# What methods have you actually tried to start a fire?



## WildBear (Nov 1, 2011)

I see all these techniques and tricks to start a fire, but to be honest, I have never started a fire other than using matches or a lighter.

I want to start trying with some of the methods and every so often come back and revisit the technique. One way other than flint, steel, bow and sticks is to try the fire plow method where you rub two pieces of soft wood together to create a ember. 

What methods have you actually tried other than a lighter and match and have you been successful?


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## acidlittle (Jan 24, 2012)

I used magnifying glasses a lot when I was at the camp grounds as a kid. I was always in charge of getting the fire started.


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## BandOfBroz (Dec 31, 2011)

x2 on the magnify glass.
I have tried the bow/stick technique, and got as far as it would only smoke, but never got it started.


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## rob (Dec 5, 2012)

The bow in the stick & bow method is not necessary. I use this one years ago when teaching Pathfinders (it's like scouting with my church). I prefer extremely dry grass, or dry enough if luxuries aren't headed my way. You need to get as many points of contact with the grass in the female carved V. It is all about getting friction which creates heat. I place my hands flat against the stick and push one hand forward and the other one back alternating as quickly as I can. I move my moving hands very slightly side to side until I find where I get the most rough spots then work it till I think I have an amber. If I am very lucky and have the extremely dry grass that works best, I will usually have an amber before I see smoke. Before I start, I obviously have a small amount of tinder and kindling ready to start, as the little grass fire I am starting won't last long. When I see a tiny red spot, (I usually see several) it's time to start huffing. It often takes a couple trys, and sometime much more, but that is what I find to be the best method.


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## Prince Humperdink (Nov 9, 2012)

I've used my little magnesium rod and steel with dryer lint.I carry it with me when I'm out hunting...just in case.


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## whoppo (Nov 9, 2012)

Magnifying glass
FireSteel
1 Watt 445nm Laser (light that camp fire from 5 feet away!)


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## Leon (Jan 30, 2012)

I have done fuel, matches, (much harder) the tipi stack method, the spark method (that was amazing, I really wowed myself with that one. Felt like I'd just practiced black magic) the chemical method, the magnesium method (ass backward as a football bat) lighters are my most used methods. Tinder and a lighter- gotta love it. But Hank will do bowdrills, as my legs and feet are all f*** up I prefer a fire PLOW made of fresh cut pine. Jack pine is best but just about any will work. You get that fresh sap hot enough it bursts into flame even in the nastiest conditions. I also like pine knots. Tinder, tinder tinder.


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## Fuzzee (Nov 20, 2012)

Various firestarters, matches and lighters, magnifiers, electronic spark and wire heating from battery sources, chemical reaction, friction techniques with sticks, and nature flints. Some have worked better than others, but all are useable if you've got the materials, time, energy and patience.


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## WVprepper (Jun 28, 2012)

magnesium rod and steel with dryer lint and other easy methods..gas, oil, ashhes with kerosene. I need to practice other ways


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

Hey new preppers, don't get over-obsessed with fires! Always ask yourself "Do i really need one?".
In all my camping/hiking trips over the years I've never ever bothered to start a fire, and I don't even take a camping stove because can I happily live off cold food and drink.
So only start one if you've got food types that HAVE to be cooked, or if you need to boil river/lake water to kill germs, or if your clothes are wet and you need to dry them.
And remember, smoke will reveal your presence to zombs for miles around (as will cooking smells) here's a telephoto shot from my window of somebody's fire a mile away-


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## Pir8fan (Nov 16, 2012)

The bow and spindle works great. I've done that many times. I would suggest you learn how to do this. You may be in a situation where man-made fire starting stuff isn't around and you'll have to use what nature provides.


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## preppermama (Aug 8, 2012)

I've used the magnesium rod before. Would love to learn the bowdrill.


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## sbasacco (Sep 10, 2012)

fire is psychological....fire means feeling safe and secure and sometimes in a survival situation, there is nothing better. 

I have started fire with flint, matches, dryer lint, cotton balls covered in wax, vasoline and cottons balls, magnesium striker, fire striker. I have even polished the bottom of a pop can and directed the light beam into a little pile of grass and it has worked. Took about an hour and a half to start. But it did work!!


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

As regards fires for warmth, forget it, the warmest place is in our sleeping bag in our tent with a full belly..


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## punch (Nov 6, 2012)

Magnesium Striker and I'll second the Magnifying Glass. The glass I had as a kid smouldered and smoke for a while good for terrorizing ants. But the glass I have now flames up instantly in bright sun. I had cotton balls once...(I was limping for a week)

punch


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## Denver (Nov 16, 2012)

I am a big fan of mag and steel. The bow drill method is fine for VERY experienced survivalists. One little slip and you now have a new set of problems! A big hole in your hand or thigh kind of defeats the need for fire. Go with the safest method always. In any situation we prep for, the need for medical attention before you bleed out trumps having 100k gallons of water or 5yrs of food.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Tracer round stared the the whole darn field on fire.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I used fireworks once to start the field on fire. Outdated boat or railroad flare work well also.


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## sbasacco (Sep 10, 2012)

Lucky Jim said:


> As regards fires for warmth, forget it, the warmest place is in our sleeping bag in our tent with a full belly..


and how did you think that you cooked that nice warm meal that sits in your full belly????....lol


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## sbasacco (Sep 10, 2012)

you can also open a shot shell and remove some of the gun powder and repack it....then shoot it into your kindling.


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## rob (Dec 5, 2012)

Lucky Jim, I'm guessing that you anticipate that while you are in such a situation you will be also needing to hide your position? Is that what makes you adverse to building a fire? I can respect that. Fire, and even more the smoke, will show exactly where you are. 

If you are using the bow and stick method don't expect a flame to start shooting up. What you'll get is some ambers that you will put with other dry grass and start huffing. A flame will follow as you blow on the amber and very dry grass.


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## Southern Dad (Nov 26, 2012)

I've used a lighter and I've used matches. Maybe I should think about some alternative methods.


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## Blademaker (Feb 22, 2013)

Prince Humperdink said:


> I've used my little magnesium rod and steel with dryer lint.I carry it with me when I'm out hunting...just in case.


This and a magnifying glass.


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## Juggernaut (Feb 15, 2013)

Water proof matches and lint from the dryer work good! especially with the magnesium shavings.


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## insatiable ONE (Nov 9, 2012)

The one not mentioned yet.
A catalytic converter will start a field on fire in a hurry.

I keep a zippo & ferro rod for back up.


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## AvengersAssembled (Dec 13, 2012)

As I kid I'd use a magnifying glass, and I used a bow/stick once successfully (just for fun). As an adult I usually just use a FireSteel or these cool stormproof matches I have, they light even in semi-heavy winds and burn really hot for 15 seconds. They do put off a fair bit of bad smelling smoke, though.


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## rickkyw1720pf (Nov 17, 2012)

Just a warning about disposable lighters, I read on one of these forums that in long term storage they will not work because the flint will corrode and get stuck. Well I didn't believe it but I did have a lot of them stored for a long time several years. When I tried them most of them would not work and I couldn't get the flint unstuck. I have used fire steel with some type of tender (cotton ball soaked in vaseline worked about the best). The magnesium blocks with firesteel rod on them also works good. About the only way I could get a magnifying glass to work was to use it to light the gunpowder from a 22 round. The firesteel (ferro rod) is the surest thing to have because they last just about for ever and nothing to go wrong. I have several different types but I like the strikeforce and blastmatch the best but if I was going to buy one now I would buy just the blanks for about half the price. The bigger the diameter the more sparks they throw out.
FireSteel Blank Rods by FireSteel.com

Edit: I did some experimenting and found one of the best things to use with firesteel is a tube glue (the ones that have on them extremely flammable) The reason is that it is a thick substance that will stick on the end of stick an if a spark even comes close to it, it will ignite and burns for a long time. Plus it would have a duel purpose for carrying it.


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## rickkyw1720pf (Nov 17, 2012)

oswegoscott said:


> seems like having a few Bic lighters is good enough. Even when fuel is gone they still spark.
> I've dropped them in water--dry them by blowing on them and they're fine


I always have a bic lighter but they are not a sure thing especially in cold weather but they will usually give a spark even after the gas is gone but it is such a little spark to work with. Firesteel is so small and light and about the only thing you have to worry about is losing it.


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## AsteroidX (Dec 11, 2012)

Bic lighter plus dryer lint starts a hot fire real fast. Wet wood be only the concern after that.


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## Bailey (Feb 20, 2013)

I've used magnesium fire starters, A shaving mirror works really well on the magnified side. I smoke also so i've always got a lighter :grin:


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Matches, lighters, gas, diesel, magnifying glass, and 2 D cell batteries with steel wool.


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## joec (Nov 12, 2012)

I've use the zippo, bic and other lighters as well as matches. I've also used magnesium striker (have 4 in BOB), magnifying glass (have one in my BOB), and raw flint stones about 1" in size (have 50 in my BOB). All have worked with out problem however I have used fire starters also when wood was wet as made by many companies, mostly as a kindling to dry and get the wood burning.


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## Verteidiger (Nov 16, 2012)

I carry waterproof long-burn-time matches in my backpacks. These work great, as long as you know how to properly build a campfire. They come with spare strikers, and in the waterproof containers, which also float.










I also keep a Zippo lighter, lighter fluid, spare flints, and spare wicks, in my main BOB. I keep BIC disposables, too, but they don't always work too well in windy and wet conditions.

I keep a FireSteel 2.0, the kind used by the Swiss military that an Army buddy told me about, which is my final option if the others fail me. It creates a shower of sparks - amazing tool.


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## Kidzthinkimahoarder (Feb 11, 2013)

Nothing but the lighter and matches approach, which I've always have plenty. I have used Q-tips dipped in vaseline or cooking oil to light things, and even spaghetti noodles will burn. The one thing I found handy when lighting hurricane candles or anything that is deep that a short match don't work is a wooden meat skewer with the end wrapped in cottonballs that's been dipped in vaseline or cooking oil. Gives you an extremely long match type...just no striking power.


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## bennettvm (Jan 5, 2013)

Magnesium, lighter, matches, steel wool and 9volt battery. Best thing - just have a handful of lighters in your bag.


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## JPARIZ (Feb 25, 2013)

WildBear said:


> I see all these techniques and tricks to start a fire, but to be honest, I have never started a fire other than using matches or a lighter.
> 
> I want to start trying with some of the methods and every so often come back and revisit the technique. One way other than flint, steel, bow and sticks is to try the fire plow method where you rub two pieces of soft wood together to create a ember.
> 
> What methods have you actually tried other than a lighter and match and have you been successful?


Chevy Corvairs worked pretty good for starting fires but you don't see them around much anymore. ;^) Since then I've relied on a flint & whatever I had available. Even my shirt. Cotton balls or dryer lint works awesome. Almost guaranteed you have a quick & easy fire. 
Unrelated but my all time favorite was boiling water in a paper cup over an open fire.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

This just crossed my mind, when I went squirrell camping when I was a kid we cut a 20 gauge bird shot shell, pot the poder on some dried grass, put the cut off brass back in an old single shot and fired the barrel into the poder and tinder, it took two tries and fired right up, the grass needs to be added to very quickly, it smoked out really fast.


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## Carp614 (Jan 21, 2013)

I just used fire steel for the first time last week to start a fire. I was cutting some lumber for a project and set a bundle of shavings ablaze within a few minutes. 
It was very exciting, until I realized how hard it was to get a tiny little fire like that to grow in wet conditions. What a pain. 

Matches and lighters otherwise.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

kind of a pyro, I have used a few of the things listed,(matches, magnesium fire starter, super glue and a striker, of course lighters and matches, batteries and steel wool)
Some of the interesting things Ive burned have been duct tape, superglue, hand sanitizers, denatured alcohol, home made sawdust pellets (add superglue slowly- outside- it may catch on fire by itself), dry cotton, cotton with vaseline, spagetti strands, corn chips, 
Somethings I will burn soon- cow patties-
As for the alternative fire making skills, i want to try the two bambo halves, and then the hand drill method, but I smoke so a lighter is like second nature, and have many styles from zippos to butane torches and countless cheap lighters. Fire shouldnt be a prob, even if my BOB gets submerged, I have some lighters and matches that will stay dry.


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## GaryNewton (Oct 9, 2012)

If you can get a spark, you can start a fire - firesteel always works. Just to be sure, I also carry a lighter and matches. Fire is ThAT important!


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

9 Volt battery and thin peace of wire will do also.
Not going into what steel wool will do.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

I have used about everything including a fire piston. The one I like the best is one of my own making. It is basically a small piece of OSB or "partical board" (which is the best) soaked in liquid parafin on the stove until it sinks. Then I drill a small hole about half way through it and fill it with some "accelerant" and add an "ignition device" to it. It is basically a "strike anywhere match" that will burn for thirty minutes. I have used hotter and more volitile fuels but they are not really safe to make or use - especially in wet weather.


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