How Many Primitive Fire Starting Techniques Can You Do?

[Tugaloo]

As they lose pressure, BIC lighters do not last forever. I bought a house and in the shed was a bag of BIC lighters; however, they had plenty of fuel. I removed the shield to access the flame control. It's fairly easy to rotate it to increase the fuel flow and they worked.

Welcome to a very small group.

[Michael aka Mac]

Anybody tired the fire piston? Do a google, So. American tribes use it often

A fire piston is great because it lasts forever. I also use a Zippo, a Bic, magnifying glass, and a magnesium/ferroceramic combo block. Kevin L said

Well, would have 1st introduced myself in Introductions, but there is no chat box, so... I come in peace, and could you plz pass the salt.


Only one I have yet to do is the 2-man drill but considering I have learned to use both a 2-man antique & 2-man vintage hand saws, which teaches you the rhythm, I have no doubt I could do that method as well.

sorry it isnt letting me do multiple quotes but answering a poster's question, I also have started fires with fire piston, ferro rod, magnesium, magnifying glass, solar parabolic disc, plastic transparent bag & water, chemical fire, rocks, steel wool & battery(s) (dont use ones with soap), and for the more techy fire starting, voltage regulator & capacitor & steel wool, faraday fire and steel wool/ liquid fuel.

I own several Zippos, but they are not much of a Bushcraft or survival means. Even if you use a wide rubber band to seal the sides, they still go through lighter fluid quickly, and not wind friendly, but they are great for cigars, and use them for tobacco pipes, (yes matches are better for the flavor, but no one gives free matches over here anymore)

My personal favorites to use are waterproof/windproof matches, ferro rods, flint & steel, w/ addition of magnesium fire starter, electric fires, Magnifying glass, & of course the ol reliable Bic lighter.

edited forgot to respond

Well those fire pistons do not last forever in the sense that they require maintenance, functional seals, and something to catch fire. Seals are the 1st thing to break down, and that prevents pressure.

fire pistons are based on the formula, PV=NRT so a loss of pressure means a loss of temperature, thus no sparky sparky no ember.

[Tugaloo]

Same as everyone, I have a few ways to start a fire.
I have a bag of old BIC lighters. I learned in time. they slowly leak pressure and don't work. The fix is simple. Remove the shield and rotate the "fire" control to emit more butane and they will light. Do it in small increments or the flame will be large.

[Armyjimbo]

Mine run from Butane lighter, Zippo, ferro rod with or without magnesium, book of matches, fire bow, glasses, quartzite and steel, as flint is hard to find here. My gasoline powered Whisperlight didn't want to flash up as it was -40c all butane burners were SOL. But I had my ferro rod, it started the fire!.

[Kevin L]

I can use a mouth drill, a bow drill, a two-person drill, and flint with iron pyrite and/or steel.

A fire piston is great because it lasts forever. I also use a Zippo, a Bic, magnifying glass, and a magnesium/ferroceramic combo block.

I have a wood-burning hiker's backpacking stove in my BOB.

[RICHFL]

You can add the following:

9v battery with extra fine steel wool.
Eye glass with strong sunlight.
using a rock with scraping the back of a knife.

[registror]

Rudiger fire-roll, big pump drill.flint and steel,

[MGF]

Firesteel, bic, zippo, matches. When I used to do a lot of hiking type camping I'd get some strike anywhere matches (really hard to find nowadays BTW), and coat the match head down about 1/3 the way with clear nail polish. Not completely waterproof, if you soak them the water can wick up the wood, but I've never had one fail due to rain and such. Used to be my fire starter of choice. Now that I just car camp, one of those long BBQ lighters is the easiest.

Back when I used to car camp I carried a propane/map gas torch. In the wetest of of times, just stack your fuel, hit it with the torch and you've got a sustainable fire in short order. The camp stove I used ran on the same gas so the only thing extra was the little torch head.

Maybe the story of why I will not car camp might make a thread?

[skeptic]

Firesteel, bic, zippo, matches. When I used to do a lot of hiking type camping I'd get some strike anywhere matches (really hard to find nowadays BTW), and coat the match head down about 1/3 the way with clear nail polish. Not completely waterproof, if you soak them the water can wick up the wood, but I've never had one fail due to rain and such. Used to be my fire starter of choice. Now that I just car camp, one of those long BBQ lighters is the easiest.

[MGF]

I have 2 methods that work every time and do not waste time trying to get a fire started.

(1) pull out my BIC lighter and push down on the button.

(2) pull out and strike on the strike paper a wooden safety match.

Works every time and I do not waste time that I could be using for other more important things!

I smoke so I always have a bic or two around but I don't really find them to be all that reliable. They don't work once they get cold, they don't work wet (and they take a while to dry), they don't work well in the wind and of course they run out of fluid and can be broken. Additionally, you have to get to a store and spend money to replace them.

Matches are fine as long as it isn't too windy...until you run out.

My favorite is the good old fashioned and extremely reliable and sustainable flint (or other hard rock) and steel.

A striker or two will last the rest of your life (and there's more to be found), there are sparking rocks all over the place and every fire is an opportunity to replenish charred tinder (not to mention the tinders that work without being charred).

I can get a fire going as fast (faster in some conditions) with flint/steel as I can with a lighter.

The friction methods are fine but you had best find the materials and carve a set that works long before you're wet and cold.

[wondertouched]

Well never tried any of these but I can say I have litters and matches in my bug bag. Here is a small one for the Ladies I have a small baggie with lent in it from the dryer good starter. Got that idea from a site like this.

[JLBIII]

I can do all of them except the fire pump and to be honest from the picture there are just too many moving parts for me. I can and will use those techniques if needs be, I'll use my Zippo in most cases, unless I'm done with everything else I need to do and am bored


Joe

[vinnie]

4 of the 6 never had any luck with the plow and on trail walks it was always an individual contest. Vinnie

[survivalguy]

Anybody tired the fire piston? Do a google, So. American tribes use it often

I call the fire piston a novelty fire starter there are too many moving parts to wear out and you have to carry spare O rings, charcloth, lube and pick ... yes it does work just not my cup of tea

[survivalguy]

I've tried all but the pump. In all honesty I haven't had luck with the hand drill. Bow drill and fire plow I've had much success with though.

you know how you have to have downward pressure on the spindle while your spinning it between your the palms of your hand? Well I was taught a trick to this a few years ago .. take a piece of string, shoelace, 550 cord ETC about 18 inches in length tie a loop in each end of the string now tie the string to the top of the spindle ... put your thumbs in the loops now you'll have continues downward pressure and you won't have to stop spinning to put your hands on top of the spindle again to reset .. just keep spinning!