Trying to spark a fire.

[Syncop8r]

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

What are you doing this weekend?

[ironraven]

The thing to remember about using a flint rod is that your tinder must be as dry and fine and fluffy as possible. Dead grass isn't fluffy, it has a hard surface that the spark can't take hold in very well. The finer it is, the better- something like milk weed or cattail fluff is works well- not super hydrophilic (like cotton) and very fine, they both go up in a flash so you need a LOT of them or use them to prime other tinder. DRY cotton works super well, but it absorbs a lot of moisture, which leads to worsening spark taking behavior. There are exceptions to this. Something with very volitile flammible oils (ie birch bark, fat wood) that you scrape or shave fine is one. Char cloth is a second (but must be dry). Or things that are super flammible (lighter fluid, butane, fine magnesium flakes) that just want to burn, no matter how cold or wet they are. But with all of these, we're looking for what I'll call "first stage" or "primer" tinder, which you use to get your bigger tinder lit (or something like a candle or vegitable oil or a wad of vaseline, which could be mixed in with your primer tinder to a degree), which in turn lights your kindling in every larger

I carry a tinderquick tab in a small pill fob on my keys, and a couple of these or just dry cotton balls in every match case. I'd say I've started half my fires over the past 15 years with a ferro rod, and they take practice. The don't like paper, they don't like just a slab of birch bark or that kind of thing. Think about it- that spark is a TINY flame, it needs something it's own size to pick on. Then it gets bigger.

[Aloha]

Excellent info Ironraven.

WOW thanks a bunch for that 

[Lynn LeFey]

Magnesium scrapings are one of the reasons I think carrying a piece of aluminum foil in your kit is a good idea. Besides giving a dry spot for starting your fire, you can use it to make a little 'cup' to collect the scrapings in. I've had a couple occasions when a gust of wind would spread my little pile of shavings. The cup helps to prevent that.

[Etherealicer]

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

What are you doing this weekend?

As if that is for me to decide , I will the lady of the house...

[Etherealicer]

The thing to remember about using a flint rod is that your tinder must be as dry and fine and fluffy as possible. Dead grass isn't fluffy, it has a hard surface that the spark can't take hold in very well. The finer it is, the better- something like milk weed or cattail fluff is works well- not super hydrophilic (like cotton) and very fine, they both go up in a flash so you need a LOT of them or use them to prime other tinder. DRY cotton works super well, but it absorbs a lot of moisture, which leads to worsening spark taking behavior. There are exceptions to this. Something with very volitile flammible oils (ie birch bark, fat wood) that you scrape or shave fine is one. Char cloth is a second (but must be dry). Or things that are super flammible (lighter fluid, butane, fine magnesium flakes) that just want to burn, no matter how cold or wet they are. But with all of these, we're looking for what I'll call "first stage" or "primer" tinder, which you use to get your bigger tinder lit (or something like a candle or vegitable oil or a wad of vaseline, which could be mixed in with your primer tinder to a degree), which in turn lights your kindling in every larger

I carry a tinderquick tab in a small pill fob on my keys, and a couple of these or just dry cotton balls in every match case. I'd say I've started half my fires over the past 15 years with a ferro rod, and they take practice. The don't like paper, they don't like just a slab of birch bark or that kind of thing. Think about it- that spark is a TINY flame, it needs something it's own size to pick on. Then it gets bigger.

Thanks, will keep that in mind... Birch is common enough here, so I should find some. Everything else, I have to look into.

[Etherealicer]

Magnesium scrapings are one of the reasons I think carrying a piece of aluminum foil in your kit is a good idea. Besides giving a dry spot for starting your fire, you can use it to make a little 'cup' to collect the scrapings in. I've had a couple occasions when a gust of wind would spread my little pile of shavings. The cup helps to prevent that.

I will try with a tin foil hat... ehh... cup I mean...

[Lynn LeFey]

If the wind is gusting, put a rock in the cup, too, to keep it from blowing away.

[AimlessWanderer]

... or use duct tape, sticky side up to catch the shavings (weight tape down as appropriate in winds)

[ducttapetech]

You dont need a rock for duct tape. You fold it over itself and it sticks to the surface.

[ironraven]

Like Lynn, I carry aluminum foil in my kit, but so I can put my tinder lay someplace dry no matter how much it has been raining.

BTW, if you have birch, look for birch fungus (chaga) or false birch fungus. Cut it thin and dry it (behind the woodstove for a few days is perfect) and then grind it to a powder. That will take a spark very nicely.

[zoidberg]

Left work early today so I could take the dog for a walk and get some pics.

This is where we went.

[zoidberg]

A little way in we found a dry patch.

Got a piece of bark and some dryish bits of wood from a fallen tree.

[Etherealicer]

A little way in we found a dry patch.

Got a piece of bark and some dryish bits of wood from a fallen tree.

the suspense is killing me...

[zoidberg]

Follow the link to my flickr if you can't wait. 

[zoidberg]

And started the prep work.

[zoidberg]

Taking time to be careful and not rushing, this took me about ten minutes.

[Etherealicer]

Taking time to be careful and not rushing, this took me about ten minutes.

No wonder the post count is stalling

Great job there

[zoidberg]

LMAO! 

[zoidberg]

If you are a beginner, make three or four times the amount shown here.

[zoidberg]

Get comfortable and spark the tinder up. Don't worry if the flame goes out.

Just breath very gently on it until the tinker glows nicely.

[ducttapetech]

Nice pics Zman! Good work too!

[zoidberg]

Thanks mate. 

[zoidberg]

After the glow is there I pile everything on. Blow on it until you get flame.

[zoidberg]

And that is it really.

[zoidberg]

Fire! 

[zoidberg]

[comis]

Lobsterboy, great job! 

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...

(Image removed from quote.)

You gonna love this knife, light my fire ferro rod is decent to work with, maybe it's geometry, but I felt it's better to work with than the exotec rods.

The thing to remember about using a flint rod is that your tinder must be as dry and fine and fluffy as possible. Dead grass isn't fluffy, it has a hard surface that the spark can't take hold in very well. The finer it is, the better- something like milk weed or cattail fluff is works well- not super hydrophilic (like cotton) and very fine, they both go up in a flash so you need a LOT of them or use them to prime other tinder. DRY cotton works super well, but it absorbs a lot of moisture, which leads to worsening spark taking behavior. There are exceptions to this. Something with very volitile flammible oils (ie birch bark, fat wood) that you scrape or shave fine is one. Char cloth is a second (but must be dry). Or things that are super flammible (lighter fluid, butane, fine magnesium flakes) that just want to burn, no matter how cold or wet they are. But with all of these, we're looking for what I'll call "first stage" or "primer" tinder, which you use to get your bigger tinder lit (or something like a candle or vegitable oil or a wad of vaseline, which could be mixed in with your primer tinder to a degree), which in turn lights your kindling in every larger

I carry a tinderquick tab in a small pill fob on my keys, and a couple of these or just dry cotton balls in every match case. I'd say I've started half my fires over the past 15 years with a ferro rod, and they take practice. The don't like paper, they don't like just a slab of birch bark or that kind of thing. Think about it- that spark is a TINY flame, it needs something it's own size to pick on. Then it gets bigger.

Tinderquik is always in my fire kit, I have tested it so many times in soaking wet condition, and it always light up without fail.  Great suggestion for tinder.

[Aloha]

Great job Z.

[zoidberg]

Lobsterboy, great job! 

Thanks buddy.