Things You'll Need:
- Strike anywhere matches
- Book matches
- Magnifying glass
- Waterproof Containers
- Magnesium firestarter
- flint and steel
- dry wood
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Step 1
Matches are relatively young; mankind has been able to start a fire long before they were invented. No, it wasn't always by rubbing two sticks together even if it does work after a fashion. Over the centuries mankind invented several ingenious way of lighting a fire. Some of these ways worked better then others, but you can be sure they all worked because if they didn't you would never hear of them.
This article is written for serious outdoorsman that take several different methods of creating a fire without the use of matches into consideration. Even so it is a good idea to have a supply of matches with you that are carried in a waterproof container. Better than that, you should carry your matches in at least three different places like your pants pocket, your shirt pocket and in your backpack.
The matches are considered to be your number one source for lighting a fire; all other methods are just backups for matches. The best kind of matches to carry are strike anywhere wooden kitchen matches. Your next best kind of matches are regular book matches. In a pinch you can split these matches in half.
A regular wooden kitchen match will burn to the count of forty. A whole match out of a book will burn to the count of fifteen. A split match will only burn to the count of five. If you can consistently light a fire for first time with one of these split matches when the wind is blowing, and it's raining, you are well suited to being an outdoorsman. -
Step 2
Although early man probably started his fires by rubbing two sticks together we now have much better ways of doing it. One of the recent inventions is a magnesium firestarter that can be carried on your keychain and is effective as a match.
When you use this device it works like flint and steel only is more effective. Like the flint and steel it throws a piece of flaming metal into your tinder to start the fire. In this case it is a spark of flaming magnesium that glows with an intense white flame. A magnesium firestarter comes equipped with with a metal case that also acts as the striker. The magnesium rod is inside the case ready to use.
Another way to light a fire outdoors is with a magnifying glass, but this only works if the sun is out. In this method hold the glass so its front is towards the sun. Focus the glass until the spot on the tinder is the smallest possible size. That is when you get the most heat on the tinder to set it alight.
Flint and steel has been in use for centuries, any hard rock with quartz in it will make an effective flint. Many people use a fragment of quartzite for the flint. This is a common rock that can be found throughout the US. It is metamorphosed sandstone where the individual grains of samd are fused together through heat and pressure. It is usually a light buff in color so you know what to look for.
Although you can use a carbon steel knife blade as a striker an old file works better. Strike with the flint so it hits the steel striker a glancing blow. You will get a spark of burning iron that will set your tinder alight. By hitting the ground consistently with a spark from your flint and steel while you are standing is a good indication that you have mastered the technique properly.
The other methods of creating a fire are extremely labor-intensive and should not be attempted unless all else fails. There are two methods that work one involves using a fire drill and the other is called The the plow method. Both of them depend on having a supply of dry wood available. Of the two methods the author had the most success using the plow method.
The plow method is simple and only requires two pieces of wood. One of these is a flat board or a similar piece of flattened wood that is bone dry. The other piece of wood is around stick about 2 feet long with the ends sharpened. In use drive the end of the round stick into the soil so that it picks up a little grit. By bearing down on this st -
Step 3
Whichever method you choose your going to need a supply of dry wood and tinder. The tinder can be prepared at home before you even go into the bush. Tear several strips of cloth off of old pair of blue jeans. In a container that you can cover to make it airtight set the cloth strips on fire and when they are about half burned but the lid on the container so the fire is snuffed out. This is the best tinder that you can get, carry it with you in a watertight container.
When you're in the Bush firewood is always readily available. Whatever firewood you use has to be dry. The best place to find a dry firewood is in a standing dead tree with its bark coming off an sections. The next best place is in a dead tree that is fallen to the ground, but only take your firewood from the parts of the tree, like limbs that are standing upright, and not in contact with the ground.
