March: Bushcraft Fire Basics

So some of you might be subscribed already to my youtube channel. Others may not. I am doing a series of fire basics videos for this month. It is aimed more at the new Bushcrafters but might be informative to intermediate level as well.

Here is the playlist if you don't have a youtube account to subscribe but would like to watch them.


It only has 1 video at the moment. Each Friday starting on March 4th of the week a new video will posted to this playlist with a new fire method.

The series will cover simples stuff like matches, lighters, and ferro rod
but also go into flint and steel, fire piston, and the bow drill(3 videos on bow drilling)
At the end of the series i'll campout, utilize one of the skills learned in the field and then we will do a giveaway of one of the fire methods I covered.

Thanks monkeys!

-Phorisc
Live The Adventure

 

Looking forward to this!

 

Here is the first video for fire basics, covering matches, lighters as well as the ferro rod.


-Phorisc
Live The Adventure

 

Are you also looking for methods not listed?

 

Feel free to give suggestions. This was for basics of firestarting, but i can expand on this in other episodes. you thinking more out of the box methods?
Next week is flint and steel, following that is fire piston, and then bow drill.

 

Several tubes of superglue, on a cotton ball will self combust. (It must be cotton) it is an exothermic or indothermic reaction. (I can never remember which)

 

oh cool, never heard of that. I need to try that out

-Phorisc
Live The Adventure

 

I have a story that pretty much applies to any of these methods. I worked for the Forest Service for over 30 years. For several years when I first started with them we would do a lot of timber cruising, marking or boundary painting in the winter months on snow shoes. Some times our crew was only two people, some times 5 or 6. Each day the crew boss would pick a different person to make a one match lunch fire. As time went on, everyone on the crew became very good and making a one match fire. The weather was always wet or frozen. A good test. One match only and a knife or hatchet. No excuses. If the match don't strike or flames out, you loose. If you don't start a one match fire that day, there was no lunch fire. The peer pressure was on. Preparation was critical.

 

wow that would be a good way to make someone prep everything super well. so anyone ever fail at the one match fire?

 

Here is todays Fire basics...Flint and Steel if you are interested in making char cloth there is a video on the channel...


Phorisc
Live The Adventure

 

It was easy to fail the first time for many. After that most people paid pretty close attention to detail. Making sure you have good matches and bullet proof tinder, fine fuels and kindling was the main elements to success.

 

Ya I imagine that would be the key to a successful one match fire. Thanks for sharing

 

Fire Basics continues....with the fire piston!

Not my favorite method but its cool to get it to work

-phorisc
Live The Adventure

 

Question ,
If the fire piston is considered a bushcraft method, why not the magnifying lens ?

 

Hey I carry one of those. I was just going over basic fire starting methods in this series.
I should do another series called like "more fire basics" or something and cover other methods.

I think a better way to describe all these methods is Firecraft rather than Bushcraft. All methods are valid for firecraft in my book. Some are just more primitive than others, and those tend to be what most bushcrafters gravitate towards.

 

Here is the first of 3 bow drill videos for this week of fire basics. It is more of a discussion about the bow drill, next video covers building the bow drill as well as the last video will cover building it.

 

cool trick when your in the rain and need a fire i mean a down pour what you do is build a small dome inside like the size of a basketball build it with sticks then cover it with about a foot of leafs this will make a dry spot under the dome now take your lint of if dont have liny then use cedar bark a spark and you have fire under the dome it will grow and catch the dome on fire feed it bigger wood and your set

 

On another forum they are big into alternative methods for fire making and even discuss a patch for those most skilled I thought it a good idea .
Like the scouts you have to earn patches that represent your skill achievements, not only for one another but for those that are completely unskilled to recognize.
In the event it becomes necessary your patch identifies you with said skill.
In a survival event I believe that it is important for every one to be as trained as is possible, and knowing who is trained and who is not is an edge important in group survival.
So if you wear the badge you'd best actually know what your doing , you may well be put in the spot.
During the dark ages when a village was being over run by an enemy the one family preserved was the black smith because the whole family had a part in the process and blacksmithing was considered a very serious asset.
If you have nothing that shows /identifies your skills you are nothing but cannon fodder .
food for thought.
If your skills depend on a machine that is no longer available say an X ray technician and there are no X ray machines functioning available , your skill is useless, even though it was invaluable at one time.
A mechanic with no tools, or a book keeper and there is no money, ect ,,,
But an avid gardener or herbalist or skills that will be functional post SHTF or worse , these will endure so long as they have the seeds and plant to maintain. .
I realize the some of you here would have patches down both sleeves, and that's a good thing.
Some of the rest of us will have to pay attention and learn all the more and practice those things we learn.

 

Interesting idea. If nothing else....emergancy toliet paper.
So who makes them, cost, that would entail a testing procedure, and personal info needed for delivery, and ranking. That could be problematic.