Survival Fire

[ICEMAN]

She hears it everyday.....she ought to know... 

[woodswalker]

I don't worry about the PC crowd to much when building these fires, I believe my life is far more valuable than their feelings

Ab-so-freaking-lutely....the PC crowd can go dunk their pointy heads.  I WILL survive.

Having spent the night out more than once..and once injured (hoping that the guys in camp would catch on and not just eat my portion of dinner and drink my portion of the beer)  I just build a fire, get comfy, eat what i have and make some tea or bullion and get set to stay for a while.  Did it over on the west side of the Olympics...near the Hoh...that was a WET but warm night...I EVENTUALLY dried out and slept for several hours.

All goodness, I carry enough gear that I can stay out most anywhere in any conditions and I dont leave the truck or camp without it.

[ICEMAN]

Bump

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I saw these posts and was kind of curious, After reading all the input from everyone else, why nobody has mentioned a basic fire starting tip I learned from my father (who grew up on a homestead in Canada before becoming an American Citizen to go fight in WWII )
He told me "The dryest wood in the forest is still hanging on the trees"
The branches on the inside of the tree, close to the trunk of almost every evergreen are dead dry and protected from the elements from the outer live branches.
The thicker the woods, the more dead branches there are, on just about any kind of tree.
I have never had a problem getting a fire started, as long as I had a dependable source of flame, even have successfully started a fire with a "Bow and Drill" as part of a course I took back in 1978 called "Wilderness Survival/Camper Safety" put on by Explorer Scouts, although as mentioned it is a pain in the butt..

[Alchase]

All you want to do is fall asleep.  Its a euphoric high almost where it hurts to move and you are lulled into thinking life is good if you just relax and take a snooze.  Its hard to press on and very hard to regain it back to reallity once it has set in. 

I feel that way after a large breakfast, lol

Good thread, after spending 6 years in the Navy in a mostly hypodermic state I have become more "cold sensitive" with age. As Woodswalker said, I now take enough gear and various types of fire starters, Vaseline cotton balls, lighters in many pockets in ziplock baggies, fire sticks, even matches.
Now I hate cold feet!

[Pathfinder101]

I saw these posts and was kind of curious, After reading all the input from everyone else, why nobody has mentioned a basic fire starting tip I learned from my father (who grew up on a homestead in Canada before becoming an American Citizen to go fight in WWII )
He told me "The dryest wood in the forest is still hanging on the trees"
The branches on the inside of the tree, close to the trunk of almost every evergreen are dead dry and protected from the elements from the outer live branches.
The thicker the woods, the more dead branches there are, on just about any kind of tree.
I have never had a problem getting a fire started, as long as I had a dependable source of flame, even have successfully started a fire with a "Bow and Drill" as part of a course I took back in 1978 called "Wilderness Survival/Camper Safety" put on by Explorer Scouts, although as mentioned it is a pain in the butt..

Good point Stik.  I tell my survival students the same thing.  Additionally, if you have to use a primitive method, it will not work with wood you find laying on the ground (either for your drill, your plough, or your fireboard).  Wood found on the ground has moisture in it, even if it is laying in the sun on a hot day during a drought.  You have to use dead standing wood.

[Black Plague]

great thread....one thing that works great wet is Wetfire... it is expensive but the alternative is weber fire starter...its the exact same stuff, you get more of it and the blocks are bigger...it works good even in the rain. ....heres a link...   Weber Fire Starters Possible WetFire Tinder Clone 2
cool stuff.

[NWTFhunter]

Good thread Ice.  As I was reading I kept waiting to see an item that not only will start a fire but feed you.  Doc asked about it but no one commented on it.  Corn chips.  They burn hot and slow, and I have yet to have them fail me.
Also, as I hunt I always look for damaged Pine trees as they will have bled pitch thru the summer and pooled a nice glob of pitch. I take that glob and put it in a ziplock that I carry in my pack.

[ICEMAN]

Thanks guys, I love the topic. Since a wee little lad I was always playing with new ways to make firestarter and such. Not sure if I posted it in this ol' thread but after reading about two guys who flipped their boats coming down a river in alaska, where they could not get out of the water for a time due to the canyon walls, they were so cold nothing worked. Hands were like clubs.  I even cut a couple of road flares on my chopsaw, then re-dipped the 1/3 size good ends with the ignitors on them, redipped everything in wax really well. This is what I keep in my steelheading vest, a 1/3 stick dyno/flare/ignitor. This is what they claimed what would have saved those guys, and there have been times when I have pushed my luck steelheading/walking the shore where if I went in, it would be a while until I could get back out and try to start fire......figured this would be a good insurance policy...

[Wild Bill]

I saw these posts and was kind of curious, After reading all the input from everyone else, why nobody has mentioned a basic fire starting tip I learned from my father (who grew up on a homestead in Canada before becoming an American Citizen to go fight in WWII )
He told me "The dryest wood in the forest is still hanging on the trees"
The branches on the inside of the tree, close to the trunk of almost every evergreen are dead dry and protected from the elements from the outer live branches.
The thicker the woods, the more dead branches there are, on just about any kind of tree.
I have never had a problem getting a fire started, as long as I had a dependable source of flame, even have successfully started a fire with a "Bow and Drill" as part of a course I took back in 1978 called "Wilderness Survival/Camper Safety" put on by Explorer Scouts, although as mentioned it is a pain in the butt..

Good info, and some things i may add....
In a stupid wet environment (locally) look for Hemlock and the likes... Fir, Cedar, and Deciduous trees work, and follow the same idea, but Hemlock is much finer and if wet, tends to dry and ignite sooner..
If it's straight up poring and everything seems wet... Gather slightly larger limbs (approx. thumb size), get yourself close to a tree, and (if available) throw up a quick shelter (over the wood, to keep it dry once split). Tarp, tent even a plastic bag... Split the limbs into quarters with a knife (be VERY careful of non locking blade, they-ll bite) and light..

[3dvapor]

I carry a 30 minute flare in my back pack never needed it but its there just in case.  they burn really hot almost like a torch.

[Pathfinder101]

Good thread Ice.  As I was reading I kept waiting to see an item that not only will start a fire but feed you.  Doc asked about it but no one commented on it.  Corn chips.  They burn hot and slow, and I have yet to have them fail me.
Also, as I hunt I always look for damaged Pine trees as they will have bled pitch thru the summer and pooled a nice glob of pitch. I take that glob and put it in a ziplock that I carry in my pack.

Good point about the cornchips.  I have used them and they work well.  The main problem I have is getting them to survive past the first stomach growl in my survival kit when hunting with my son...

Better than a glob of pitch is "pitch-wood".  Find a rotten conifer stump, rotten enough so you can actually kick it apart.  In the very center, you will find unrotten wood where the pitch has settled and saturated and preserved the wood.  This can be split almost paper thin, and it is so soaked with pitch that it lights very easily.  Because it can be split so thin, it catches much easier than a glob of pure pitch.  It is also easier to transport and store in your survival kit, since it is not a sticky as a glob of pitch.  I keep a small handful of pitchwood slivers and shavings in an empty 35mm film canister in my survival kit.  Good stuff.

[Wild Bill]

Good thread Ice.  As I was reading I kept waiting to see an item that not only will start a fire but feed you.  Doc asked about it but no one commented on it.  Corn chips.  They burn hot and slow, and I have yet to have them fail me.
Also, as I hunt I always look for damaged Pine trees as they will have bled pitch thru the summer and pooled a nice glob of pitch. I take that glob and put it in a ziplock that I carry in my pack.

Good point about the cornchips.  I have used them and they work well.  The main problem I have is getting them to survive past the first stomach growl in my survival kit when hunting with my son...

Better than a glob of pitch is "pitch-wood".  Find a rotten conifer stump, rotten enough so you can actually kick it apart.  In the very center, you will find unrotten wood where the pitch has settled and saturated and preserved the wood.  This can be split almost paper thin, and it is so soaked with pitch that it lights very easily.  Because it can be split so thin, it catches much easier than a glob of pure pitch.  It is also easier to transport and store in your survival kit, since it is not a sticky as a glob of pitch.  I keep a small handful of pitchwood slivers and shavings in an empty 35mm film canister in my survival kit.  Good stuff.

Solid advice... With pitch wood, the wood can be wet and the pitch will still ignite.... If your in a area with a lot of Pine, pitchwood is EVERYWHERE!!!!!!! If your on the wet side, its a little harder to find but still all over the place...
I never recomend carrying it, as its easy to find and heavy, but if you do find that lovely piece, look for the stuff thats purple in color.... It's got the highest amount of pitch, and will all but light a mud puddle on fire....
A piece about 6 inches long and about the size of a thumb could be used to light a ton of fires, and its still light....
WB

[wabow]

If your on the wet side, its a little harder to find but still all over the place...

We just buy it at lowes, its called fatwood. 3 or 4 sticks weigh almost nothing and areasy to pack.

Don

[ICEMAN]

Bump for the guys reading the backwoods firestarter thread.