Basic Fire Starting

by MHM
27 October 2018

  There are several methods to be used when starting a fire in a survival situation. These range from the paleo to iron age methods, and more useful modern implements for those who’ve left their matches at home (or handy lighter).
  For starters, a fire needs to have three basic materials to burn. This includes combustible materials (in our case wood), oxygen, and flame.
  One of the earliest fire making methods was to rub two dry pieces of wood together in the friction method of firemaking (either using a fire drill, hand method, etc). Of course, if you are in a wet environment this is especially problematic. I attended one black powder Rendezvous out west during May, and it rained the entire weekend. One hard core reenactor, influenced by primitive trekker Mark Baker, sat near his lean-to and fanned the fire throughout his 2 ½ day  stay, keeping his small fire going while also attempting to dry out water soaked wood. Even digging down under the deadfall and leaves, we could not find dry wood. Some of the more enterprising buckskinners brought along lantern or charcoal fluid for such a contingency (use gasoline only as a last resort).
  To build a fire, one has to start with good tinder, and this can be in the form of pine straw, cattail down, and dried leaves or grasses (we’ve even used buffalo and cow dung). A successful fire is built up using kindling, which can be shaped to form a small box or triangle, gradually adding finger sized sticks. As the fire catches, add in larger pieces of wood, keeping in mind to keep the fire relevant to the task at hand (cooking) or reasonable (for survival) with a decent bed of coals. Wet wood can be placed around the edge of the camp fire to dry out, turning as required.

  Eventually, our thoughtful ancestors located materials to create sparks, and the concept of striking iron bearing stones on flint (such as pyrite) or other suitable materials caught on. This method requires dried tinder which has a charred edge to catch the spark, which in turn will glow with a small red edge. This material is then placed amongst the tinder (or “birds nest”) and is coaxed by blowing on it. Make sure you hold the material up to avoid smoke getting into your eyes.
  By the iron age, fire steels were common and only required striking the steel against a suitable piece of flint. I’ve seen reenactors use agate and other hard stones to produce sparks. One can also use the pan in his/her firelock to catch sparks on char (making sure your weapon is unloaded) To make charcloth, use a heavy natural cloth which will hold the ember; it must be baked in a container which chars the cloth, but doesn’t burn it to a cinder. After poking a hole in the top of the container, place a few pieces of cloth inside, seal it, and place in the coals of the fire. Make sure that smoke comes out of the hole, not a flame, which means your cloth is burning (simply poke a stick in the hole, and remove the container from the coals if this happens). After it cools, remove the stick and repeat the process, making sure you don’t place the container directly into the flames.  

  Char can come in several forms, from charred wood, fungi, to heavy cloth. I’ve coaxed a  fire using very small embers from coals barely smoldering in the morning campfire. Getting a fire going seems to brighten spirits, no doubt a deeply ingrained process shared by our ancient ancestors, since it brought security, cooked food, provided light, and had religious and ceremonial purposes. 

  During the 18th century, several methods were used to artificially create fire using chemicals. One example includes two vials of phosphorus and two of alum and sugar, carried by Captain Meriwether Lewis of the US Army’s Corps of Discovery during the 1804-1806 expedition. A relatively simple method is to mix sugar and potassium permanganate in equal quantities, which when ground, will ignite. There are several other methods used to ignite potassium permanganate, ranging from glycerine to anti-freeze. However, for the most part I’d stick to the inexpensive and less hazardous substances and basic techniques.       While most natives had the luxury of fire steels, there were still tribes encountered by the L&C expedition who were using fire bows. I saw a reenactor at Fort Union, Montana use a bow drill to make an ember and fire in less than 45 seconds. 

  Some folks use magnesium fire starters, but I’ve made fire much quicker using a flint and steel kit. I used a magnesium fire starter in the ‘70’s during BSA outings, and won first place in a fire starting competition during a jamboree. I’ve found that using a flint and steel kit is much quicker; one strike and the spark is on the char, and we have a fire going in less than 15 seconds. The magnesium fire starter has the advantage that once the magnesium shavings are ignited, they will certainly burn, even in wet weather.  

  For small camp stoves and other requirements, some campers soak cotton balls in wax. This also has the additional advantage of using wax pieces to get your fire going in wet weather. I’ve used pine cones, which are filled with sap and produce a surprising amount of flame. When I was a Boy Scout, we used to coat strike-anywhere matches with wax, using a fingernail to remove the coating on the head just before striking. 

  Another inexpensive method for fire starting is to use cotton cord charred on the end, or to soak the cord in a potassium nitrate solution, and let dry. I’ve used this method for my matchlock musket. Once a spark is caught on the material, it burns with a very large bright coal which is difficult to extinguish (1/2 inch or larger cord works well). You will have to experiment with a solution which burns the slowest (for example, two tablespoons of KNO3 in a two liter jug of water, soaked for 15 minutes). When dry, my cord burned an inch in seven minutes.  

  One expeditious means of fire starting is to use a battery. This can range from using the leads of your car battery hooked to extension cables and creating a spark, or using D cells with fine steel wool. Make sure you have your camp fire ready before starting these tasks, and clear out an area near your fire of combustibles. 

  Finally, small cigarette lighters can be picked up at the dollar store, usually three in a package for a buck. These come in quit handy camping, and you can either supplement your strike anywhere matches with them or keep in the glove compartment of your vehicle or backpack.

mhm

Old School Survival (OSS) blog

27 October 2018

          "Interior of a  Hut of a Mandan Chief" by Karl Bodmer, 1834.