitchen with the propane, tons of matches in glass jars, grills (yes plural) and propane and charcoal, and I save my dryer lint. I am not sure if we have any flint or strikers but I will ask DH today.

I also have a lot (and I mean a lot) of freeze dried fruits, veggies etc. So we would at least have something to eat until we get a fire going.