Best firestarter

[i_am2bz]

I was wondering what ya'll thought is the best way to start a fire without ready-made implements (i.e., matches, lighters, sparking a car battery, etc.).

This is kind of a SHTF question, when you've used up your supplies & have to resort to more primitive methods....

 

[SKR8PN]

I stockpiled a bunch of these. After those are gone, I dunno.....probably several different things, including never letting the last fire go out!

 

[TanksHill]

That's really cool skr8pn. I just have various things stored. A gallon sack of lighters I confiscated from my dh when he quit smoking. Several boxes of matches. Flint and steel in the camping supplies. Waterproof matches in the grab and go bag.

 

[i_am2bz]

VERY cool, skr8pn!!! That's goin' on my list!!!

Anyone ever try the primitive methods, like bow & string...?

 

[elijahboy]

the last time we were at the property just for sh... and giggles i used dried grass and a magnifying glass. Was pretty cool.

I didnt want the taste of coal or lighter fluid. I filled the bottom of the grill with dried oak sticks and covered it all with dead grass and held the magnifying glass at the right angle and blew on it and wala.

 

[i_am2bz]

Oh yeah, way easier than string & bow. 'Course, doesn't help much if you get a stretch of cloudy weather ( guess we eat "cold" on those days...) :/

I saw something similar on the Discovery Channel, using the mirrored part of a flash light...also a nifty thing to know.

 

[Mackay]

I started a fire once with cottonwood stick to spin with cottonwood fluff. It worked. One thing we got around here is cottonwood.

As for storing fire making implements that looks like a good one shown on the website.

We have a wood stove and I used about 175 wooden matches over the winter. So I suppose that 2 boxes, if there were no power, for cooking and all, would be enough for a year. I have 12 boxes stored. 250 matches per box.... figure 5 to 6 years there.

Newspaper is what I worry about. I use it to get fires going... but here are other ways I know., like staw, hay. leaves, pine needles.

 

[xpc]

I stockpiled a bunch of these. After those are gone, I dunno.....probably several different things, including never letting the last fire go out!

I like that and may just have to get one, I still have a few of the magnesium blocks in my bug out bag. It is still best to practice with a hand bow and notched log if not for anything but to prove that you can do it if needed.

A 9 volt battery and some 4/0 steel wool will get you a fire going too - try it as it is super cool. I make my own fire accelerator for the wood stove by mixing melted paraffin wax with saw dust in small Dixie cups. If you have a sharp ax or knife you can make a fuzz stick by repeatedly hacking a 1/2' branch to make 50+ small wood curls but not hard enough to break them off the main stick. You don't need paper then and is how I make all my fires as it only takes a minute.

 

[Jaxom]

I have to mention this. I also belong to another forum. I'm not sure if I can post a link here becuase of the CoC I agreed to, to join here. But I can mention the video's that show some good examples of firemaking. Just do a google search for the Woodsmaster dvd's, made by Ron Hood. I can't say enough about these video's! I've 15 of them now, hoping to complete his series, up to 25, and then his wife Karen has 5 video's called "cave cooking" that are good as well.

On topic wise, on video is totally dedicated to fire making using all sorts of methods.

 

[Farmfresh]

I stockpiled a bunch of these. After those are gone, I dunno.....probably several different things, including never letting the last fire go out!

You just completed my Christmas shopping for the year! Thanks!