Most interesting way to start a fire

[3ofusnow]

I know a lot of us here like to watch survival shows so I am curious...what is the most interesting way you have ever seen to start a fire? One of the most interesting ways I have seen is to take a small piece of steel wool and touch it to a 9 volt battery.

[oldsarge]

I always like the concept of the fire piston. Once purchased, they are small, easy to use and maintain. You can make on yourself, but after seeing some of the ones on line, I think I might buy one.

Fire piston - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

MagLite Fire Piston - goinggear.com - YouTube

fire piston | eBay

[wvbreamfisherman]

I did the battery/steel wool thing one time (LONG ago) when a buddy of mine and I went on a last minute fishing/camping trip and somehow forgot matches.

We arrived on the river after dark and when we got ready to light our coleman lantern to set up camp we discovered we had no way to light it.

Took a Brillo pad out of the cookset, unravelled it and put a few drops of coleman fuel on it before touching it to the car battery. Used the resulting flame to light an oil-soaked stick to start a camp fire, and another small oil-soaked splint to light the lantern....

Oh to be young and dumb once more LOL.

[Shannon]

The corn chip trick by Les Stroud has always been one of my favorites, but I have never tried it out. I assume it would work with any kind of chip.

[AlphaMale]

I liked the corn chip trip too. It works very well and it smells good too. Seriously though, I like the magnifying glass trick where you focus the sun on small, dry wood shavings. It does work but it depends upon how bright the sun is, which is what determines the time it takes to ignite the wood chips.

[southerngal]

Can't you use a mirror for pretty much the same thing Alphamale? I liked the corn chip trick and the steel wool trick too. So far I have never tried anything but a match.

[Grandpa]

When soda used to come in glass bottles, on of my friends started a fire with the bottom of a broken pepsi bottle we found. Just to see if he could. It worked just like a magnifying glass.

[Pathfinder1]

I usually don't trek very far,
when all around me black bears are.



Hi...

As you have seen, there are myriad ways of getting a flame going, including mixing two chemicals together, using the shined-up bottom of a soda can, bow drill, flint and steel, flashlight reflector, and so many more, and they're all fun to play with.

Under emergency conditions, including heavy rain, snow, etc., I'd want to get my fire going as fast as possible. That said, I would probably break out my stormproof matches, or...if I had to...one other method that I always carry in my BOB (a method I don't discuss unless I'm hosting my Survival Woodsmanship course...sorry).

[oldsarge]

As much as I like the fire piston, I have yet to dish out the cash for one. I do carry a magnesium fire starter, a Blastmatch and a Bic lighter.

Ultimate Survival Blastmatch Fire Starter - Black

Sona FS374 Palmer Magnesium Fire Starter

[Grandpa]

What?? no black powder hunters to tell us about pouring gun powder on the wood and lighting if with their flintlock??

When all else fails, it's still bic time.