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  1. #61
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    I just got finished watching shugs last video, a 2 nighter and funny he usually doesn't have a fire, this time he does and i think he said it took him 45 minutes to get it going . But my point is he was utilizing a extendable blow tube to concentrate the forced air directly into the coals , close. Ole shug always educational and entertaining.

  2. #62
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    Try the lessons on fire here they may help. https://bushcraftusa.com/forum/threa...s-index.27234/
    Lad I don't know where you've been. But, I see you won first prize!

  3. #63
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    I usually bring the cotton balls in vaseline when it's cold out, but use them more often on my fingers and lips that get dried out than I do for fire starter.
    When I have failed to get a fire going in the past, it's usually because of a lack of kindling; I try to go straight from tinder to larger pieces of wood. remember: kindling, then tinder, then small pieces of wood, then larger pieces of wood - stack the wet/damp wood around the edge of your little fire until you need it, this helps dry it out a bit. And don't smother it. Putting too much wood on the fire too soon will prevent it from getting enough oxygen to burn.

    All that said, I'm not the most LNT person on this website, but I try...and a lot of what's mentioned in this thread makes me cringe.

    I learned about breaking the larger pieces of limb between two close trees when I was in boy scouts, also just swinging it like baseball bat at a single tree - but on the AT, you're not supposed to pick up any piece of wood larger than your wrist, so these methods (which damage trees) aren't necessary. And, of course, you aren't supposed to break any dead limbs off of trees or cut any trees or limbs with a saw, axe, machete, etc, only pick up small dead branches that have fallen. The larger ones are supposed to become part of the forest ecology.

    I rarely make a fire on the AT any more. Trying to make a fire to get warm usually just gets me wetter and colder than I would be if I just crawled into my sleeping bag.

  4. #64

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    I've seen forest fires before.I've never built a fire on public land and really have no intention of doing so for a lot of reasons which would include liability if something goes wrong,allergy to smoke,and the the same reason listed in the prior post,it's easier to wrap up and go to bed because making fire in cold wet conditions is too much effort.

    I would be interested in learning how to heat oneself safely with a survival candle but so many of the items we use are potentially flammable that it could be risky although it would be a good skill to have in an emergency.

  5. #65
    GSMNP 900 Miler
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    Quote Originally Posted by JNI64 View Post
    How about char cloth ? Anybody out there making their own and using it ?
    Wouldn't char cloth be a replacement for a magnesium strip?

    I ask because up to the point this comment was made, most of the suggestions have been for something like vaseline-cotton-balls which would be used as a replacement for tinder wouldn't it?

  6. #66

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    Several years ago I picked up a box of fire starters at a local grocery store when they were on sale. There were probably 20 or so foil pouches inside that couldn't have weighed a fraction of an ounce each. You just lit a corner of the pouch and whatever the contents were, they burned for a good 5 minutes or so. Enough to make fire starting easy under virtually any conditions. I finally used the last of them and would love to grab a replacement set. Anybody know what I'm referring to? I couldn't come up with it in a quick search. These things lasted forever and were basically waterproof so I just kept a couple in my pack at all times for years until I went through the last of them.

    Edit - something like these:
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VCS79LQ/

    I remember them being less than $10 for a smaller box. Cheap enough that I didn't bother with DIY firestarters for a very long time.

  7. #67
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pure_mahem View Post
    Try the lessons on fire here they may help. https://bushcraftusa.com/forum/threa...s-index.27234/
    Thanks, alot of good stuff in there. Scrolling down the site reminds me I haven't made bannock in a long time. I like the wrap down a stick method with some honey, yum.... next trip out......

  8. #68
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HooKooDooKu View Post
    Wouldn't char cloth be a replacement for a magnesium strip?

    I ask because up to the point this comment was made, most of the suggestions have been for something like vaseline-cotton-balls which would be used as a replacement for tinder wouldn't it?
    That's correct, smell the flannel cooking don't leave it in to long. I was successful at it a few times. It's more challenging then the magnesium as char cloth will take a spark then glow red spot that goes into your fire bundle blowing on it to create flame. The magnesium is much easier pick a big dead leaf scrape magnesium onto the leaf and strike whalla fire..

  9. #69

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    Quote Originally Posted by CalebJ View Post
    Several years ago I picked up a box of fire starters at a local grocery store when they were on sale. There were probably 20 or so foil pouches inside that couldn't have weighed a fraction of an ounce each. You just lit a corner of the pouch and whatever the contents were, they burned for a good 5 minutes or so. Enough to make fire starting easy under virtually any conditions. I finally used the last of them and would love to grab a replacement set. Anybody know what I'm referring to? I couldn't come up with it in a quick search. These things lasted forever and were basically waterproof so I just kept a couple in my pack at all times for years until I went through the last of them.

    Edit - something like these:
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VCS79LQ/

    I remember them being less than $10 for a smaller box. Cheap enough that I didn't bother with DIY firestarters for a very long time.
    You could go to Amazon and get Landmann firestarters.24 for about $16 so the ones in your post are the better deal.OR,you could go to a kid's birthday party and ask for the left over candles,Plus you get left over cake icing as a bonus! (I do carry birthday candles just in case I should need a fire in an emergency)

  10. #70

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    I think the landmann product is what I got last time. Thanks!

  11. #71

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    This guy makes it look EASY! However,I note he burned the Ziplock bag in the firepit.In liew of a cooler lid maybe hikers could get by with a sit pad to fan with.Still looks like more trouble than it's worth to collect all that material.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoOpUR2bPiE

  12. #72
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    Hey, happy holidays everybody keep the home fires burning and love the one your with. Just wanted to thank everyone for their responses and please keep them coming. So happy this threads getting more responses than these stupid

  13. #73
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    We did a trial of a few fire starting option on video the other day. Still find cotton rounds covered in Wax guarantees my ability to start a fire in any condition.

    Here is a link if interested.

    https://youtu.be/cv-akCocn9A

  14. #74
    Registered User The Cleaner's Avatar
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    When building your campfire the species of wood you choose to gather is important too. During rainy and cold weather Hemlock and Mountain Laurel (dead) will be dry on the inside. Downed trees with limbs off the ground are a good choice too. Since I'm an arborist, I'm spot on at choosing wood. A well built campfire should burn completely leaving only fine ashes. Leaving a firepit half full of unburned wood is a bit unsightly and makes it hard to remove unburned trash.
    Sleep on the ground, rise with the sun and hike with the wind....

  15. #75
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    A little twist on the PJCB (petroleum jelly cotton ball) is to wrap them individually in waxed paper, kinda like saltwater taffy, and keep 'em in a ziploc. The trick when making them is to not totally saturate them, so that there are some dry cotton fibers remaining that can be started with a ferro rod. Or just light the waxed paper with a match and you're off to the races.

    fire starters03.jpg

  16. #76
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cmoulder View Post
    A little twist on the PJCB (petroleum jelly cotton ball) is to wrap them individually in waxed paper, kinda like saltwater taffy, and keep 'em in a ziploc. The trick when making them is to not totally saturate them, so that there are some dry cotton fibers remaining that can be started with a ferro rod. Or just light the waxed paper with a match and you're off to the races.

    fire starters03.jpg
    Awesome idea, keeps them separated from sticking together. And the wax paper another accelerant. I just have to remember not to confuse them with my salt water taffy, as i throw 1 in my mouth trying to get up a big mountain!

  17. #77

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    I am constantly amazed at the performance cotton balls with vaseline deliver. I've not seen anything better or less expensive.

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