Category Archives: Fire Starting

Plasma Lighters for Survival Situations

When it comes to preparing for survival situations, having the right tools is essential. This is especially true when considering fire-making needs; a reliable and easy-to-use fire source can make a big difference in an emergency. That’s why plasma lighters are an ideal choice for campers and survivalists looking to stay prepared.

Plasma lighters use electrical arcs of energy rather than fuel, so you don’t need to worry about running out of fuel when you need it most. Additionally, they are rechargeable: simply plug them into any USB-compatible device to get them ready for your next adventure. Plasma lighters also have windproof designs that allow you to keep the flame going regardless of weather conditions.

1. Plasma lighters are an ideal choice for campers and survivalists looking to stay prepared.

2. They use electrical arcs of energy rather than fuel or batteries, so you don’t need to worry about running out of fuel or replacing batteries when you need it most.

3. Additionally, they are rechargeable: simply plug them into any USB-compatible device to get them ready for your next adventure.

4. Plasma lighters also have windproof designs that allow you to keep the flame going regardless of weather conditions.

5. With their reliable performance and ease of use, plasma lighters are a great choice for anyone looking to stay safe while out in the wild.

6. All in all, plasma lighters are an excellent tool for campers and survivalists alike. They offer a reliable, efficient fire-making solution that is easy to use and requires no fuel. And with their windproof designs and rechargeable capabilities, you can be sure you’ll stay prepared for any situation. So if you’re looking for a reliable way to make fire while camping or in a survival situation, look no further than the trusty plasma lighter!

Keep in mind that you will need a source of electricity to keep your plasma lighter going indefinitely. A solar panel is a great option for this to provide endless use while out in the woods.

Starting a Camp Fire with a Lens or Bottle

Starting a fire with a lens or the bottom of a glass bottle is an age-old technique that has been used since ancient times. It’s surprisingly easy to do and can be done without any special tools or materials. Here are the steps you’ll need to follow to get your fire started:

1. Find a sunny spot and gather any dry kindling you can find. This could include wood shavings, leaves, or twigs.

2. Place the kindling in a pile in an area that’s sheltered from the wind. Make sure it’s not too close to anything flammable like trees or buildings.

3. Angle your lens (or the bottom of a glass bottle) so that sunlight is focused on the kindling. Keep adjusting the angle until you can see smoke rising from the pile.

4. Once you have created enough heat and smoke, carefully introduce some oxygen to your kindling by fanning with your hand or using a bellow. This will help ignite it.

5. Once the kindling is burning, gradually add larger pieces of wood to your fire until you have a nice and steady flame going.

6. Make sure to always be mindful of safety when setting up and tending your fire. Keep an eye on the flames at all times and make sure that your fire does not spread to any of the surrounding areas.

7. Another important safety tip is to keep a bucket full of water handy in case you need to put out the fire quickly for any reason.

8. Finally, once your fire is burning steadily and safely, enjoy some hot food or drinks over it! You can also make use of its light and warmth to complete other tasks or just savor the moment as you relax.

9. Whether you’re an experienced camper or simply looking for a new way to start a fire, using a lens or the bottom of a glass bottle is one of the most effective methods out there. With just a few simple steps, you can be sure to get a warm and crackling fire going in no time.

Now that you know this method, keep in mind that someone’s discarded glass bottle can inadvertently start a forest fire. It’s important to never litter, and to always use safe practices when camping. This includes not building campfires during times of drought, and always being mindful of where embers may be traveling.

Starting a Fire with a Bow Drill

Starting a fire using a bow drill is an ancient technique that has been used for centuries to make fire without the use of modern tools. It involves creating friction between a spindle and a bearing block, which creates enough heat to catch tinder on fire and eventually build up larger flames. Here’s how it works:

1. Select a flat piece of wood and create a V-shaped notch in it with your knife or other cutting tool. This will act as the hearth board, where the friction will take place to create heat.

2. Lay down the spindle—a long length of straight wood anywhere from 12-24 inches long—on top of the hearth board. The spindle should fit snugly in the V-notch and should be able to spin freely when you rotate it with your hands.

3. Place the bearing block, a soft piece of wood shaped like an arrowhead, on top of the spindle. This piece will bear down on the spindle and help create friction to generate heat.

4. Hold the bearing block in place with your hands, while you use a bow—a curved piece of wood or branch about two to three feet long—to rotate the spindle quickly between your palms. Keep rotating for several minutes until you start seeing smoke coming from the V-notch.

5. Once you see smoke, gently blow on the ember to further fan it and encourage more smoke. You can then move the ember onto a tinder bundle—a bundle of dry grass, leaves or bark that will ignite easily when exposed to heat.

6. Fan the ember with your breath or a feather to further increase its oxygen supply. When the tinder starts burning, you can add more fuel like thin twigs and small branches until you get a decent flame going.

7. Once the fire is established, use larger logs and pieces of wood to grow it. Make sure you keep adding fuel regularly so the fire continues to burn. It’s also important to keep tending the fire, making sure that it doesn’t spread too far or get too hot.

8. Congratulations! You have successfully started a fire using a bow drill. Now you can start enjoying the warmth and light of your own campfire or cooking food over the open flame. This is a valuable skill to have, whether in the wilderness or during an emergency.

9. When you are done using the fire, make sure that you extinguish it completely before leaving the area. Spread water over the embers and stir them around to ensure that they are out. Once everything has cooled down, you can go on your merry way.

10. With the right technique, materials and practice, starting a fire with a bow drill is an achievable goal. The process of creating your own flame is incredibly satisfying and useful when you are out in nature or in a crisis situation. Keep practicing this skill until it becomes second nature and you can start fires confidently and quickly.

Magnesium Fire Starters

A magnesium fire starter is arguably the most reliable method of fire production known to man. I know that’s a bold claim but they have no moving parts to break down (i.e. a lighter, butane torch, bow drill, etc.), they can get wet and still keep working (i.e. matches), their fuel can’t leak out, and they require very little manual labor, unlike the bow drill. Sure, if you’re camping for the weekend you’re not going to be using a magnesium fire starter as your main fire source, you’re going to use a lighter, or a propane torch, or a pack of matches; but that’s not the intended use of a magnesium fire starter anyway. A magnesium fire starter is one of those items you put on your keychain, or throw in your bag, and forget about it until you actually have to make a fire and have no easier option.

How does a magnesium fire starter work?

Magnesium reacts with air in the presence of fire to produce magnesium oxide. The react is quite fast, bright, and hot. The high temperatures of this reaction are what makes magnesium such a good fire starter, but it can be difficult to get a fire going because of the speed of the reaction. Therefore, it’s important to have fast burning kindling around and on top of your magnesium pile so that it may catch before the magnesium has converted fully into magnesium oxide. Fast burning kindling could include items such as dry grass, leaves, paper, steel wool, etc.

Steps Involved

Before you use your magnesium fire starter it’s important to gather your small kindling, larger kindling, sticks, and finally large sticks and logs. Gather more than you anticipate using, especially of the smaller kindling. Separate your kindling piles from smallest to largest. You’re now ready to start using the fire starter.

Some magnesium fire starters come with a scraper and some do not. If yours has a scraper, simply start scraping off magnesium into a pile. Use a knife, or some other hard object if your fire starter didn’t come with a scraper. This is the most difficult part of the whole process and you’re hands will be tired once you have a pile that could fit roundly on a penny. The larger the pile the better, especially if you’re in wet conditions.

Be careful not to let the scrapings blow away. This may require blocking the wind with a rock or some other barrier. Once you have your magnesium pile you’re ready to place your smallest kindling around, and on, the magnesium, taking care not to cover the magnesium to such an extent that it’s completely safe from your sparks.

Next you’ll strike the flint rod living on the side of the magnesium block with your knife or scraper, all the way down the length of the rod, with enough force to create sparks. Practice a few times until you’re comfortable getting a large burst of sparks. Keep in mind that too much force can also blow away your magnesium pile. If you’re using your knife on the flint try striking towards the base of the knife so that you’re not dulling the crucially sharp areas you may need later.

Once the sparks catch the magnesium on fire begin adding more small kindling, followed by larger kindling, and finally sticks. You’re main goal in life has just become finding more fuel for that fire. Notice how quickly it is burning down. This will let you gauge how long you can be away looking for more firewood.

Fire Starting

Imagine you find yourself alone in the woods. It’s late October and there’s a chill in the air. You hadn’t planned on being out here for so long but you took a wrong turn during your spur-of-the-moment day hike of an unexplored trail. The sun is starting to set and you know it’s going to be even harder to find your way back to the correct trail when nightfall comes. You’re not dressed for remaining stationary in this cold, especially after dark, but you won’t be able to keep moving without the flashlight you remember is resting safely in your cars glovebox. What are you going to do?

This is the unfortunate scenario thousands of people find themselves in every year. Not the exact details of course, but the situation of getting lost, being ill prepared, and having to endure a night, or many nights, out in an unfamiliar wilderness. Being able to create fire can often mean the difference between coming home with a story and not coming home at all.

Not only can a fire keep you warm, but it can also serve as a smoke beacon for those that may be trying to rescue you. Fire can sanitize your water, cook your food, ward off predators, and greatly improve your mental state while lost in the woods. All of these reasons and more are why I carry some form of fire starting device whenever I camp, hike, or am going anywhere away from society, even just a short day hike.

I always carry a pocket knife so my fire starting implement of choice is usually a magnesium fire starter. These are the small magnesium blocks with a built-in sparking rod. They can attach to a keychain or your hiking pack and just be taken everywhere until you need it. There’s no problem with it not working if it gets wet (like matches), and it can’t run out of fuel (like a lighter). The only problem with the magnesium fire starter is that you need a knife to carve off a little magnesium pile and to spark the rod.

In addition to a little magnesium pile, it’s nice to have a dry kindling supply like steel wool or saw dust. Unfortunately, these items are more difficult to always carry around in the rare event you have to start a fire because your day has gone way South. Luckily, there is a company that provides a solution with dual-purpose paracord.

550 FireCord

Obviously paracord has many uses, but I say “dual” because not only can it be used as paracord is normally used, but the company has designed a fire starting wick built into the paracord itself. You simply cut a length of cord and pull out the red strand that is your new fire starting life-saver! I’m all about tools that serve many purposes, and paracord is something I never hike without, it’s just always in my bag, so this certainly is a no-brainer! Check them out below:

Live Fire Gear - FireCord