Wetfire tinder came today. I ran it under some water and took a fire striker to it. I couldn't get it to light until I crumbled a small chunk of it into powder and it took off first strike.

This stuff is nothing short of amazing. It burnt very hot with a decent sized flame for a 1" cube. I was outside and it was somewhat windy (10 to 15mph) and it didn't go out. I was also surprised at how long the little cube burnt. I didn't time it but I would say it was close to 5 minutes. Certainly long enough to dry even wet tinder.

It is very light and would be perfect in a ditch kit. insta flame!

Thank you Woods_Walker for sharing this.

Woods_Walker wrote on Dec 6^th, 2010 at 10:24pm:


Wow WW
That's what's going into my ditch kit

drbill wrote on Dec 6^th, 2010 at 11:23pm:

Or a spent shell casing!

I always have a plastic bag of Birch Bark handy before starting out and add to it as I go thru the first set of portages. That plus a flint stick and some Coghlan's Fire Paste and I can get a fire started quickly in most situations. The fire paste is available from most camping stores like REI. For the emergency kit the paste could be squeezed into a small plastic container.

I started using wetfire a few years ago, it is very small & don't smell or leave a mess. It is also reusable if you choose to do so. They light instantly, but also extinguish fast & are immediately cool. I have used them while ice fishing right on the ice to warm hands... put it out & back in a small ziplock. They are reasonably priced also.

Here is a youtube video.
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Quote:


I have both brands listed, you get 2 lights in each packet.
Both clip on. One for ditch kit. The other could be kept in shirt pocket/pack pocket. Light is shielded from accidentally being turned on until needed, by a little plastic piece in the battery compartment.

For a night fishing light, you could dab a little red magic marker on lens.
Well worth the price. I wouldn't buy replacement batteries, cheaper to just get another set of lights..

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DentonDoc wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2010 at 5:00pm:

I've done this using one of those flint sticks that look like the key to the easiest lock to pick.  It's easy.  For fastest results, scrap off a bunch of the spark material into your tinder bundle.  Then give it a few good hard scrapes to make sparks.  

This is the most important fire tool for a ditch kit.  Works when wet.  Lots of models from lots of mfg to suit your preference.  The ability to gather good tinder & small wood is a basic camp skill.
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That is just it...SKILL. And in wrapping your noodle around the possibilities your creating those skills; the tool that is the most important tool in any ditch...the noodle BTW Birch bark will always burn; it has a resin/oil in it that is highly flammable. It is the way that I start all my fires up in that neck of the woods, and better yet one does not have to carry it . DB is spot on.

db wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2010 at 7:37am:

In any case, I've got the light issue covered.  An LED bulb with 1" leads is now in my ditch kit along with a button battery wrapped in tape.  Put the leads on each side of the battery and re-attach the tape and viola!

Based on a youtube video I've seen, birch bark will ignite with fire steel even when wet.  The video host took the edge of his knife and scraped the bark to create a small bundle of tender, then it was ignited by the fire steel.  (I suppose the scraping accomplished 2 things ... helped to dry the birch and to reach that portion of the bark that was still dry.  Unfortunately, I don't have any birch near by to test this out.

I do remember a backpacking trip I took with my daughter to the Rockies one time.  On our last night out, it must have rained about 5 inches (I left one pot right side up over night).  We happened to be camped next to a huge cedar tree.  The next morning, to make a fire, I walked over to the tree and scooped up handfuls of completely dry tinder for the fire.

Since it not uncommon for me to be in canoe country early/late season, I've always been somewhat concerned about hypothermia, so I think fire is VERY important.  In that respect, I'm confirming to myself the most important thing you have have on you in a ditching is a good knife.  Yesterday, I pulled together enough natural items to make a working bow-drill friction fire tool.  The spindle was of a small section from a Sycamore limb, the spindle knob-a small block of oak, the fire board of a 1/4 " slab of cedar, the bow string of twine (same twine used for candle wicks in earlier test) and bow from a curved branch from a yard shrub (Photinia).  (I figure the twine could be replaced by any number of items ... boot lace, strip of cloth from my shirt, vine, I've even seen hickory bark twisted into a bow string.) After all parts were prep'ed for the job, I had a pencil eraser head sized ember going in under 10 minutes.  (I repeated the process to confirm that it wasn't a fluke.)  I figure I can blow that ember into a fire with a dry tinder bundle "bird nest."  (I'll see what I can gather from the woods today to form a viable "birds nest."

Slowly, but surely, I'm getting a few of my wood-craft skills back!

dd

I had the same question Marlin did. A candle lantern is great for taking the chill out of a tent but as far as a non-tent situation goes, I'd look for a small LED light (button batteries perhaps) that fit in the kit. Light on demand would actually be a good addition I think. A candle for a fire sure but not for light.

Wet birch bark lights with some time over a hot flame but there's always pitch and that doesn't get wet. Plus, you can always find dry tinder under something.

I often think about what I'd do in the different circumstances I encounter as I paddle along. When I think of an emergency situation, I think of dumping and having to abandon it all and swim upwind. Fire is never high on my imagined priority list as I hit shore. (I always just hope I'll not be presented w/ a cliff. ) If there was a good place to start a fire safely, out of the wind ... I'd consider it. Getting wood would warm me up at least but after that, I'd be stuck tending the fire instead of watching for possible help and where my canoe/gear might be washing up or baring that, looking for stuff to make shelter....

Good to know about Carmex in a pinch. A nylon sheathe would work too I bet.