# Starting a fire in the woods ... its harder than you think



## Melensdad

I've never been able to start a fire without matches, a lighter, or a striking stick.  And striking sticks are a lot more expensive than a Bic lighter and a lot harder to use.  There is a reason I keep a stash of lighters and matches.  

Maybe others are more successful, maybe I'm just a doddering old fool with trembling hands, but I'd love to hear stories from anyone who can regularly light a fire in the woods without matches 

Here is an interesting article from BACKPACKER magazine => http://www.backpacker.com/survival/...-a-fire-without-a-match-harder-than-it-looks/



> I’d argue that for many men (and more than a few women), there is no badge of merit, no boon of confidence more desirable than starting a fire without a match. “I can build fire from nothing” seems like a great way to win anything: cocktail-party chatter, free drinks, a date, your life on a frigid night.
> 
> Wilderness warriors might have access to mosquito-size blowtorches now, but knowing you can use the knowledge of your Cro-Magnon forebears to bring forth a blaze from nothing more than your hands, sweat, and a couple of sticks feels like the pinnacle of self-reliance. I hope never to find myself in a survival situation without a Bic, but if it happens, I won’t be the guy with hypothermia.
> 
> Admittedly, I’m a little obsessed with emergency fire making. I’ve sparked a flame from flint and knives, with cell- phone batteries and steel wool, and a spate of other improvised tools. During a survival course, I even used a fire bow (see right) employing friction to generate a glowing coal. But I cheated: The tools were built for me; all I had to do was saw like a maniac until my exhaustion birthed an ember. I’d never lit a fire using items pro- cured in the field by myself.
> 
> So when it came time to zero in on a technique this time around, the choice was easy. I decided to return to the fire bow—partially out of pride (could I do it without help?), and also because it provides a natural mechanical advantage over simply rubbing two sticks together using only your hands. Plus: YouTube is littered with bushcraft survivalist tutorials that make it look easy.
> 
> On a dry afternoon (no sense battling rain on my first try), I headed into the Washington woods, vowing not to emerge until I’d warmed my hands over a matchless fire. Procuring raw materials from the forest floor proved easy: a flat, thin plank for a fireboard; an inch-thick, 8-inch long spindle; a palm-size chunk for the handhold; and a curved stick perfect for my bow. To mimic a survival situation, I used a bootlace for the bowstring.
> 
> I then used my knife to whittle and refine my tools: I cut inch-diameter divots in both handhold and fireboard to hold the spindle and a notch in the fireboard’s hole for the coal to fall out into my tinder bundle. I hacked at the ends of the spindle to create rounded points. I noticed my rough-hewn fire bow kit lacked the lacquer-smooth polish of the premade set I’d used years before; mine still had bark, and the fireboard, made of old spruce wood, seemed to crumble easily. But, in a nod to my Cro-Magnon ancestors, I hadn’t shaved in a while, which I thought might make up some of the difference.
> 
> With set made, I recalled the position and form I’d learned in survival class—and which I’d seen repeated by the khaki- and-camo bushcraft gurus on YouTube. I placed my left foot on the board and right knee on the ground, with left wrist braced against my shin and my hand firmly gripping the handhold to press the drill into the board. I picked up the bow with my right hand and started sawing.
> 
> Immediately, the spindle popped out of the loop in the bowstring and clattered away. No problem—just use more pres- sure and loosen the bowstring. I returned, drawing the bow back and forth with speed, only to see the shoelace spinning around the spindle instead of turning it. Damn. Tighten the bowstring again, but not too much. Finally, a spinning spindle: But instead of producing a smooth, smoking coal factory, my spindle juddered and bounced in its notch. Sweat poured into my eyes and my back twitched. Keep at it, caveman, I thought. Life or death. You are the master of nature.
> *
> SH#$!
> *
> I spat and kicked at the grass after my drill blew open the notch, shredding the fireboard’s edge. After carving a new notch and applying another two hours of labor, I’d produced a pinch of tan saw- dust—not the fine, black powder that precedes a life-giving ember. But the sawdust felt a little warm to the touch. Positive reinforcement. I got back to work on a fresh set of blisters.
> 
> As detailed as YouTube tutorials are, they can’t convey the interplay of wood and spindle—when to speed up, slow down, back off, or add pressure. One does not simply walk into the woods and conjure a fire without practice.
> 
> Over the course of another two hours, I received a lone, faint sign of encouragement: a wisp of smoke escaping my borehole like a strand of spider silk. I ignored the cramp in my forearm and sawed with renewed vigor . . . until the shoelace started sliding on the spindle again. I dropped to the ground, vowing now to trade in my fire bow and beard for hair gel and a martini.
> 
> In prehistoric Europe, early Homo sapiens and Neanderthals both had access to fire, showed signs of intelligence, and com- peted for the same resources. We don’t entirely know why one species won out over the other. But I’d like to think that it was because if my Cro-Magnon cousin had access to a pocket blowtorch, he’d have been smart enough to use it.
> 
> *The Verdict : FAIL
> *
> With better materials and more time, I’m sure a motivated hiker can conjure fire from nothing. But I think I’ll start packing three lighters.


----------



## pixie

We have had a hard time starting a fire with a lighter AND gasoline ! We couldn't believe it but it's happened twice. I always carry a propane torch, now. Not sure it would make a difference in rainy weather which is when you can get a brush burning permit.


----------



## Melensdad

Use DIESEL not GAS.

Diesel is non explosive, burns hot, and burns a bit longer so it will get the wood going.  Gas tends to burn so fast that the wood may not actually ignite.


----------



## MNoutdoors RIP

I have started a fire with a bow drill but not in the wet I think that would be next to impossible at least for me. 

A flare works well in wet weather 

The way I have taught the kids in survival training is fine steel wool and a sparker rod  and some birch bark work very well I have had kids with no experience Start one in short order I keep a sparker rod steel wool and some magnesium shavings in almost all vehicles and ATV


----------



## EastTexFrank

I did it once about 45 years ago.  I remember it took about 1-1/2 hours and two people and even them we cheated with the tinder.  I didn't think that I could do it then but was amazed when it actually worked but I'm darned sure that I couldn't do it now.  I've even started a fire with a magnifying glass using the sun and that isn't the easiest of things to do in Scotland.  

Like some others I have a shelf full of different kinds of fire starters and at least a dozen lighters big and small, all weather or storm matches, magnesium blocks, blast sticks, spark sticks, flint and steel etc., etc.  And, if all that fails I have a collection of propane, butane acetylene torches.  Damn it, I'll get a fire lit one way or the other, just don't ask me to carry all that stuff in to the woods.  .


----------



## Melensdad

boggie said:


> . . . I have taught the kids in survival training is fine steel wool and a sparker rod  and some birch bark work very well I have had kids with no experience Start one in short order I keep a sparker rod steel wool and some magnesium shavings in almost all vehicles and ATV



Flick a Bic, its a lot easier


----------



## MNoutdoors RIP

Melensdad said:


> Flick a Bic, its a lot easier



A little Vaseline does wonders,, even when soaking wet it will light and keep going long enough to get your tinder burning. It can be used with all fire sources lighter,sparker rod and Steel wool, match and cotton balls, etc. 

Even a 9 volt battery and steel wool works! 

Even the bottom of a beer can or soda can can be used if polished it forms a parabolic mirror of sorts. 

Don't forget your (non lubricated)  condoms in your survival kit! Seriously they are many uses they with hold a large ammount of water when needed


----------



## EastTexFrank

boggie said:


> A little Vaseline does wonders,, even when soaking wet it will light and keep going long enough to get your tinder burning. It can be used with all fire sources lighter,sparker rod and Steel wool, match and cotton balls, etc.



That's how we "cheated" with the tinder to get our fire going.  

It still took 1-1/2 hours with one person sawing and the other gently blowing.


----------



## sno-drifter

Melensdad said:


> I've never been able to start a fire without matches, a lighter, or a striking stick. And striking sticks are a lot more expensive than a Bic lighter and a lot harder to use. There is a reason I keep a stash of lighters and matches.
> 
> Maybe others are more successful, maybe I'm just a doddering old fool with trembling hands, but I'd love to hear stories from anyone who can regularly light a fire in the woods without matches
> Here is an interesting article from BACKPACKER magazine => http://www.backpacker.com/survival/...-a-fire-without-a-match-harder-than-it-looks/​




 Back in the late 50's, I crossed paths with a fellow by the name of Clasey who was asked by Lord Baden-Powell to start fires with out matches. I was in the Boy Scouts at the time and I remember Clasey driving a Model T pick up truck. He taught us many ways of fire building. The bow and spindle method has several tricks to making it work. Cut the notch 1/32 from the center, otherwise the spindle develops a tip and works it way out of center and ruins the fire board. Also, each use, cut the end of the spindle off flat to maintain the shape.  Keep the spindle vertical in use. Thread the spindle on the outside of the bow to give a longer stroke and keep it from hitting the bow. If you place your first finger inside of the shoelace/ string, you can take up the slack which develops as you go and keeps the string tight when it trys to slip on the spindle.  Not all wood will work as some woods have chemicals which will not support the amber. You can determine which will work by sanding down you local tree wood and placing a red hot wire in the dust to see if it holds the amber. Not something you would do in the field in a survival situation. We used an Ash board and an Alder spindle I believe. I also think I found Western Red Cedar to work. Setting all of the pieces up takes time and energy and I don't think it wood be much fun to do it without a knife, my basic tool.


----------



## Umberto

I keep a big supply of ZIPS and several boxes of REI Storm Proof Matches and also have a Pelican (PSK) with the REI matches and several BIC's in the Land Rover. 

I get the white ones in Canada; haven't found them in the Lower 48.

http://www.zipfires.ie


----------



## EastTexFrank

Umberto said:


> I keep a big supply of ZIPS and several boxes of REI Storm Proof Matches and also have a Pelican (PSK) with the REI matches and several BIC's in the Land Rover.
> 
> I get the white ones in Canada; haven't found them in the Lower 48.
> 
> http://www.zipfires.ie



I haven't seen zip firelighters in years.  I didn't even know that the company was still in business.  'Way back in my younger days in the UK, about 45 years ago when I was doing a lot of hiking, camping and hill walking, they were almost standard issue.  Everybody carried some in their pack along with a box of lifeboat matches.   

Thanks for unearthing a pleasant memory.


----------



## utahwilson

This is how we start a fire in Utah 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0h7DINGSwo


----------



## northeastheavy

In my younger days loved to hike the high peaks in the Adirondacks.  One time on a 6 mile hike near Giant Mtn, it rained the entire time and was changing slowly over to snow for the night.  We got to a lean-to and I was completely soaked including sleeping bags.  Everything was so wet, how do you get a fire going to get through a night in the low 20's??  Luckily our friend was an expert. He found some dry tinder and started a fire about 2 inches tall.  He kept putting wet wood on top to dry out so it could burn.  In an hour or so the 2 inch fire was 4 feet tall and we were drying out everything that was soaked. If I was alone I probably would have frozen that night!!!!! Thanks to my friends skills we were warm and toasty watching the snow fall !!!!! I have never had a problem getting fire going since that trip.


----------



## JimVT

a certain grouser dipped in gas would keep things going.


----------

