Backyard Survival Challenge. Challenge #1: Fire Making

[thenodnarb]

fire plow. 1 hour from gathering start to fire. Tired now. Used a rock to notch the base stick, dragged the plow stick on concrete to shape it and get a broad flat point. Used dry grass clippings and spider webs off the porch and cotton threads from the frayed hem of my jeans as a tinder ball. This has to be the hardest method evar.

My normal is a magnesium block or a bic but I wanted to try the hard way again.

1 hour of constant effort is enough to ruin you. I have had to start a fire I didn't plan on in the past. It's good to know I don't need anything but rocks and sticks if I have to do it again. Man without fire is no longer atop the food chain.

If there was a prize, you would win!
Most Primitive, Most Difficult, No Tools, Most effort.
Hats off to you!

[Tripper]

an hour of work is a lot of calories to burn,
in that kind of situation, fire is important, but is it worth that kind of expense, ultimately i think it is worth it.
the energy required should be less wherever possible

yah, hats off, good job, and thanks for the explanation of how it was accomplished

[Exile Machine]

Well, I tried to start a fire this weekend with my eyeglasses but could not get any light to focus to a point. With my crazy prescription and progressive lenses it's no wonder. So I picked up a $2 magnifying glass from ACE Hardware, scraped up a pile of dried grass and leaves... no joy. I got smoke but could never get it to flame. Would probably have to experiment with different kinds of grass and/or leaves to get it to work. Grabbed a bit of steel wool from the garage stuffed it into a toilet paper tube, apply a spot of sunlight, and voila, flames leapt into life. Good father and son activity for a Sunday afternoon. We will try other firemaking methods too as time permits.

-Mark

[Excaliburr]

Thought I would give my go at this challenge using a survival steel and magnesium thing I got from a boy scout. I used a cotton ball, misc twigs, leaves etc in the back of my shop. It was a windy overcast day with damp ground and wetness on the twigs, leaves and stuff. Next I will make some char cloth or char cord so it may work better when it is raining. I will tell you that the cotton balls are explosive and one spark is all it took.

Here is the steel and magnesium


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Here is my setup, dry leaves on bottom a few small pieces and cotton ball on top.


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Some dry branches just on the ground nearby..an old x-mas tree.


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On spark from the device on to the cotton ball and immediate ignition, then we started adding branches, twigs and a couple pieces of manzanita. The wind provided the air on this one!


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Got a nice fire going now..woohoo!


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[TheChief]

Tried making a fire tonight from items found in my back yard. Found some old moss, rotted wood, and a TP tube. I keep a brush pile so plenty of fire wood. Was more trying to find tinder to catch a spark.

Moss didnt work nor did the rotted wood. Had to shave the card board tube to make the fibers small enough to ignite from just the sparks. Got a nice little flame that went out in about 20 seconds cause I didnt have wood staged to catch the flame

I spent so much time on trying to get somethign to catch the spark and ignite, I didnt prepare the wood in stages to grow it into a real fire.

Bic to the rescue...

Maybe tomorrow night when I cook up some hot cocoa on the Emberlit stove.

[ExAcHog]

I've been an outdoors man all my life. I used to laugh at the "survivor" types. Real outdoorsmen are prepared, don't get lost, and never let themselves get into a position where they need to survive.


Bottom line...its fun. Get out there and do it. Otherwise, go thread crap somewhere else.

^^^^ Exactly. Some people just dont get it.

[JoeJinKY]

I'd find a Berkeley student and tell him that it was just announced that Ronald Reagan was cloned. I'd make sure his head was under a pile of dry lumber so that when it exploded, the fireball would light the lumber.

[TheChief]

I'd find a Berkeley student and tell him that it was just announced that Ronald Reagan was cloned. I'd make sure his head was under a pile of dry lumber so that when it exploded, the fireball would light the lumber.

Hey now, my wife went to Berkley! And the world might be a better place with a Regan clone...so what are you saying here...hmmm

[thenodnarb]

Some good efforts being made here. And whats more important is that people are learning FROM EXPERIENCE. Its one thing to watch survivor man on TV and think "oh I would do this or that," but until you have to actually scavenge for tinder and think creatively(like TheChief), its all just academic.

Of course, a bic lighter does make things easy. Thats why I carry one all the time now. But just try an use one in the rain. One drop on the flint and its DEAD until it dries out(which can be done in a few minutes in a warm pocket that is dry).

A worthy challenge would be to light a fire with a bic IN THE RAIN.

Good job to all that have participated so far. Keep it up and include your friends/family.

[Tripper]

Since there was a week with no sun for a fresnel lens to even think of working, I added a spark lite and one pc tender qwik to my pocket
Haven't had a chance to try it yet though, thought i would pass the challenge to the kids this weekend
I'd like to get them carrying some of these items at all times
I originally chose lens because it's flat and fits in any pocket and is lawful to have anywhere such as beyond metal detectors, I'll be testing the limits of where sparklite will go now

[fixitoscar]

I'd find a Berkeley student and tell him that it was just announced that Ronald Reagan was cloned. I'd make sure his head was under a pile of dry lumber so that when it exploded, the fireball would light the lumber.

almost spit water on my screen. Just saw this thread. I'm going to have to try these with my son. Sounds like a good father son time.

[11HE9]

I will tell you that the cotton balls are explosive and one spark is all it took.

I tried using the firesteel on some dryer lint today, it ignites quickly too