Welcome to the Fire!

[PetrifiedWood]

It has been a long time coming. We are growing, and a subject so integral to the outdoor experience deserves a forum of it's own. 
Use this section to post all things fire related.

[zammer]

       

[Woodscrafter]

I love fire!

[Woodscrafter]

Living near the delaware river is a low lying swampy area, some times i have trouble finding dry kindling to get a fire going. Because of this, i often carry a zip lock bag full of hamster bedding to use as kindling.
Hamster bedding comes in pine and cedar.
Both are bone dry and take a spark well, especially if you smash some up into a powder and use bigger pieces to maintain the fire.
Cedar bedding also repels insects around your camp if you sprinkle some around on the ground.

[upthecreek]

Been a while back but I've always liked that I made fire with water.



Creek

[PetrifiedWood]

I remember that video!

[wolfy]

So do I 

[upthecreek]

..and I just get prettier!

Creek

[crashdive123]

I did a few vids a while back for those that are just getting into starting fires with methods other than a match, but may not want to ask for fear of being ridiculed for not knowing.  FEAR NOT!  None of that will happen at Blades and Bushlore!

Here's one of different fire starters.

[crashdive123]

Another using flint and steel.

[crashdive123]

A few man made tinders that some will carry.

[crashdive123]

Questions answered about using steel wool and a 9 volt battery.

[wolfy]

Good idea, Crash!   Thanks for taking the time to do that.

[xj35s]

I've tried to share this with everyone. It's my take on firesteel fire starting. I wanted to prove that a good ferro is a lot like a match. they will light shaved wood directly. no cotton ball with vaseline. no char cloth or char punk wood. This is a dead tree branch pulled from a down tree. It was either ash or popular I'm not positive.

I shaved this pile using a Mora, Ontario U.S.A.F.pilot, and my Fiskars X7 which did the best of all of them.

Th finer the wood the quicker it'll flame up. I have better ferro rods now too this was a cheapy, but still worked.




Okay I feel obligated to share the Fiskars too. I love this thing....

[PetrifiedWood]

Works!

Yeah, good tinder is the important thing with a ferro rod. Dry grass and juniper bark usually go right up. Shavings have been hit or miss for me but I know they can work. Better to save your PJ cotton balls or other tinder for when the conditions aren't as favorable.

[DomC]

Here is a short video I made while in a Florida State Park involving a piece of lighter knot shavings, magnesium shavings and a fire steel. I didn't want to start a big fire and attract attention so I found a bottle cap and used it to lessen the imprint. I have used this method before while camping in a designated primitive campsite...
 

DomC

[offtrail]

This video is from last year pike fishing trip and camping. The fire was started with a toy cap and cotton but you can also use seed fluff and dry grass rubbed between the hands as tinder.