newbie fire builder

[Matt Mac]

Hi guys
seem to able to sharpen my knife now but cant build fires now haha. check out the photo's and see if ypu could help me out. all advise appreciated, thank you.

 

[cariocarj01]

In short words:

You'll need something thinner than the fire feathers (birds nest/tinder bundle) to fire up the fire feathers, thinner sticks to the start fire because the other end of the fire feathers are to thick to catch the start fire.

Have i missing something?

Ps: Good you got your knife sharp.

 

[cariocarj01]

Here is a video from MCQBushcraft about Fire Feathers:

Take a look on his channel on youtube. A lot of nice videos there.

 

[Matt Mac]

Here is a video from MCQBushcraft about Fire Feathers:

Take a look on his channel on youtube. A lot of nice videos there.

Cheers mate, much appreciated

 

[38thfoot]

Depends what your lighting it with.

If using a spark then for the initial tinder you need something fluffy, either man made/refined such as cotton wool (made better by Vaseline) tumble drier lint, fire biscuits (make up pads soaked in wax) or the commercial offerings such as maya dust. Natural tinders include dried grasses, birch bark shavings, bulrushes heads, thistle seeds, rosebay willow herb seeds, wool of hedges etc.

If your using a lighter/matches then all the above works but you could carry thin strips of inner tube with your lighter, bits of hexamin or fire lighters.

Thin shavings light from the tinder can be the bits you inevitably carve off the feather sticks or you can quickly generate a handful with a stick and a pencil sharpener!

These should give enough of a start for small half pencil thick sticks and your feather sticks to get going.

Best bet is to practice, a lot.

38

 

[Matt Mac]

Depends what your lighting it with.

If using a spark then for the initial tinder you need something fluffy, either man made/refined such as cotton wool (made better by Vaseline) tumble drier lint, fire biscuits (make up pads soaked in wax) or the commercial offerings such as maya dust. Natural tenders include dried grasses, birch bark shavings, bulrushes heads, thistle seeds, rosebay willow herb seeds sheets wool of hedges etc.

If your using a lighter/matches then all the above works but you could carry thin strips of inner tube with your lighter, bits of hexamin or fire lighters.

Thin shavings light from the tinder can be the bits you inevitably carve off the feather stocks or you can quickly generate a handful with a stick and a pencil sharpener!

These should give enough of a start for small half pencil thick sticks and your feather sticks to get going.

Best bet is to practice, a lot.

38

Cheers mate

 

[Joecole]

Nice thin twigs a wax pad and a t light candle works for me as do fire lighters

 

[Ark79]

A good lighter

 

[Matt Mac]

Here is a video from MCQBushcraft about Fire Feathers:

Take a look on his channel on youtube. A lot of nice videos there.

Really cool channel. Good spot.

 

[Ark79]

Here's a video on how not to start a fire by yours Truly

 

[Tomahawk]

I went down to the river today -20, I didn't bring my cotton balls with me but did find some dryer lint in the bag , 1 strike with a rod and it started ! A few small twigs to start and started putting on larger twigs on as the fire grew larger, with in 5 min I was putting 2 inch logs on, kept that going for 3 hrs, Had a little tea then back to the big city.

 

[Ark79]

-20.... you brace man

 

[1 shot willie]

Pfffftt..... -20 ......shorts and Tee shirt weather

 

[1 shot willie]

@Tomahawk

Have you tried Fire Biscuits mate....ideal for your part of the world
Use make up cleaning pads dipped and soaked in a mixture of molten wax and lamp oil and left to set.
Tear in the middle half way through to expose the fluff inside.....takes a spark very well.
Waterproof.....easy and cheap to make.......burns very well for about 7 minutes
Light...easy to store and pretty much fail-safe

 

[lee]

From what I see from the first post matt you needed tinder to catch the feather sticks (your feather sticks are ok, it is possible to light very fine and bone dry feather sticks with a fern rod) and you have no kindling the next size up from the feather sticks to catch the large size kindling you had prepared.

will post up some pics if I can find them. . .

 

[lee]

Can't seem to find the pics, heres and old video of me starting fire from scratch with a fero rod using feather sticks as kindling, the quality of video is poor and it was getting dark but you can see how I load the fire once the tinder (birch bark) and feather sticks (I snap the feather sticks off the stick once there made) have caught hope it helps

Failing that there is always this option

 

[lee]

Found the pic I was looking for. . . . I have always used 4 sizes of kindling, starting at match size and working up to thumb size this method never fails.

Once the tinder is well on fire load the bundles below on the tinder, smallest size sticks first.

These bundles are the minimum you will need to get the fire going.

Always use as much birch bark as you can from thin small shaved pieces to thicker bigger pieces.

 

[1 shot willie]

Using the Hand Flares ( although fun at the time ) could end up being an embarrassment if you get a visit from S.A.R. if they...or someone else.... see the smoke and stand to.... thinking someone is in distress/trouble.......stick with the char cloth or the likes