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2nd Attempt at Making Fire

us Offline Outback in Idaho

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2nd Attempt at Making Fire
on: June 16, 2016, 04:02:22 AM
  Was delayed getting out to go overnight camping. Was one thing or another, a call, something. Inadvertently left being the Esbit BBQ box and the Exotac nanoStriker whilst making haste to get out. :rant:

  When I got to the camp site had noticed things had changed since last year. Also found this was a popular camp site and there was a fire ring already at the camp. After pitching the tent, started in on making fire. :ahhh

  Premade fire ring, so fire once danced here
 

  Knew I had a generic Ferrocerium rod and Magnesium block in glove compartment of car. This is when I found out that not all ferrocerium rods are created equal! The Exotac one I left home sparked with just a tickle. This one was a monster, took a serious amount of pressure and fast movement to get a spark, even then I was getting frustrated.  :rant:
 

  Close up of the after effects. Had ferrocerium spark marks on the KHHI McCurdy knife blade afterwards
 

  Found nearby trees already cut down along side the trail. So was only a matter of chopping them up, making kindling, and would have a fire. Sounds easy huh?  :D

  Axe of choice, KHHI Scourge
 

  Main source of firewood. Cutting this was a lot easier than first thought. Scourge made short work of this wood.
 

  Gathered wood from all types, and dried pine needles already on the ground. Even an old seasoned and falling apart long made for some nice easy burning chunks.
 

  KHHI Scourge multi-knife at work making kindling. Initially used this to cut into the magnesium block from the back side of the blade - which made chunks, not shavings...  :ahhh
 

  The got the magnesium block out, made shaving with the McCurdy knife, the battle began. Sorry I don't have any photos of me striking out, err attempting to make sparks, only have two hands and no one was with me. So you'll have to trust me.  ::)

  Won't say how long it took me, but the photos should be a good enough hint. Was getting colder, and I was trying to think of some other accelerant to get this fire going. Found some old paper targets and cardboard from the tent box, that was about it, save toilet paper. :facepalm:

  After some time I got this!
 

  Which turn into this...
 

  Then this...
 

  Moved a rock out to give the fire some air, as I was getting light-headed...  :ahhh
 

  And later, after a brief pause of mostly coals... had to go chop more wood
 

  After making fire I got the small portable stove going. Boiling water for some Mountain House Lasagna:)
  Played the didgeridoo while waiting for the billy to boil, and was getting warm.
 

  Does this qualify for the fire making badge?  :D  :D  :D
« Last Edit: June 16, 2016, 04:06:13 AM by Xelkos »
¬ Outback in Idaho

Behind every mask there is a face, behind that a story.


us Offline Outback in Idaho

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #1 on: June 16, 2016, 04:11:16 AM
  BTW, Walmart has the Mountain House freeze-dried packages under $5 for most of them, and under $3 for the freeze dried (Astronaut) ice cream sandwich.

  Had Mountain House Biscuits and Gravy the next morning.  :drool:
¬ Outback in Idaho

Behind every mask there is a face, behind that a story.


nz Offline zoidberg

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #2 on: June 16, 2016, 04:20:43 AM
Request the badge and see.   ;)   Nice thread Xelkos.   :tu:   :tu:


nz Offline zoidberg

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #3 on: June 16, 2016, 05:19:53 AM
And awarded, congrats.   :cheers:


us Offline Poncho65

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #4 on: June 16, 2016, 05:27:12 AM
Great walk through Xelkos :cheers: Great step by step with all the pics I almost felt the fire a time or two there :tu:


us Offline Outback in Idaho

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #5 on: June 16, 2016, 05:33:28 AM
  This is what I felt like in the end!  :D

  https://youtu.be/IS7Og1zvdy8

  My friends are like, meh. I'm like, here, put away your butane and propane and use these instead buddy, then get back to me.
¬ Outback in Idaho

Behind every mask there is a face, behind that a story.


us Offline Poncho65

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #6 on: June 16, 2016, 05:39:38 AM
Starting fire with just sparks is a great feeling :cheers: Ferro rods are just plain awesome 8)


us Offline Outback in Idaho

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #7 on: June 16, 2016, 06:07:10 AM
  Ferro rods are still cheating. Still have a steel I bought from Tandy Leather Company back in the 80's. Don't think ever made one fire with it yet. :ahhh

  Hmm... so I looked up how Ferrocerium differs in contrast to Flint. The explanation was a bit long winded, but wow, did you know what it takes to make a ferro rod??

• 78% Mischmetal: Cerium: 50%, Lanthanum 24%, Neodymium 3%, Praseodymium 3%
• 20% Iron Oxide
• 2% Magnesium Oxide

  So I wonder why some ferro rods are better than others?  :think:
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« Last Edit: June 16, 2016, 06:08:25 AM by Xelkos »
¬ Outback in Idaho

Behind every mask there is a face, behind that a story.


us Offline Outback in Idaho

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #8 on: June 16, 2016, 06:14:23 AM
  Oh, btw, I incurred a tiny injury that I did not pay much mind to. Those magnesium flakes go up like fireworks! Well, the sparks hit the blade of the McCurdy and left tiny weld-like marks - one of them got my thumb too. Noticed the wart afterwards, and looked like a burn bluster, in which it was.
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¬ Outback in Idaho

Behind every mask there is a face, behind that a story.


us Offline Aloha

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #9 on: June 16, 2016, 06:21:17 AM
Pretty cool  :tu:.  Nice to see you got your new sharps some action as well.  When I've shaved those magnesium bars I found my SAK saw or my LM saw spine works great.   
Esse Quam Videri


us Offline Outback in Idaho

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #10 on: June 16, 2016, 06:32:28 AM
Pretty cool  :tu:.  Nice to see you got your new sharps some action as well.  When I've shaved those magnesium bars I found my SAK saw or my LM saw spine works great.   

  Wow, thanks! I should of use the Wave's can opener as a striker. Did that with the Exotac nanoStriker when my first attempt was lighting a cottonball infused with Vasoline.

  I used the KHHI Scourge back spine, just above the thumb grip area, to hammer spikes into the ground for the tent. Then used the can opener cho to pull the spikes back out of the ground the next day.  :D
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¬ Outback in Idaho

Behind every mask there is a face, behind that a story.


us Offline Poncho65

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #11 on: June 16, 2016, 02:01:48 PM
Is it hard for everyone to get shavings from their magnesium bars :think: It takes forever for me to get a small pile of them and I have had the bar for years :ahhh Do I have a bad one is that been everyone elses experience as well ??? :D


nz Offline zoidberg

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #12 on: June 16, 2016, 02:31:12 PM
Is it hard for everyone to get shavings from their magnesium bars :think: It takes forever for me to get a small pile of them and I have had the bar for years :ahhh Do I have a bad one is that been everyone elses experience as well ??? :D

Technique.   ;)


us Offline Poncho65

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #13 on: June 16, 2016, 04:26:41 PM
Is it hard for everyone to get shavings from their magnesium bars :think: It takes forever for me to get a small pile of them and I have had the bar for years :ahhh Do I have a bad one is that been everyone elses experience as well ??? :D

Technique.   ;)

So I been doing it wrong all these years :ahhh ??? OK Lucy splain it to me :D


us Offline Outback in Idaho

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #14 on: June 16, 2016, 08:16:50 PM
  Can one, or a few of you, post videos or photos on how to develop a better fire making technique?

  That magnesium block I have is a non-named brand. The ferro rod was originally glued to the block but came apart. So going to put the two items in some sort of container so they don't go rubbing against one another in the glove compartment.
¬ Outback in Idaho

Behind every mask there is a face, behind that a story.



us Offline Poncho65

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #16 on: June 18, 2016, 03:18:05 PM
 :tu: Thanks for the links Z-man :cheers:


us Offline Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #17 on: June 18, 2016, 07:11:08 PM
Is it hard for everyone to get shavings from their magnesium bars :think: It takes forever for me to get a small pile of them and I have had the bar for years :ahhh Do I have a bad one is that been everyone elses experience as well ??? :D

Technique.   ;)

I hold the scraper perpendicular (slightly trailing) and pull. It like using a cabinet scraper or a razor blade to scrape a decal or paint. This produces thin springy curls that will bunch together.
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* scraping03.jpg (Filesize: 54.69 KB)


us Offline Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #18 on: June 18, 2016, 07:11:56 PM
more pics
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us Offline Poncho65

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Re: 2nd Attempt at Making Fire
Reply #19 on: June 18, 2016, 11:47:45 PM
Is it hard for everyone to get shavings from their magnesium bars :think: It takes forever for me to get a small pile of them and I have had the bar for years :ahhh Do I have a bad one is that been everyone elses experience as well ??? :D

Technique.   ;)

I hold the scraper perpendicular (slightly trailing) and pull. It like using a cabinet scraper or a razor blade to scrape a decal or paint. This produces thin springy curls that will bunch together.

Ok I was close on my technique just maybe not patient enough to get a big enough pile though  :oops: Thanks for the pics Spork :cheers:


 

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