fire good...

[Nixter]

A simple walk in the woods. A picture taking walk. No hunting in the plans.

You get wrapped up in taking photographs. You are lost in a rather small parcel of woods (200 acres for discussions sake).

You are lost now. You need a fire for warmth.

How are you going to start that fire. Right now. Considering just a casual walk in the woods. I mentioned photography for discussions sake.

What did you bring with you on this very casual walk?

45mins to an hour in a straight line will bring you to a road. That will get you to your car/truck one or one and a half hours from finding the road. Or so you think.

With these convoluted circumstances, what happens now?

How are you prepared for this simple walk in the woods?

I bring this up because a similar situation was brought up to me not too long ago. Two men went for a walk in the woods. Just a walk. They got turned around within an hour. Might have been ugly but they found a marked trail to safety before dark.

What if they never found that trail? No food, no way to start a fire.

Open for discussion.

Simple do's and don't's are welcome as well as advanced survival techniques.

Nixter

[BamBams]

If it's sunny, the camera lens can be used to start a fire.  In fact, it'll work better than a magnifying glass.

[Micahn]

When ever I go for a walk in the woods I always have a knife with me. I also smoke so always seem to have a way to start a fire with me.

Also I can not see someone getting lost so bad in 200 acres that they could not find their way out. Just walk in straight line for a while to get to one edge.

[longwalker]

Nixter

First off we need to be a little prepared. And you need to decide quickly if you are in trouble or not. Many people amble about for hours only to come to the conclusion they will have to spend the night. Now they have to do everything in the dark.

I would have with me a small piece of pine moulding. This will stay dry and is very easy to light. The size of a wallet works well. And a knife and some matches or a lighter !

Collect your fire with as much small "snap" wood as possible. ( thin and dry so that it "snaps" when you break it with your fingers )
about two handfulls

Then pencil size sticks about three hands full

Now you can start adding larger sticks finger size and up.

The idea is to gradually build up to wrist size branchs of which you will need piles because you won't want to be gathering wood at 0200 hours. They are most likely the largest size you will be able to break with out tools.

To begin use your knife and carve off a big handfull of shavings from the pine moulding. This should look like curly cues. Then carve off some thin strips like tooth picks.

place some of the pencil wood on the ground. this will be the base of your fire. shelter the spot as best you can. place the the "fluffy" shaving in to a small pile. add the strips and some "snap" wood to form a cone. If you have some thin tree bark carefully place some of it on the up wind side of the tinder pile. Which should be about the size of a baseball.

If need be cover the fire with your jacket. ( you might only get one match to light if it's cold ) light the fire by placing the flame as close to the bottom of the tinder pile as possible.

remove your smokey coat, and add small amounts of snap wood to get the fire as hot as possible before adding the pencil wood and finger wood. This is critical to add incrementally larger sticks to the fire. Because the coals of the fire are what keep it burning over a long period of time.

If two of you are available to collect wood, take turns, because it is my experience that when you think you have enough get three time more. You will need it.

Lastly keep the fire small. It will last longer because your fuel supply will not be exhausted as fast. About the size of a basketball.


longwalker

[kgillard]

Hi guys,

I'm not a pro at this, but I always carry several "strike anywhere" matches in a waterproof container.  You can fit about 15-20 matches in one that can be found at any Academy store or if your a photographer, use a film canister.  Doesn't take much room!

Next, if your in piney woods or any woods with pine type trees, simply use your knife to slice off some bark or make gashes in the tree.  I don't want to get anyone upset by talking of mistreating trees, but this is for life and limb...correct?  Anyway, shortly after making a cut in the tree, it will bleed sap.  That sap is like lighter fluid and will fire up easily.

Another little item I take with me is a small plastic baggy containging cotton balls that have been soaked in vaseline.  Try it at home and you'll be surprised how long they burn.  I start my outside fireplace with them all the time and the cost is little to nothing.

I never leave home without some type of knife and I never go into the woods without a method to start a fire.  Hope this helps!

Karl

[hellbilly075]

Heres something to chew on. When I was young 11 or 12 or so (im 30 now). I always had a predisposition for survival skills and wanted to take a weekend trip by myself to practice my newly learned skills. Finally I convinced my parents to let me go. We-they decieded to let me go on the family farm which is 160 acres because I knew it and wasnt far away. Now I wasnt scared of the dark as a youngster but being alone in the wilderness can be daunting even for the most hardiest of souls. All the macho BS aside staying the night in the woods by yourself is scary. Now listening to the sounds of the night after a week of being in an industrial hellhole is the balm that soothes my aching being. What got me going through those two days and so many since is mentally psyching yourself out that you are the ultimate predator in the woods at that time. Cognitive thinking skills and opposible thumbs put you at an advantage. Smell the woodsmoke and the aroma of the rabbit you snared as its cooking as you inventory your equipment and plan for the next days meal. Staying the night in the woods can be fun if you are mentally prepared and dont let your imagination get the best of you. Every so often I spend the night in the woods with no fire and just listen to the sounds of the night and try to identify what makes what sound. Night is different because in the day you really dont listen, you hear but dont listen to whats going on around you. At night thats the only sense you have so it is magnified. Just take some time and take a night and just listen. Enjoy the night.
                                                                         -Hellbilly

[slink]

a mile square has 640 acres, so you are talking about a patch of woods that you could almost throw a rock out of, in at least one direction.  How do you stay lost in such a tiny area? You'd have to break a leg, in cold weather, to be at risk in such a tiny piece of timber.  Even then, with a butane lighter and a pocketknife, you'd be alright, if you knew what to do. build a smoky fire, splint-immoblizle the break, make a crutch, hobble out if the fire didn't draw any attention in a day or so.  Have to find water (and render it safe to drink) within 24 hours, of course.  Sticks and strips of your clothing-socks would serve to make the splint.  Since I don't go anywhere without lighter and knife, seems reasonable to assume that I'd have them for such a little hike.

[Turtle]

For what it's worth, I have been practicing to try and make fire with a bow drill.  Reason being is I usually wear lace up boots and will have at least a boot string to use on the drill if I don't have matches or flint and steel.

Trying to learn how to produce fire with a bow drill has been challenging and I still have not been successful but I will keep trying.  Figure it's better to learn how before you actually need it.  Rather thank trying to learn as night closes in on you and you're gonna be spending it alone in the woods.

- Turtle -

[slide-flipper]

right now in my ruck there are two flashlights (2 AA Maglight and a AAA minimaglight), a Gerber multi-tool, a Gerber folder, a cigarette lighter, and a small (about 1 1/2" square) piece of parafin/sawdust fire starter, my cell phone, a small first aid kit (in a band-aid can), a whistle and my reflective belt.  All that stuff stays in one pocket of my ruck.  When I'm not on base in the middle of Germany, it's still there.  When I'm in the US in the woods, it's still there.  Now that I think about it, I had better had a sharpener just in case and maybe 50' of 550 cord.  That'll add another 6 ounces and still fit in that one pocket...  
Had a big power outage one time when I was in Alabama.  My building didn't have any windows... out pops the mag light and Mikey was beatin' feet out of the building whilst everyone else was getting used to the "emergency lighting" which didn't quite live up to it's name...  NCOIC said I was the only SOB who would have a flashlight with him at work, on base, in peace time, in the US and in the day time!

[stolivar]

Flint and Lint is all you need for a fire. Have used it for the last 30 years. Works better then bark or anything else. put a little in a film canister  or use an old cigaret tin and carry the magnesium flint in it also. (Fits in your pocket)



steve

[hillbill]

turtle, i admire your perserverance, starting a fire with only a bootlace and no preconceived accesories is a amazing thing. let us know how you do it.i know it can be done but it make take a couple hrs to do it. let us know the complete procedure if yu get success, i would like to teach my son.we may start out with the flint and steel and go to the bow drill.

[victorcharlie]

For what it's worth, I have been practicing to try and make fire with a bow drill.  Reason being is I usually wear lace up boots and will have at least a boot string to use on the drill if I don't have matches or flint and steel.

Trying to learn how to produce fire with a bow drill has been challenging and I still have not been successful but I will keep trying.  Figure it's better to learn how before you actually need it.  Rather thank trying to learn as night closes in on you and you're gonna be spending it alone in the woods.

- Turtle -

Making fire with a bow isn't that hard, but ain't easy either. 

Make sure your wood is dry.  Cut a small notch into the wood so it will get air and you can feed tender when you get it smoking.  Then cut a small bowl into the notch for your bit to fit into.

It's fire by friction, so use as long a bow as possible and keep the bit speed high.  Use another piece of wood on the top of the bit to steady it.......The wood won't flame but will make a small coal that will need to be fed into a flame.  Once you get the coal them blow on it to keep it going.

To get the idea, chuck a piece of dowl into a 1/2 inch drill and try it under power first, then switch to the bow and provide you own power.

This skill is demonstrated by the adult leadership of the boy scouts at most every camp-o-ree........and at wood badge (adult leader training), as well as flint and steel and fire from a lens.........

[Nixter]

It seems this thread did just what I wanted it to.

Develop topics for discussion.

Yes, the area I frequent is quite small and if I get lost all I have to do is walk in a straight line and I will find a road. No big deal. Expand my play area to a section or two and the question gets more serious. Add an injury or bad weather and the stakes get even higher. Stumble across an injured hunter, hiker or horse-man/woman and the stakes get higher yet.

Being prepared to save your own bacon is one thing, saving anothers'  changes everything.

Thanks to all who responded.

No need to stop now though.


Nixter