Had an opportunity to test fire making in the rain and very strong wind today. Here's the thing. Even with tried and true methods like Vaseline cotton balls and a BIC lighter and a ferro rod, if you are exposed, it is really difficult. Strong wind was more detrimental than the rain. Once the tinder ignited, the wind would snuff it. Even the cotton balls. Once I move everything to a spot sheltered from wind, no problem. Even though I used the partially burned, wind snuffed cotton ball and was still in the rain. Raging fire in no time. Here's how it looked before the wind and rain picked up.
Sachmo believes in ample warning. There is nothing silent about his waggin end. Invariably I make the mistake of cracking up when I hear him do it, rather than wisely shutting my mouth and pulling my shirt over my nose.
In my house I am the deadliest ..even those green gas pills don't help. My arse could be called a WMD especially on taco night
I've completely derailed Hanzo's thread. Hanzo, where I live there's no such thing as no wind. One of my tricks to fire starting is to use a toilet paper tube stuffed half full with whatever will burn... dead grass, pine needles, whatever. Set it vertical, surround it with the larger twigs, branches, then stick the lighter or match down inside the tube to light. The tube will protect from the wind long enough for the stuff to catch, and once the tube itself catches it will usually continue to burn. If we're trying to light a fire on the ground (rare since we're always under burn bans here), we have to dig a bit of a hole to get things down out of the wind a bit. It's a real pill though, no matter what you do, and there's always the danger that the wind will carry a spark somewhere it doesn't need to be, and then you wind up with more fire than you ever needed.
Your not to blame Ditch Witch it was my fault. I personally carry an emergency blanket to wrap around myself when trying to start a fire when conditions are windy. it is small enough to carry without increasing your weight much, and if you happen to need to get a fire started quick when you don't have anything to block the wind you can use this effectively.
I've always thought I'd build a rocket stove from some resident rocks. I'd go try it, but I live on sand!! Maybe I'll go collect some rocks and give it a go. Should be raining and blowing a gale any day now!!
No derailing, Ditch Witch. You just made it funner. I happen to be an expert at making wind myself. And unfortunately, Mrs. Hanzo and the monkeys ARE WMDs. So I am also an expert at taking it. Normally, I would set up for a fire in a more sheltered spot. And in wind like today, I wouldn't make a fire unless I had something to contain it. It was really blowing. We had zero wind coverage and we in the open. We were visiting my dad's grave and my mom has her way that she always does things at the cemetery. In the wind there, the only way I can get her candles and such lit is usually to wrap some vaseline cotton around the tips to get them going. Just not today. So had to improvise. The grave markers are flat into the ground and we were on a hill. In the end, we got it done. But the usual way was not working. On a day like today, an emergency blanket would have been a sail. Ground pegs would probably not hold in that kind of wind.
My sheltie, Gia (a female) and her predecessor Jazz, both are/were accomplished at the SBD. Lethal gas. On a par with Zyklon B, lol
That would normally work. But I think they would frown on me gathering and piling "stone" in a cemetery. I try not to swear, especially around my kids (or anyone else's). So when Mrs. Hanzo gasses me, I yell (way too often), "Fairy Godmother!!" My kids know to run when they hear. They run away laughing at my demise. Mrs. Hanzo is often the, ahem, butt of my kids' jokes.
I also carry a cigar lighter (torch) and it works well in wind. But then again, I do enjoy a good cigar now and again.
I try to set up a wind block before i start with the lighter or matches, if it is really windy use these http://www.industrialrev.com/assets/images/products/mt-sm.jpg. They are hands down the best matches for the wind, however if it is really windy then they will not go out but will not flame.
I can only replay that at times I need a wind starter. Today my wife with good Intentions called while she was in town and she was buying us lunch at Popeyes fried chicken so I ordered a 3 piece white meat. Great so far, She shows up with the 3 piece dinner + red beans and rice, Good stuff dat until... This evening sitting inside a 4x4 enclosed deer stand... Well let's just say it's like having your own Privite little gas chamber... I didn't see any deer!
Look for bark on a dead tree, or a few deadfalls. I' ve found the best way to start a fire in adverse conditons is the prep.
If starting a fire anywhere in the capital, I would advise a LARGE tarp as a wind screen, as they tend to have lots of useless wind there.