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Backyard Survival Challenge. Challenge #1: Fire Making
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Originally posted by joashSurvival skills are cool & all, but has anyone here ever been in a real life situation where they had to make a fire without matches or some type of lighter?
It sometimes seems that many preppers spend an inordinate amount of time preparing for things that are extremely unlikely.
Many are very concerned with wilderness survival, for example the idea of being stranded with only a knife as a tool. In reality most people never even set foot in a wilderness, nevermind being lost in the wilderness.
3 days 2 nights
1.5 cups flour
4 oz nuts
2 bullion cubes
96 oz water
Wool Blanket
Flint
Steel
Charcloth
Knife
Well I'm here today right? Good test, glad I passed.
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For those saying fire bow.... how many can successfully get a fire from this method? Because if you haven't tried, it takes a little more technique than you think.Last edited by Rhythm of Life; 03-12-2012, 11:06 PM.The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.Comment
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It would include field mice, dandelions, and insects instead. Maybe even a big rat too (a delicacy in China btw).Comment
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The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.Comment
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I've always thought the bow + drill method was a badge of honor for the manliest of men. Never tried that myself, but someday. It must feel really good to know you can build a fire the same way the Neanderthal did.Comment
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Lots of TALK in this post and no ACTION(except for Rhythm of Life). Enough "I would do this"... DO it! This is about practice and challenging yourself. Common! I double dog dare ya!Comment
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Punch a hole in the top of the altiods tin, place some 1-1/2 inch sqaures of cut up cotton t-shirt into the tin, close the tin, and throw it on the embers of the fire. Wait until smoke stops coming out of the hole and remove the tin. Let it cool and you now have char cloth.
The heat will burn the cotton to char without actually igniting it.All things being equal...Comment
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One of the Leaders in my Boy Scout Troop was mR Hard Core and he had his own badges for the older kids. This was one of them...
Make a cutting instrument out of rock shards (bang em together till a nice sharp piece breaks off)
Use the cutting rock to make your bow drill and now you have fire. If there were no suitable bark, plant, of vines to make the string for the bow, you could do a hand drill. However that is serious blister time unless you have the knack and hands for it. We usually resorted to fire plough.
Here a nice site for how to make fire by hand
All things being equal...Comment
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No, this is good stuff. The wife and I have been trading lighting the fire in the outdoor fireplace for about a month now using an extra firesteel tool we bought just for practice.
It's ridiculously easy, to be honest. Decent tinder and you're GTG. Agree with others who have said lighting a primitive fire would be a real test, and I would def fail that test at this time!Comment
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Originally posted by joashSurvival skills are cool & all, but has anyone here ever been in a real life situation where they had to make a fire without matches or some type of lighter?
It sometimes seems that many preppers spend an inordinate amount of time preparing for things that are extremely unlikely.
Many are very concerned with wilderness survival, for example the idea of being stranded with only a knife as a tool. In reality most people never even set foot in a wilderness, nevermind being lost in the wilderness.
I'll take the challenge today. I'll see if I can have it on a short clip.Originally posted by GottmitunsIt's not protecting the rights of the 1%, it's IMPOSING new laws because of the 1%.Comment
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I used what I had available and close by, which was a cotton ball that has been saturated with Vaseline. Actually, this is the first time I've tried to light these, so it was a slight learning process for me. Laying the ball on a piece of paper towel, which was atop a mortar can, I attempted to light it with the flint & steel that accompanied my magnesium lighter. I didn't use any magnesium shavings. Lots of sparks from the flint & steel, but the cotton ball just sat there like a rock. Okay, the steel for my magnesium fire starter is actually the end of a hacksaw blade. I used the teeth on the end of the blade to pull up a few of the cotton fibers before trying a second lighting attempt. First strike and I've got fire! The Vaseline-soaked cotton ball burns like a highway flare. When I blew it out, it just reignited itself from a small glowing corner piece - NICE! These things work great.
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This is a good idea to test one's proficiency...I try to do it now and then.
I'm currently reaquainting myself with the use of a bow drill.
btw, crushed pine needles make a good "birds nest".sigpic
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CGN ContributorComment
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I used what I had available and close by, which was a cotton ball that has been saturated with Vaseline. Actually, this is the first time I've tried to light these, so it was a slight learning process for me. Laying the ball on a piece of paper towel, which was atop a mortar can, I attempted to light it with the flint & steel that accompanied my magnesium lighter. I didn't use any magnesium shavings. Lots of sparks from the flint & steel, but the cotton ball just sat there like a rock. Okay, the steel for my magnesium fire starter is actually the end of a hacksaw blade. I used the teeth on the end of the blade to pull up a few of the cotton fibers before trying a second lighting attempt. First strike and I've got fire! The Vaseline-soaked cotton ball burns like a highway flare. When I blew it out, it just reignited itself from a small glowing corner piece - NICE! These things work great.
I think my next challenge for myself will be to do the NO tool fire like chief mentioned. The bow drill, now that I've done it, works pretty awesome. I strung up my bow again today and after about 30 seconds of drilling, I had smoke and embers. It really is a very effective method. The hardest part is cordage. I don't have too many good sources of plant fibers suitable for this in my back yard. I might have to make a trip to the forest for my cordage materials.Comment
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Altoids tin, and a fire you make with your firestell and dry tinder.
Punch a hole in the top of the altiods tin, place some 1-1/2 inch sqaures of cut up cotton t-shirt into the tin, close the tin, and throw it on the embers of the fire. Wait until smoke stops coming out of the hole and remove the tin. Let it cool and you now have char cloth.
The heat will burn the cotton to char without actually igniting it.
Another method is to ignite a pair of jeans on fire (a portion 10x6") and when its all black throw it in a jar and seal the lid.
However using my secondary method if you don't let the jeans burn enough it will not work and out in the field it is a pain in the ***.
I used what I had available and close by, which was a cotton ball that has been saturated with Vaseline. Actually, this is the first time I've tried to light these, so it was a slight learning process for me. Laying the ball on a piece of paper towel, which was atop a mortar can, I attempted to light it with the flint & steel that accompanied my magnesium lighter. I didn't use any magnesium shavings. Lots of sparks from the flint & steel, but the cotton ball just sat there like a rock. Okay, the steel for my magnesium fire starter is actually the end of a hacksaw blade. I used the teeth on the end of the blade to pull up a few of the cotton fibers before trying a second lighting attempt. First strike and I've got fire! The Vaseline-soaked cotton ball burns like a highway flare. When I blew it out, it just reignited itself from a small glowing corner piece - NICE! These things work great.
If you have no flint around you, jasper will work as well, all be it less effectively.
Also instead of the petroleum cotton balls you can use drier/pocket lint.
Yes! Good job! You tried something new and learned from experience! Excellent.
I think my next challenge for myself will be to do the NO tool fire like chief mentioned. The bow drill, now that I've done it, works pretty awesome. I strung up my bow again today and after about 30 seconds of drilling, I had smoke and embers. It really is a very effective method. The hardest part is cordage. I don't have too many good sources of plant fibers suitable for this in my back yard. I might have to make a trip to the forest for my cordage materials.
ie in the desert? Joshua Tree leaves will do, just break down into fibers and tie together.Last edited by Rhythm of Life; 03-13-2012, 10:16 PM.The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.Comment
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