Has anyone tried starting a fire with a SAK magnifying glass on a sunny day?

[SgtTowser]

I entered the question in the search window and nothing came up for me, so I bring the question to forum now. It has been cloudy and smoky since I got my magnifying glass model SAK and the question just popped into my mind.

[comis]

It's been years since I did one, but I recalled not every tinder can catch on fire/smoulder easily.  Best to have something dark like a char cloth to catch the fire.

[Jothra]

While possible, it would be orders of magnitude easier with a larger lens (as in larger physical size, not larger magnification.)

There are some Youtube videos in which people make it happen, but I've never been patient enough to stick it out.

[SgtTowser]

Jothra and Comis,

Thanks for the input. Probably will continue packing a Bic and a small fresnel lens in the bugout bag for back up. 

[Jothra]

Probably will continue packing a Bic and a small fresnel lens in the bugout bag for back up.

Naturally. Feel free to experiment with the SAK lens, though, just because mucking about is fun!

[Sos24]

As other have said it is possible, but not ideal.  If what you are looking for is a method of starry a fire ,possibly look at Tortoise Gear Firefly or FireAnt.

The FirefFly is a firesteel that fits in place of the SAK toothpick.  The FireAnt fits in the corkscrew.

[comis]

As other have said it is possible, but not ideal.  If what you are looking for is a method of starry a fire ,possibly look at Tortoise Gear Firefly or FireAnt.

The FirefFly is a firesteel that fits in place of the SAK toothpick.  The FireAnt fits in the corkscrew.

These are solid suggestions, and probably more fool proof since it can be used 24/7, even in the dark.

Jothra and Comis,

Thanks for the input. Probably will continue packing a Bic and a small fresnel lens in the bugout bag for back up. 

Nothing beats Bic as the first line of fire starting method, especially if it is for a 'bug out' kit.

[Myron]

My kiddo and I did it once with my Voyageur using dry leaves as tinder.  It always amazes me how quickly the focused light will start a leaf smoldering.

[nate j]

Nothing beats Bic as the first line of fire starting method, especially if it is for a 'bug out' kit.

I mostly agree.  Bics weigh almost nothing, take up almost no space, cost next to nothing, and one Bic can start thousands of fires.  Why not toss two or three in your kit or pocket?  Accept no substitutes (with the cost of a five-pack of Bics working out to only about $1.00 or $1.25 per lighter, I don't really see the draw of going cheaper anyway).  The only negative thing I have to say about Bics is that wind resistance is poor, and I wish Bic would look at a re-design of the hood to improve this.

[Sos24]

Nothing beats Bic as the first line of fire starting method, especially if it is for a 'bug out' kit.

I mostly agree.  Bics weigh almost nothing, take up almost no space, cost next to nothing, and one Bic can start thousands of fires.  Why not toss two or three in your kit or pocket?  Accept no substitutes (with the cost of a five-pack of Bics working out to only about $1.00 or $1.25 per lighter, I don't really see the draw of going cheaper anyway).  The only negative thing I have to say about Bics is that wind resistance is poor, and I wish Bic would look at a re-design of the hood to improve this.

You might be right, but I think Clipper lighters are right up there with them, if not even slightly better.

In many ways Bic and Clipper are very similar lighters, just shaped differently.  I do think Clippers have two advantages over Bic - 1) Clippers are refillable with both fuel and flint, 2) the flint wheel spark mechanism can be easily removed from a Clipper allowing it to be used as a spark wheel even if you run out of fuel.   Unfortunately, Clippers are more difficult to find and can run a little bit more than Bic.

[nate j]

You might be right, but I think Clipper lighters are right up there with them, if not even slightly better.

In many ways Bic and Clipper are very similar lighters, just shaped differently.  I do think Clippers have two advantages over Bic - 1) Clippers are refillable with both fuel and flint, 2) the flint wheel spark mechanism can be easily removed from a Clipper allowing it to be used as a spark wheel even if you run out of fuel.   Unfortunately, Clippers are more difficult to find and can run a little bit more than Bic.

Interesting.  I can't say I've personally tried a Clipper lighter.  With regard to the first point, being refillable may make them more environmentally friendly, but doesn't necessarily make them function any better as a lighter.  With regard to the second, the Bic spark mechanism can also be used to throw sparks if the fuel is gone (but as noted previously, the better option is just to be able reach for a second Bic  ).  I am curious how the Clipper would compare to the Bic in terms of (1) wind resistance, (2) number of lights per lighter/fill, and (3) safety and quality standards.

Another (disposable) brand I have tried and like is Djeep.  My primary impetus for trying Djeep was the claim on their website about the larger wind guard.  My empirical observations suggest that the Djeep may have slightly better wind resistance than the Bic, but probably not enough to make a meaningful difference in real-world use.  I haven't even attempted to test this, but Djeep claims up to 4000 lights per lighter, which would best Bic's claim of up to 3000 lights per (full-size) lighter.  The Djeep is considerably wider than the Bic, though, which makes it not quite as comfortable to carry in pocket IMO.  Also, like the Clipper, the Djeep is more difficult to find and can be somewhat more expensive vs. the Bic.

[Jothra]

Sort of back on topic, SgtTowser's Fresnel lens is a good idea. I have started a fire with one of those. It's never Plan A, but it's a useful skill to practice.

[ddogu]

That glass is too tiny for this purpose IMHO. Heck, it is too small for ANY purpose, very useless, if you ask me...

[Top-Gear-24]

That glass is too tiny for this purpose IMHO. Heck, it is too small for ANY purpose, very useless, if you ask me...

I don't know what you expect from a magnifier, but I expect it to magnify small things so I can have a better look at them.

Simple stuff, like a small but annoying splinter in my finger, small markings on an old topographic map, or to have a quick peek at some small inscriptions on an old coin I found with the metaldetector while I'm still in the field, for example.

For all those things, the SAK magnifying glass has already served me well, don't really need a doomsday sized lens for any of these uses.

Just my 2 cents, as always.

On topic now,

They are not ideal for firestarting, but it's not impossible, over here it will only work in circumstances in which, ironically enough, you probably won't need a fire to survive...

But it's good fun to have a go at it (just not when you're life depends on it). 

I always try to use another tool in the SAK to place it on a rock or something to eliminate movement from holding it myself, takes a bit of balancing and repositioning of the SAK and tinder before it's perfect, but once you have it I find it works better than holding it by hand.

[Top-Gear-24]

And for the Bic lighter users there's also this...









It works great on cigarettes (I don't smoke but a friend of me used it for a cigarette), and it also works on natural tinder, only downside is that it was made for cigarettes, and when the tinder catches fire it has the habit of "burning" the plastic that holds it a bit (see brown discoloration).

Oh, and you can fit in a Bic Mini lighter on one side, in case solar power fails.

Edit: And it's quite cheap  .

[SirVicaLot]

Nothing beats Bic as the first line of fire starting method, especially if it is for a 'bug out' kit.

I remember reading somewhere that Bic’s should not be the first choice for ‘bug out’ or survival kits. If I remember correct they don’t do well once temperatures fall below a certain level or they get wet. But can’t find the source right now   

[Jothra]

I remember reading somewhere that Bic’s should not be the first choice for ‘bug out’ or survival kits. If I remember correct they don’t do well once temperatures fall below a certain level or they get wet. But can’t find the source right now 

Pressurized gasses (i.e. butane) become less reliable at higher altitudes or in colder temperatures. It never hurts to have a couple Bic lighters around anyway, because they are almost vanishingly light.

[SirVicaLot]

That was it I think, thanks Jothra 

[nate j]

I remember reading somewhere that Bic’s should not be the first choice for ‘bug out’ or survival kits. If I remember correct they don’t do well once temperatures fall below a certain level or they get wet. But can’t find the source right now   

Pressurized gasses (i.e. butane) become less reliable at higher altitudes or in colder temperatures. It never hurts to have a couple Bic lighters around anyway, because they are almost vanishingly light.

So, I promise I don't work for or own stock in Bic, but I think a few clarifications are in order:

Q1:  Will Bics become unreliable or fail to light if the temperature drops too low?
A1:  This can happen, but it has nothing to do with the air temperature or wind chill, and everything to do with the temperature of the fuel inside the lighter.  For those who remember a bit of high school chemistry, thinking about this situation in terms of the Ideal Gas Law (or more specifically Gay-Lussac's Law), it becomes clear that as the fuel temperature drops, the fuel pressure inside the lighter also drops.  Once the fuel pressure drops too far, the lighter will no longer light.  The good news is that this is a totally reversible situation.  If your Bic lighter gets too cold to light, simply put it in an inside pocket for a while (or hold it inside a closed fist for a minute or two) to allow your body heat to warm the lighter back up, and it will be good to go.

Q2:  Will Bics become unreliable or fail to light if they get wet?
A2:  As opposed to something like storm-proof matches, a Bic will not light while it is wet.  Like the low temperature issue, however, this situation is reversible.  Shake the water out, blow it out a bit, then give it a few minutes to dry, and it will generally light right up.

Q3:  Are Bics unreliable at higher altitudes?
A3:  I don't personally have much high-altitude experience, but the consensus from various first-hand accounts seems to be that Bics are quite reliable at altitude.  Note that torch lighters (as opposed to soft flame lighters like the Bic) do not work well at altitude, and are generally a poor choice for bug-out or survival kits for a number of reasons.  This is speculation on my part, but I suspect some folks may have had problems with Bics that happened to occur at altitude, but were really due to (1) failure to adequately shield the lighter flame from the wind, and or (2) the low temperature issue discussed above, and that this (possibly along with a misunderstanding of the difference between soft flame and torch flame lighters) may have given rise to the myth that Bics are unreliable at altitude.

I'm definitely in favor of having multiple fire starting options (I usually carry at least a couple of Bics, firesteel, and matches when hiking or camping), but if anyone doesn't have a few Bics in their fire kit(s), I think they're missing out on a really solid option.  OK, I'm off to the Gadget Freak & EDC sub-forum to start a separate thread on lighters...

[Jothra]

You straight up quoted me saying to maybe take a Bic anyway.

[lister]

Just use a piece of wood fungus, specifically the amadou. It must be dry. Once you get it started you will heave plenty of time to start a fire.

[Aloha]

I cannot recall if I've tried  .  That vein said I will try today if we get enough sun ( its been overcast ).  I think I'll try with char cloth as well as paper and jute and whatever else is at hand. 

[kamakiri]

That glass is too tiny for this purpose IMHO. Heck, it is too small for ANY purpose, very useless, if you ask me...

It’s really small for firestarting. Newer ones are slightly better in this regard, but still small. I’d only try it in an actual emergency.

But I disagree about it being useless. I just used mine yesterday to help retrieve bits of glass from a glass that one of my kids broke...on the carpet. SAK tweezers and a Lite module were also used.

Sure, stuff might seem useless if YOU never USE it.

[Aloha]

I like the mag glass.  My Explorer is a favorite because of it and the tool set.  I have a Ranger and while awesome My Champion sees more time because of the mag glass.  I look at the bevels of my knives and tang stamps on knives I buy.  I also have used it for splinter from bark mulch.  Its not gonna replace my lighter for fire starting agreed but handy in ways a small lens can be handy. 

Plus a side note, have you seen the cool pics of members using their mag glasses?  Fun is a worthwhile use right?   

[Aloha]

Alright I should be doing chores  . 

I did a down a dirty test.  Old mag glass, new mag glass, and binocular lens.  I used vaseline on cotton ball, cotton ball, char cloth, fat wood, and store bought tinder with some kind of accelerant.

Challenges are holding hand steady to keep focal point pin point. Patience.  Lots of sun and a ready tinder bundle to accept smoldering starter. 

Its a little hard for me to keep focal point on fluffed tinder as the light is spread and I wasn't patient enough.  Flat surfaces like char cloth was very easy. 

I gave each mag glass about 30 seconds on each material.  Then extended to 30 seconds.  I stopped each test at 1 min for each mag glass.

I had full sun today which was hot to sit under.  Current temp is 80F or 25C.  Conditions are very good for this test.   

Results in my very rough test.
Old mag glass failed to light or smolder any items. 
New mag glass failed to light or smolder all BUT char cloth.  Char cloth began to smoke a little but I stopped test at 1 min.  More time could have produced a smoldering char cloth.
Binocular glass failed on all but immediately smoked char cloth and char cloth began to smolder.  I could have easily added char cloth to tinder bundle or fat wood or whatever and possibly got flame ( skills needed ).  I could have added more char cloth to get hotter smolder.  Very impressed with this mag glass however it is larger ( thicker ). 

Pics.     

[Aloha]

more pics.

[Aloha]

more pics. 

[Aloha]

last pics. 

[Aloha]

I carry the bino mag glass in a fit kit along with storm matches, fat wood, jute, commercially bought cotton tinder, and char cloth.  I realize my "TEST" was very rough.  I have got each item to light with a spark from my ferro rod  . 

I think keeping your hand steady and being patient could produce a smolder but for my down and dirty test I was wanting to max my time allotted to 1 min per mag glass.  I forgot to add jute to the test.

I may repeat the test with char cloth and jute later but for now I say go out and see what y'all can do  . 

[SgtTowser]

Aloha

DEFINITIVE!!!

Bics and Fire steels and fresnel lenses and waterproof matches and thermite!