Primitive firemaking suggestions?

[kjp1969]

I have the best wife, ever. On our last camping trip, watching my 9 year old make our campfire with matches, my wife turns to me and says something like "Next time you're at REI, get a flint. It's pathetic when these people get picked to go on 'Survivor' and can't make a fire with a flint. Our girls should know how to do that."

So my next purchase is a firesteel, or magnesium block or probably a couple of these. Our 9 year old will learn first, followed by the 7, and eventually the 4 year old (in a few years!).

Confession: I've never successfully used any friction device to make a fire. What should I buy? Or, put more accurately, which tools should my daughters learn to make a fire with? I'm not looking for the easiest methods, but ones that are "primitive" and will produce results with a little practice.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jcbrandon]

Kevin-

I recieved a "swedish fire steel" as a gift a while ago and have enjoyed learning to use it. My first try I ignited some newspaper on about the fourth strike.

 

[coop74]

A mag block with with flint rod on the back and a pocket knife will start a fire any where any time... So easy privates in the army can do it.

Coop

 

[discodisco]

Used a lot of different products and with kids.... The most common and cheapest is a Magnesium stick. The look like a small block of magnisium with a flint bar on the back. A lot of them are on key chains and are really portable but kids (and adults) will sometimes cut themselves because they can't hold it and use the necessary force to cut the magniesum or hit the flint with out slipping and cutting themselves. I see boy/cub scouts whose parent buy it for them because it is the cheapest. An easy fix to use these is to prop them on a rock and hold them with a multi-tool plier and then shave the magnesium. Then use the back of a fixed blade (so as not damage a blade) on the flint. Another tip is to use a file on a multi tool like a cheese grader with the magnesium to get a small pile of small shavings on your tinder.
Other options are the Magniusm sticks that have a handle or products that just use flint and steel like the product above.

 

[seanz0rz]

i have a very old gerber model.

when we use it i carry a bunch of cotton balls in a plastic baggie. those things go up instantly and make making fires so much easier, esp if you dont have the driest tender.

as for "fun", getting a ton of dry pine needles, dry grass, etc is pretty cool.

 

[adventureduo]

Kevin..Funny you mentioned this, i started our campfire friday night with my magnesium stick and my knife.
The magnesium stick can be found at BIG5 or any camping supply place and runs about $9.99.

 

[RocTrac]

Try a magnifying glass.

 

[Nullifier]

Try a magnifying glass.

definetly works but in the day time with plenty of light like mid day. Once you teach them how to start a fire teach them how to do it with wet wood.

 

[7wt]

I have a Fire Steel hanging on my rear view mirror all the time. Fire Steel plus a cotton ball make starting fires as easy as a match but a heck of a lot more fun.

 

[robert]

I carry a Swedish Firesteel from Light My Fire in each of my bags. http://lightmyfireusa.com/firesteel.html I also have a film canister with some dryer lint with Vaseline worked into it (same thing as cotton balls only free). Of course I carry a Bic lighter in each vehicle and each bag and a waterproof match case with strike anywhere matches. Probably the best quality match cases out there https://www.kmmatchcase.com/shop/findex.php?cid=105&p=102. If all of that fails or I'm in dire need, there's always the fusees. :REOutCampFire03: Actually, if I can't start a fire with all that I deserve to freeze.

You can pick up old copies of the Boy Scout Handbook off eBay for dirt cheap; the older ones have great info instead of today's load of panty-waisted PC BS. You can teach them to whittle fuzz sticks, how to use the dry inner bark on trees, pine cones, etc. There's always steel wool and batteries, fire bow, pump drills, fire pistons, etc.

 

[Maximus Ram]

Kevin, if your not in a hurry to get one, e-bay has some good deals on them

http://shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_nkwZmagnesiumQ20fireQ20starterQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZR40QQ_mdoZ

yes, I'm a e-bay jukie at times...:smiley_drive:

 

[bucketosudz]

Fire Pistons are pretty cool too, if you want something else to try. I really like the quality of the ones made by Wilderness Solutions, http://www.wildersol.com/Index.html Fire bow kits are also fun, FWIW.

 

[ntsqd]

I tried using vasoline worked into dryer lint at home. Did not work for me. It would not light using a cigarette lighter. Which was a bummer because I was looking forward to having a reason to make the homophobics nervous!

Primitive fire starting thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9479

Fire Steel thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22521

 

[kjp1969]

I picked up a firesteel and a magnesium block last night, and amazed the kids (and myself) by igniting a pile of dryer lint on the first strike. Of course, you don't always have dryer lint, but it will be a good first lesson for the kids. It was late and they were tired and cranky, so when the novelty wore off it was time for bed. I'll try the magnesium later on.

I forgot about the magnifying glass- that will be a good one to practice with. The steel wool and battery is an old one for me, but not one I want to teach the kids right off the bat.

Robert, I can't believe I forgot to look at my old BS Handbook- Its around 30 years old by now, and, of course, it will have a bunch of suggestions. My nine-year-old passed the test on Saturday by building a fire with two matches on her first try.

I'll probably practice with a firebow myself. I don't think that my kids have the physical strength or attention span for one. That has to be the most difficult way to make a fire that I've ever tried. Although I remember a ranger in Yosemite when I was a kid who started a fire with a hand bow in around 30 seconds.

 

[Cypher]

I use dryer lint all the time. I keep some in my survival kit inside a zip-lock bag to keep it dry. As with your experience, it usually only takes me 1 or 2 strikes with the flint/steel and the lint goes up in flames. I have also experimented with the Vaseline method and found that if you use too much Vaseline it is harder to light. Just a small amount on a cotton ball, work it in, then spread the cotton out works very well. Also, you can pull the engine oil dip stick out of your engine and pull what is on the stick off with your fingers, apply to some dry tinder and it will stake a spark much easier. I have gotten the fire bow to work in the past and it seems the more I have practiced it, the better I have become at using it. Nonetheless it is still a good amount of work.