Who carries "survival" type fire starters?

[adeeden]

Thats a great example on the video! But let's see the wifes dinner plate, the wife's counter top, smoke in the house (wifes house) I would be snuggled up by a fire in the back yard for a week at least if I tried that!

[Friends call me Pac]

Just dryer lint and the magnisium shavings.

[Friends call me Pac]

I usually hold the fire starter closer but didn't want to break my wife's saucer.  You can also see me change my grip.  The first grip is how I usually hold it but I was afraid I would break the sauser so i had to adjust.

[Friends call me Pac]

Originally posted by adeeden:
Thats a great example on the video! But let's see the wifes dinner plate, the wife's counter top, smoke in the house (wifes house) I would be snuggled up by a fire in the back yard for a week at least if I tried that!

No problems, the wife was filming.  I made sure she was part of the production and couldn't get mad at me.  

[tradtusker]

i second everything rob said ! check you tube for Ray Mears there is no one else that even comes close to his skill and knowledge. i carry a Robtattoo bushcraft knife that has a fire steel, then i have another fire steel in my pack along with several bic lighters.

 

another cool trick is to take cotton wool and rub Vaseline into it thoroughly. you can get it going with one strike of the fire steel and it burns incredibly and for a good amount of time, i really encourage you to try it if you have never heard this method will will be impressed! i store it in an old film canister.

[Orion]

Guess I do it the old fashioned way.  I just carry some strike anywhere matches in a waterproof container.  Also throw in a butane lighter.  (Never had problems with the lighter at high altitude, but did in very wet weather.)  Usually also have a short piece of candle and a small piece of fire starter material as well or my own vaseline soaked cotton balls.

[DEATHMASTER]

Instead of the film canister I use a old chap stick container of cotton balls with vasoline on them. Keep it in my pocket all the time and have even used it on chaped lips and cracks on hands.
A boyscout starter is small and a rubberband around it holds it to the container.

[tradtusker]

i like the idea of putting it in a Chapstick container i going to do that     Thanks Tim
also as Jerry Mentioned A small candle is very handy to have.

[tradtusker]

another thing i found in my pack is a piece of bicycle inner tube it burns very well and is never effected no matter how wet it is its water proof so just wipe it dry and light it.

[mtnbike]

I was told by a mtn lion hunter to carry a couple of road flares inside of a zip-loc bag in my cat pack just in case we needed to stayout or just to warm up/ dryout while on the chase. Not real practical for other hunting, but it is instant fire.

[bawana bowman]

Dave,
If you are interested in using a striker & flint, check out the big auction site. Search fire starter, or fire striker.
There are a lot of strikers being sold on there, some are actual roman legion fire strikers, (authentic,yes, they were in use then. guess it must be a reliable system!) some are reproductions, But they do work. You'll just have to find your own flint source. I use to use the leftovers from my flintlock days, till they became to small to hold. When they ran out I switched to ferro rods and bics.
My only suggestion is practice with whatever you choose till you can produce a hot enough flame in under 30 seconds consistantly to build your fire from. Better to wear out flints learning when your life doesn't depend on it, than to wear one out when your life does depend on it!        

Hal

[BTH]

I carry a magnesium striker, lighter, and survival matches. And a bag full of pitch wood firestarter. I'm not taking any chances so I always over do it with the survival end of my kit.

[bowmac]

Flint, striker, charcloth, tow & small bit of beeswax candle in a small tin.

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Dave,

Try using a piece of hacksaw blade for your striker, I think you will be very pleased.

In actual situations where you really need to get a fire started now...its hard to beat a road flare...works even in the rain and when you are cold and shaking so hard its hard to keep everything together.

Bob

[ozy clint]

i learnt tradtuskers bike tube trick on a sika deer hunt in new zealand. kiwi hunters always carry the stuff. you just need matches or a lighter though. like someone said, i don't know how lighters go at high altitude.

[Autumnarcher]

I carry a couple flint/steel strikers, some char cloth and cotton balls. But, if I need a fire right now, without screwing around, road flare gets the nod. i keep 1 small one in my pack. They will light in anything, and burn hot enough to get damp tinder and kindling going fast.

[DuffyRP]

I make my own fire by friction kits (bow and spindle also known as the bow drill) and I have used dryer lint, cotton balls, cedar bark, and many other things.  But the one thing that will catch easily everytime at a low temp is brown oakum.  You can buy a bag for a couple dollars at any hardware store.  It will be in the plumbing section.

[Toklat1]

I too am a fan of the cotton balls soaked in Vaseline. Learned this one from a Military Arctic Indoctrination Instructor in Alaska. They work even in the rain/drizzle. Carry a small lighter and a film cannister full of these. I also carry a film cannister full of waterproof matches. This works much better/faster than that magneseum block in my opinion.

[Rick Butler]

Ishiwanabe, I think the firestarter you're referring to is called a Fire Piston.

[Rick Butler]

Yup, google "Fire Piston"