What is your preferred method of fire lighting.

I'm kind of supprised nobody mentioned the good old Zippo lighter yet. In these fast-paced days it seems the Zippo is going out of style, replaced by the newer propane torch lighters. That's all well and good, the propane models put out a hot flame, but how easy is it to get (usable, refillable for the lighter) propane in an emergency ?

The original Zippo hasn't changed in the basic design since 1933. The original fuel was Naptha, which can be had for $7 a quart at the local hardware store. I've heard that diesel fuel or kerosene will work in a pinch.

I rummaged around the house and found all of my old lighters. No, I do not smoke, but I used to carry a lighter on me all the time. I just fell out of practice.

So I thought it was time to refurbish the lighters so I bought 4 sets of wicks and 4 sets of flints. Amazingly, the lighters didn't need any wicks as the ones that were in them just needed trimmed a half inch. I replaced the all the short flints with new ones.

Then I just filled them all up with Naptha and tested them out. Super simple setup.

 

Another Excellent Thread

I am impressed with all of the hard won knowledge shared here.

I'll definitely be buying some fire steels and getting up to speed on some of this good to know fire starting advice.

It does seem to be really wise to have multiple methods of starting a fire.

 

I always carry 2 firesteels and 2 lighters...never ever had matches...sometimes, if longer camping, even butane refill bottle...I'm a smoker, so...I need fire...lol

 

Bow and stick. And if you don't have string, rub and base is great. But I find the easiest is a lighter.

 

Focused

I admire your intense focus.

Please share about the 2 firesteels. Is one a tube and the other a steel with striker attached or what?

About your lighters--are they identical or somewhat different--if they are different why?

I'm just recently into putting together a few multiple mode fire starter kits for each member of our family to have with them.

 

In my neck pack I carry a firesteel that screws in aluminum tube and is waterproof and has built in striker in casing...It's long and thick, and can be replaced. In the tube there's room for one cotton-wax or cotton-gel ball. On my knife I carry the magnesium square thingy with built in thin firesteel with no striker...I use one of my knives for striking... Both lighters are cheap plastic transparent lighters, refillable. Both with electronic trigger, no flints. If they get wet, or moist, flint fails. I also carry small plastic container with cotton dipped in something...I experiment a lot...
So far I tried alcohol gel, petrol, wax, petroleum gel and a clear transparent paper glue...Glue is hardest to light, but it burns longest...wax is next.
I usually carry a mix...alcohol or petrol cotton ball and glue or wax ball. I use small piece of alcohol or petrol cotton ball as a starter for big glue or wax ball when I play with my firesteels...For lighter, it doesn't matter...
Hope this helps...

Cheers!

 

Well Thought Out

Bane,

No doubt about it, you have really thought this fire starting thing through! And, you continue to work on it.

Please keep us advised if you do find a superior cotton ball fuel to infuse.

It seems like the fire steels are one of your mainstays. I cannot believe I just recently got into them, myself.

Thanks for sharing!

 

No problem...of course, flint stone and steel can replace firesteel in need, and you also have the rubbing-spinning sticks method...If you know how to start a fire anytime, anywhere, your odds are rising...

 

Daylight?

I prefer to use the reusable magnifying glass, to light one wick of the NuWick can-candle. At night, or on cloudy days, I use one of the butane lighters to do the same. If it's an extreme emergency (wet/cold) I'd use the magnesium bar to ignite 1 or more of the vasoline-soaked cottonballs that I carry in the Campmor "matchcase", and use those to get some "fuzzsticks" going. The sticks will then dry out larger sticks, and get a real fire going.

 

You and me both. Lots of bic lighters on hand, several boxes of strike anywhere matches, and a case of waterproof matches. If all else fails, jumper cables from a 12 volt battery, some tinder and mag. flakes and a little sparkeldoya !

 

1: Zippo
2: Bic
3: "Strike Anywhere" Matches (dipped in wax to make them waterproof)
3: Flint/Steel ( with a magnesium stick)
4: 9V and steel wool
5: Fresnel lens (credit card sized, kept in my EDC tin)

The "tinder" I carry is drier lint mixed with Vasline (kept in a film canister) and I have my "boy scout" fire bombs - paper egg carton cups filled with shredded paper (from my paper shredder) and paraffin wax poured over them. Use your knife, break a chunk off, light and it burns like crazy, even wet!

 

Mk 79's with willie pete ... for big stuff......

For camp fires Zippo for primary with backups pretty much like Falcon....

 

Hand drills and fire bows are no fun in the wet season in Central America.. Tried for the first time, an hour or so of each, blood and blisters.. but no fire.

Gonna stick to the ferro rods and magnesium for the time being..

 

Preferential to strike anywhere matches myself...all I have to do to make them waterproof is dip them in wax? I make (paraffin wax) candles to *try* to sell, so always got plenty of wax on hand.

 

I cannot believe that this thread is on page no7,Kool.

 

maybe It's just because I'm getting old and in the winter I am cold all the time it just dont matter anymore so I don't do any of the primitive methods to light a fire. I carry with me a zippo candle lighter with spare can of butane, and I also keep a decent supply of esbit/trioxamine tabs. in my bag i also keep a tube or two of fire paste.

 

Haven't read the thread yet but my bug out pack and survival supplies include the Blastmatch.. you can start a fire with one hand with these, they really kick out some hot sparks

YouTube - Blast Match Fire Starter

For emergency kindling nothing beats dryer lint and I have a bag of it in my bug out pack. I also have 3 USGI match cases full of matches and a Bic lighter, as well as a bunch of trioxane tabs. Also a survival candle tin with matches included and a small household candle

 

Another vote for a Bic lighter.

Having dryer lint, and cotton (together with vaseline or hand sanitizer which have dual purposes is a plus), or birch bark, candles, a even just a fuzz stick.

 

accelerant (gas,alcohol) or an oil (used motor,bacon grease,veggie) on kindling and a bic,match,torch.