DentonDoc wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2010 at 4:38pm:


Doc this is interesting to me.The nylon sheathe of the knife I recently picked up has a small velcro sealed pocket about the size that would fit a small leatherman. I am interested in putting an emergency fire kit in there. What would you use? Good waterproof matches I suppose but the striker is the weak link there IMO.

The accelerants tested were likely under ideal conditions :question. I wonder how the test group would fare under wind or even rain? My buddy put together a tiny kit for me with matches and a striker in a mini zip-lock along with a tiny bottle of white gas. Last I looked the white gas had evaporated even though there was tape to prevent accidental opening.

There are some commercial stuff available. I have also heard vaseline and cotton balls mentioned. Sort of want to stay away from anything potentially messy or odorous though. What should I use? Anyone? It has to be able to survive a dunking.   

marlin55388 wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2010 at 5:13pm:


From the original post in this thread:

DentonDoc wrote on Nov 28^th, 2010 at 9:57pm:

I find this thread to be interesting.  I have wondered what would be the best thing to carry for a way to start a fire.  Dd’s method of testing gives one measure of how good a fuel is.  I was looking for a fuel that would have the most heat output and still be safe to carry. Paraffin is about 18,000 BTU’s/LB.  There are some liquid fuels that are about 20,000 BTU’s / LB but I do not like liquids for this purpose.  The only fuel I found that was higher than paraffin was bees wax.  Bees wax is about 19,000 BTU’s / LB and similar to paraffin in storability.

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

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.
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)