Trying to spark a fire.

[Etherealicer]

Introduction

Today I took a hike to the forest planning on testing my firestrike. I mean what good is a fire striker, if I cannot make fire with.
The condition were foggy, extremely wet. So, its ideal to test my skills. I also had a good location: Gallows Hill

[Etherealicer]

The materials

The largest challenge was of course finding something dry.

Larger Wood splinter
First, I found some wood log. Using my Tunnel Rat I broke out a piece, figuring it would be nice and dry on the inside.



Grass
I also found some grass under blackberries, hoping it would be dry.



Fir Kindling
Finally, I braved blackberries to get under some firs to get dry kindling.
The important part here is that it breaks off with a nice snap, signifying its dry on the inside.

[Etherealicer]

Testing location

Went to the gallows, where I planned on testing. The gallows where used from the 14th to 18th for execution. You might notice the mark-stone in the picture. The story goes that there used to be a drain in the square allowing the spirits to leave, but they would cross into the southern canton Lucerne. So the people of canton Argovia didn't have to deal with the unfriendly spirits of the executed felons.

[Etherealicer]

The grass

First off, was the grass. When completely dry these seems to be a good candidate. Despite my efforts I was unable to get ignitions. Using the lighter I burned the grass. Turned out it was not as dry as I had hoped for.



The fir tinder
Basically, the result was the same as the grass... bloody fog.

[Etherealicer]

Wood shavings

It turned out the dry wood was by far the best. I did various shaving (probably worked at it for half an hour. Sadly, when I get lost in a project I forgot to take pictures.
I managed to singe the wood-shavings but never got flames .

[Etherealicer]

Conclusions

Trying to make fire with a magnesium fire-striker is good fun but its also difficult. Unless you carry something that is easily ignited you will be hard pressed to find a good substrate, especially in wet conditions. It is extremely important that whatever you try to ignite is bone dry. It is therefore I got the closest to success with my wood-shavings.

Its not me that failed, but the fire-striker
This might sound like a lame excuse but there is some truth in it. The small striker was difficult to hold and made it difficult to get a good strike every time. If your finger are stiff from the cold it will be extremely hard to use it.

Its a lot of technique
I think I need to work on my wood-shaving technique. Loose shavings are hard to control, it would be better to have a brush like splinter, so the spark would hit the same place every time.

Personally, I feel that a back up lighter is by far the better choice, but using a fire-striker has something primal and manly . I do not like the idea of carrying a fire-strike + something to ignite, to me that beats the purpose of the fire-striker (If I can keep some wood-shavings dry, I can also maintain a back-up lighter).
I was never so much into fire-strikers, but now I'm excited about them. I will definitively have to try again.

[Aloha]

Great write up especially since you were not successful.  It important to see how difficult it can be to actually get fire in reality and not in the pristine conditions of a backyard setting. 

Magnesium shavings do help even in less than perfect condition.  Lint from your pocket, socks, and even sweater would aid as well.  I am in no way good at making fire in the primitive albeit awesome way so I use accelerants.

Is that firestrike rod one that shavings can be taken from then sparked?  I'm not familiar with the make

[glorn]

I am no fire expert, but I am fire obsessed. What you just demonstrated is a simple truth of fire making.

-if you are unable or incapable of producing dry tinder, you will not produce fire

Your ferro rod didn't fail unless it failed to produce sparks. Having nothing for sparks to ignite is the only issue here. Sounds like the ergonomics of it were less than ideal, but a spark will catch dry tinder easily even with a thin ferro.

It has been raining and snowing here for days; Friday night we had freezing rain. I just stepped outside into my wooded backyard (beach, backyard, or boreal forest.. Gotta know what works in nature) and picked some damp paper birch bark. The inner stuff is fairly dry, but the whole lot was less than ideal. I wasn't terribly selective either, just picked some off the lee side of the tree.

Took about 20 strikes from a LMF army ferro to produce flame. Usually in the dry it takes one to three. Just had to wait for a spark to fall in jus the right drier spot.

Grass in the damp is usually bad because it absorbs moisture like a sponge. Inner bark from a fir tree or birch bark is much better. Processing that material is also important.

I don't know what the reasons are behind other's fire making practice. If it is just to do it, then by all means do. If it is because you spend lots of time far from civilization and may need the skill set, then it is your responsibility to learn. If you just like being prepared and skillful in general, terrific.

But no matter what the reason, you have to understand the realities in play. If you cannot be certain you are able to find tinder for your efforts, then you should carry some. I see lots of folks who show an EDC that includes spark sources and no tinder. That is either a confident soul, or a foolish one. Perhaps both.

I carry a ferro and a Bic and a few other means as well. I also carry tinder, even though I am practiced in my ability to produce it. To me a ferro by itself is only half of the equation, and the other half weighs far less. You were two cotton balls away from having had fire. A bit of charred cotton rope.. A ball of dry fir bark fuzz from a week ago hike.. Some milkweed fluff.

Don't dismiss your ferro yet. The lighter may not have been successful either (too many people seem to see a Bic in hand as a panacea to every fire lighting woe). Keep tinder with you to better your chances, then go hunting for a natural source to try. 


Fire making is all about bettering your odds. Some you can control, and some you cannot. Materials and practice improve your odds, conditions are either helpful or preventative. There is never a guarantee that you will succeed. The most practiced, prepared, and skilled fire maker will struggle under poor conditions and possibly fail.

[Corwyn]

[Etherealicer]

Well, in Switzerland I probably never gonna really need the ferro-rod. But its fun. I also was looking for birch but didn't find any (they are present but not that common here).

I totally agree with your assessment. The "the fire striker failed me" was meant as tongue in the cheek. I think the design could be improved, but everything else is technique, which comes with practice. It's totally pointless to carry a fire-striker if you are unable to make fire with it.
When you have a match or a lighter you don't need that fine shaving, its also easier to concentrate the heat because you don't need to strike the ferro-rod.

I definitively need to do some research, I didn't even bother to check out a tutorial beforehand. I got the fire-striker this week and just wanted to give it a go.
It might be a while but I will try again, hopefully with more success.

[Etherealicer]

(Image removed from quote.)

What's Megan doing here?

[zoidberg]

Like glorn said, you were so close.    You will keep trying yeah?   

[Etherealicer]

Like glorn said, you were so close.    You will keep trying yeah? 

Of course I will...

[zoidberg]

Some motivation pics. Axe, LMF and Gorse Bush.

[zoidberg]

Axe, LMF, drift wood and some doggits.

[Etherealicer]

Thats what I was missing doggits...

[zoidberg]

Thats what I was missing doggits...

Yup, they go find the best bits of wood. 

[zoidberg]

Incoming!!!

[Lynn LeFey]

I had a similar fail recently, and I had a lot more than just a ferro rod with which to fail. I was trying to get the fire going in wet conditions as well.

Some prepper/survivor folks harp on testing gear. It's really a lot better to know the limitations of both you and your gear before you have to rely on it.

Great to see you out giving it a go, and learning. 

[glorn]

Fire making practice and the kit involved should be like anything else.. something fun, something you enjoy. Don't sweat failure. Failing and figuring out why is part of the process.

I hope to never need fire when it isn't fun. I hope I am never in an emergent situation where producing fire is what helps save me or others. Statistically speaking, my chances of that never happening are exceedingly good.  So I don't practice for those unlikely scenarios.  I practice because learning to produce fire is fun. It is satisfying.  It requires patience, preparation,  and a calm mind. Rather like gardening or fishing. Not so much about the result as it is about the process itself.

So keep trying and keep failing and keep learning. But never lose sight of the enjoyment involved.. the pleasure and privilege in being able to work with the kit when failing doesn't really matter.. and when you succeed feel good about it and celebrate a little. And God forbid you ever do need to make fire when it counts. At least you will know what it takes and be able to do your best.

[Syncop8r]

Axe, LMF, drift wood and some doggits.

And Burnt Hill in the background?

[zoidberg]

Axe, LMF, drift wood and some doggits.

And Burnt Hill in the background?

It is indeed. 

[Etherealicer]

Axe, LMF, drift wood and some doggits.

And Burnt Hill in the background?

It is indeed. 

Burnt Hill? Nothing wrong with test-driving your gear... but this went too far...

[Syncop8r]

Thats what I was missing doggits...

More dogs!

[zoidberg]

Axe, LMF, drift wood and some doggits.

And Burnt Hill in the background?

It is indeed. 

Burnt Hill? Nothing wrong with test-driving your gear... but this went too far...

It seemed like a good idea at the time. 

[Huntsman]

Ooops - Accidental post!! 

[ducttapetech]

Looks like you had fun atleast. You too Zoid. And great pics both of you.

Like I have and others, practice and remember, it is fun to do. A usefully yes, but remember it is fun. Don't get discouraged. Also, a little trick when using wood to start a fire, make you shavings then use the back of you knife and scape the wood to get a fine dust like and tiny shavings. This is what you spark with the ferro rod. Then put you shavings on top. Or fuzz sticks if you prefer.

[Etherealicer]

Thanks to Chako, I have the next candidate lined up.

Now I can't wait to try my new Mora Light my Fire, won't be able to complain about small grip size with that baby anymore...

[zoidberg]

Nice present. 

I wanted to make a fire yesterday and take pics but it was way too hot and windy to do it safely.

[Etherealicer]

Nice present. 

I wanted to make a fire yesterday and take pics but it was way too hot and windy to do it safely.

Safety first