Firekits

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

...I have had no luck with quarter size and smaller...

I've done it with a SAK lens and cattail fluff. It requires strong sun and time. I slowly built up a charred spot in compressed fluff...too much airspace will prevent an ember from forming. When it reaches the point where it can sustain itself, you will hear the seeds pop and see the charred fluff spreading. If you look closely, you can see a wisp of smoke centered on the dark spot.

I've also charred cattail fluff for flint and steel. It's very fragile, so you have to put it down and cast sparks into it instead of holding it on the flint.

[rishardh]

Nice bunch of fire starting stuff rishardh Also thanks for the list it always help me when I am looking for more stuff

Your welcome    I've got a few things seeing it here too.

[rishardh]

...I have had no luck with quarter size and smaller...

I've done it with a SAK lens and cattail fluff. It requires strong sun and time. I slowly built up a charred spot in compressed fluff...too much airspace will prevent an ember from forming. When it reaches the point where it can sustain itself, you will hear the seeds pop and see the charred fluff spreading. If you look closely, you can see a wisp of smoke centered on the dark spot.

I've also charred cattail fluff for flint and steel. It's very fragile, so you have to put it down and cast sparks into it instead of holding it on the flint.

Thanks for sharing your method. I guess with the right materials it's possible. Will try this when our neighborhood cat shows up on a sunny day again 

[Poncho65]

...I have had no luck with quarter size and smaller...

I've done it with a SAK lens and cattail fluff. It requires strong sun and time. I slowly built up a charred spot in compressed fluff...too much airspace will prevent an ember from forming. When it reaches the point where it can sustain itself, you will hear the seeds pop and see the charred fluff spreading. If you look closely, you can see a wisp of smoke centered on the dark spot.

I've also charred cattail fluff for flint and steel. It's very fragile, so you have to put it down and cast sparks into it instead of holding it on the flint.

Thanks for sharing your method. I guess with the right materials it's possible. Will try this when our neighborhood cat shows up on a sunny day again 

It will only work if you can get him to stay still long enough 

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

 

...I have had no luck with quarter size and smaller...

I've done it with a SAK lens and cattail fluff. It requires strong sun and time. I slowly built up a charred spot in compressed fluff...too much airspace will prevent an ember from forming. When it reaches the point where it can sustain itself, you will hear the seeds pop and see the charred fluff spreading. If you look closely, you can see a wisp of smoke centered on the dark spot.

I've also charred cattail fluff for flint and steel. It's very fragile, so you have to put it down and cast sparks into it instead of holding it on the flint.

Thanks for sharing your method. I guess with the right materials it's possible. Will try this when our neighborhood cat shows up on a sunny day again

It will only work if you can get him to stay still long enough 

 

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

I was able to light very fine wood shavings with the same method of building up char using the larger burning glass of a Hudson Bay tobacco tin. I think this can be accomplished with a Fresnel lens as well.

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

I call this my "Need Fire Now!" kit...heavy on the tinder/firestarters. Primary ignition is flame based.

-Small Sistema box
-Storm matches and lighter
-4 Coghlan's fuel tabs, 3 plain large cotton balls
-7 cotton dental rolls dipped in a mixture of wax and Vaseline
-8 Coghlan's Tinder tabs, candy-wrapped in wax paper to prevent them from sticking together.
-Sheet of aluminum foil (12" x 12") to keep tinder off wet ground or to place on top of a fire lay in the rain.

There is a third form of ignition in this kit...cotton balls, dental rolls and the tinder tabs can all be sparked with an empty lighter.

[Poncho65]

Another great fire thread that deserves a I need to get some stuff together and take some pics

[Aloha]

   Nice bump.  My kits have changed a lot.  I am of two minds.  1.  Fire needed NOW.  I use a lighter and something flammable.  My choice is similar to Sporks, those fire tabs.  2.  Storm proof matches and again a flammable fire tabs.  3.  Big Arse Fire Steel and flammable tabs.  I do however like to make fire with natural material for fun.  I'll have to get up some pics for this thread.     

[Poncho65]

Sounds like some good changes and some nice gear, Aloha

[Poncho65]

Just got this in the mail this past evening it is the Emergency Fire Kit by Zippo, EFK for short it came well packaged and after a bit of admiring, I cut it out if it's plastic prison it is very well made and the Zippo striker is as you would expect any Zippo product to be with lots of sparks and you can take it apart to reveal the water tigh compartment for your tinder the tinder is some type of cotton that has been treated with a chemical (I don't know which one) to make it light easily and burn for several minutes I am looking for drier weather out so I can play with this some

[Aloha]

Looks good so far.  Set up a tarp and test in the wet conditions  lets see how this works in less than conditions 

[Poncho65]

I am already standing out in the cold, wet and windy conditions right now but in a rain suit, working

I would probably die if i was out in the woods right now trying to build a fire

[Aloha]

I am already standing out in the cold, wet and windy conditions right now but in a rain suit, working

I would probably die if i was out in the woods right now trying to build a fire

Do not die Poncho, I repeat do not die.  Stay warm buddy and as dry as you can.  Y'all still lay brick in the rain huh? 

[Poncho65]

We have been laying block on a foundation last couple weeks and today we have been pouring grout it has stopped raining for now so we are building scaffold to go in up with a stair well

I will try my best not to die though

[Rapidray]

We have been laying block on a foundation last couple weeks and today we have been pouring grout it has stopped raining for now so we are building scaffold to go in up with a stair well

I will try my best not to die though

Survival is 90% mindset. Stay strong 
So have you had a chance to try it out in better conditions?

[Poncho65]

We have been laying block on a foundation last couple weeks and today we have been pouring grout it has stopped raining for now so we are building scaffold to go in up with a stair well

I will try my best not to die though

Survival is 90% mindset. Stay strong 
So have you had a chance to try it out in better conditions?

I am pretty stubborn so it might be hard to kill me

I have sparked the lighter some but not lit any of the tinder yet but I will try to 8n the next while  been on a bit of a vacation so haven't tried anything with fire this week

[CallsignBadger]

What a great little thread! 

I’ll have to post my kit tomorrow  

[Poncho65]

What a great little thread! 

I’ll have to post my kit tomorrow  

 

 

[Nix]

 I posted this in a different thread, but I'll add it here, too.

Just made myself a wallet sized fire-starter. One of those 'just in case' things that it is easy to have with you at awl times.

One cotton ball with a lot of vaseline rubbed in.

Cotton ball stretched, pulled, and smashed to fit in a very small plastic envelope made from a standard baggie.




Baggie sealed with some duct tape:




This fits very nicely in one half of my wallet. It does add a bit of bulk, but is still relatively thin.

Had to try it out:

I took half of the cotton and 'fluffed' it up, as much as I could. Then dropped in in the snow next to a Firefly ferro rod (fits in a Vic 58mm toothpick slot):




It took me two strikes to get the cotton lighted and burning.




The little bunch of cotton burned well for about a minute (I didn't time it, but it just kept burning.). It burned long enough o burrow down into the snow.....




I've got a new batch in my wallet now.   

[CallsignBadger]

So is it only 1 cotton ball, or what 

 

[Nix]

So is it only 1 cotton ball, or what 

Yes. The wallet kit is only one (1) cotton ball, to save space.

For the test burn, I used half of that. So.....my kit should be good for two (2) fires. At least. 

[CallsignBadger]

I    it   

[Rapidray]

I posted this in a different thread, but I'll add it here, too.

Just made myself a wallet sized fire-starter. One of those 'just in case' things that it is easy to have with you at awl times.

One cotton ball with a lot of vaseline rubbed in.

Cotton ball stretched, pulled, and smashed to fit in a very small plastic envelope made from a standard baggie.

(Image removed from quote.)


Baggie sealed with some duct tape:

(Image removed from quote.)


This fits very nicely in one half of my wallet. It does add a bit of bulk, but is still relatively thin.

Had to try it out:

I took half of the cotton and 'fluffed' it up, as much as I could. Then dropped in in the snow next to a Firefly ferro rod (fits in a Vic 58mm toothpick slot):

(Image removed from quote.)


It took me two strikes to get the cotton lighted and burning.

(Image removed from quote.)


The little bunch of cotton burned well for about a minute (I didn't time it, but it just kept burning.). It burned long enough o burrow down into the snow.....

(Image removed from quote.)


I've got a new batch in my wallet now.   

Very very nice ideal and great photos! 

[Poncho65]

Great idea and thanks for the pics, Nix I have seen the firefly ferro rods but don't know where they are sold I guess I need to look them up and see if I need one