How to Use the Flint Method to Start a Fire
Starting a fire the old fashioned way by using flint may seem antiquated, but it is practically foolproof. It can be useful in rainy or windy weather conditions where other products, such as matches, do not seem to work very well. The flint and steel method won't out of fuel, either, like a cigarette lighter. If you are camping, hiking or trying to survive in the wilderness, you can use this effective method, which has proven its reliability time after time.
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Things You'll Need
- Flint
- Sharp steel knife blade or a broken piece of glass (a pocketknife blade is ideal)
- Tinder
- Kindling or firewood
Instructions
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1
Spread your kindling, dried twigs or other dry firewood material to form the base for your fire.
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2
Gather your tinder materials; this can be anything that is highly flammable, such as cotton balls, dryer lint, pine needles, linen or 100-percent cotton fabric, dry and brittle leaves, cattail fluff, or tiny dry twigs. Lay these on top of the kindling and firewood.
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3
Strike a sharp steel knife blade against the flint stone by using firm, short strikes. Hold the flint stone close to the tinder. The sparks will ignite the flammable material quickly if you hold it close by. The sharp edge will shave off parts of the flint and the friction will result in a shower of sparks, which should light the fire, according to the Equipped to Survive website.
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4
Blow gently on the fire, but not so much that you extinguish the flames. Add tinder, but be careful to avoid smothering it.
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Add more sticks, kindling or small pieces of firewood to the flames and soon you should have a blazing, warm fire.
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Tips & Warnings
You can purchase a blade and flint stone at camping, hardware or home supply stores, or find natural flints in the wild if you are an experienced outdoors person.
Wear sturdy work gloves if you are using a piece of broken glass to strike against your flint.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit campfire image by iChip from Fotolia.com
