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Post by SpookyPistolero on Mar 23, 2014 22:30:31 GMT
How do you start the bulk of your fires? I'd like to say a hand drill or something does it usually, but most of the time my firesteel is doing the work! They're just too handy. I guess it's the lazy way though. My '2014' goal is to spend more time on friction fire though.
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Post by Bushbum on Mar 23, 2014 23:25:47 GMT
Spooky I'm right there with you...I'm a fire steel or trad flint and steel guy about 99% of the time.nI was heavy into bowdrill for a while butI'd love to get more consistant with it, I know Tony is a real whiz with the friction fire.....Tutorial Time maybe??? I'd love to say I rock out the hand drill, but most of the time it ends up like this LOL  |
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tonym
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Post by tonym on Mar 25, 2014 15:59:36 GMT
I also use the ferro rod most of the time. I haven't done a bowdrill fire in over a year. I did just score some Yucca from my doctor's house last week. I plan on getting my first hand drill coal this year! I also plan on teaching my girlfriend Bowdrill. Heck I need to make sure I can still do it....
I feel friction fire is am important skill to know. To make a friction fire you need to understand every aspect of fire. You create enough heat to generate an ember. You have to feed the ember oxygen and fuel to have ignition. Once you have a ignited the flame you must nurture it so it grows into a useable fire. How many times have we rushed a fire with a match or lighter just to have it go out before it could be strong enough? It has happened quite a few times to me. However ever since I learned friction fire, I don't think I ever failed to make a successful fire. I'm not saying I haven't failed at friction fire, lord knows I have. I am saying that when I wanted a fire I always had my materials ready and area prepared for fire. Which always led to me to making a successful fire even in adverse conditions.
What do you think?
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Post by Bushbum on Mar 26, 2014 0:53:01 GMT
No doubt friction fire is the bees knees....and obtaining consistency with it is one of the marks of a seasoned woodsman... when it comes to fire I believe in the 6 p's proper prep prevents piss poor performance
I have kind of an ocd method to fire prep that seems to work for me regardless of conditions
I usually always make a platform sticks to lay my fire on than I get
1 handfull tinder
2 hand fulls of match stick thick kindling
2 handfulls of pencil thick size kindling
3 hand fulls of thumb thick
than move on to wrist thick and thicker.
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tonym
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Post by tonym on Mar 27, 2014 0:34:31 GMT
Yeah that's a great fire lay John and I agree that is what it takes to make a successful fire. I was just saying that friction fire kind of instills the need of a good fire lay. Not to mention it teaches you to properly prepare tinder. How many times have you and I seen guys trying to light freshly peeled birch bark or Cedar bark with no success. Then when you walk over and smash it up for them making it more fibrous they light it with no problem. If they learned how to prepare tinder for a coal, prepping tinder becomes 2nd nature. You just do it with out thinking..
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Post by Bushbum on Mar 27, 2014 2:38:47 GMT
Good points Tony Friction fire is to fire craft, almost like Kata is to martial arts
in many ways both are not necessarily practical bot are extremely important in teaching an enforcing good fundamentals. Besides when you get to the point where friction fire is a reliable part of your reality..all other methods seem significantly easier by comparison
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Post by Bushbum on Mar 30, 2014 22:59:52 GMT
However among most normal folks.. starting a fire with a ferro rod and wood shavings is the next best thing to sorcery  |
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Post by SpookyPistolero on Mar 31, 2014 1:01:20 GMT
Hahaha, so true. Though friction fire makes walking on water pale in comparison.
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Post by DOC-CANADA on Apr 7, 2014 6:06:36 GMT
I also use the ferro rod most of the time. I haven't done a bowdrill fire in over a year. I did just score some Yucca from my doctor's house last week. I plan on getting my first hand drill coal this year! I also plan on teaching my girlfriend Bowdrill. Heck I need to make sure I can still do it.... I feel friction fire is am important skill to know. To make a friction fire you need to understand every aspect of fire. You create enough heat to generate an ember. You have to feed the ember oxygen and fuel to have ignition. Once you have a ignited the flame you must nurture it so it grows into a useable fire. How many times have we rushed a fire with a match or lighter just to have it go out before it could be strong enough? It has happened quite a few times to me. However ever since I learned friction fire, I don't think I ever failed to make a successful fire. I'm not saying I haven't failed at friction fire, lord knows I have. I am saying that when I wanted a fire I always had my materials ready and area prepared for fire. Which always led to me to making a successful fire even in adverse conditions. What do you think? It's taking awhile (July 2010)  :
If you need any help, come on back up  and you can bring Rescue Riley with you.
Doc
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Post by DOC-CANADA on Apr 8, 2014 0:30:29 GMT
BTW, for any members that don't know me, I just like busting tonym's chops. In the above picture, Tony was trying to get his first hand drill coal. He didn't get it, but he sure as heck did his best - blisters on his hands when he was finished. And to save face, he busted out a bow drill coal in a few seconds. Just didn't want you to get the wrong idea.
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Post by Bushbum on Apr 8, 2014 11:10:18 GMT
We get it doc, Nothin but love for Tony, and he sure is a bowdrill whiz
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tonym
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Post by tonym on Apr 8, 2014 14:51:38 GMT
That was a great learning experience Doc! I had a great time with you, Phil, and Ken. I'll be up that way a lot now that I found the perfect woman. Should of known if I wanted a hot outdoorsy chick she'd be Canadian.
I just picked up some Yucca a few weeks ago, to really start practicing! I also am going to teach Laura the bow drill this year. We are heading up to St. George Easter week as well as Father's Day week. We'll have to figure out some time!
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Post by DOC-CANADA on Apr 8, 2014 15:43:00 GMT
That was a great learning experience Doc! I had a great time with you, Phil, and Ken. I'll be up that way a lot now that I found the perfect woman. Should of known if I wanted a hot outdoorsy chick she'd be Canadian. I just picked up some Yucca a few weeks ago, to really start practicing! I also am going to teach Laura the bow drill this year. We are heading up to St. George Easter week as well as Father's Day week. We'll have to figure out some time! Well that answered one question - if you were still going out with Laura.
Phil and I are going to play with traps and snares and ? on Earth Day (Easter Tuesday ). Is that the week you're going to be here?
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tonym
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Post by tonym on Apr 8, 2014 17:02:03 GMT
LOL, Easter Tuesday eh.
No, I'll be there from the 17th to the 20th
And yes, Laura has not wised up yet!
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Post by stuartlittle on Aug 4, 2014 18:05:57 GMT
My preferred method is using a ferro rod. I use to carry the $5 ones off Self Reliance Outfitters all the time but haven't for a while.
I have a few of the 1/2'' ones from firesteel.com. I have made fire with with flint and steel and bowdrill, and although I carry a butane lighter and matches with me when camping, I usually leave those in the pack unless I really need them or get lazy.
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:
and you can bring Rescue Riley with you.