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Fire Starters

February 17, 2011 by  

While rubbing two sticks together to start a fire worked fine for early man, it’s far from the ideal way to get a fire going in an emergency situation. So it’s best to have multiple options available to you if, or when, you find yourself in a crisis.

Face it, if you’re cold or wet or hungry — or all three — you don’t need to be wasting valuable time using primitive methods to start a fire when modern conveniences are available.

In his book, 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive, survivalist Cody Lundin recommends you have three forms of fire starters in your survival kit: Matches, a butane lighter and a magnesium block.

The matches should be the strike-anywhere variety, prepared with a wax coating and stored in a water-tight container. The lighter should be the adjustable variety.

For the magnesium block, Lundin recommends attaching a section of an old hacksaw blade to the magnesium block. The blade can be used to scrape shavings off the block to aid in getting a flame going in the tinder.

Filed Under: Preparedness Tip, Survival and Self-sufficiency
Bob Livingston

is an ultra-conservative American who has been writing a newsletter since 1969. Bob has devoted much of his life to research and the quest for truth on a variety of subjects. Bob specializes in health issues such as nutritional supplements and alternatives to drugs, as well as issues of privacy (both personal and financial), asset protection and the preservation of freedom.

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  • mtman2

    Yellow Birch bark will burn after being under water clamshell type “mushrooms” on dead wood have dry tinder inside that can be broken up + used. The pitch that oozes from coniferous tree trunks is highly flammable. Fine steel wool can be used as a starter for kindling, when a fresh ,, + soaked 9v – battery is pressed against it. Any dry piece of cloth [i.e. from U-R shirt], in oil from an engine or tranny dipstick], pitch or anything flammable will do. Jumper cables will provide spark if theres nothing else. Nylon+ some plastics are highly flammable, + will drip down like wax as it melts [tho this melted liquid is very hot + dangerous]. Being prepared is smart, but if not then be calm + use U-R head.

  • LAW2

    A good starter tool would be a striker from a welding shop. Available everywhere, only reqires one hand to use, lightweight & small in size. Only drawback is some lack of control as to where the spark lands. One of the bast tho is the 9V battery with a little bit of steel wool, fast with excellent control, Wetness not much of a concern and can be used more than once.

    • granny mae

      very good advice . I would add that we have used for years, pine cones as a starter. For our camp fire and also the home fireplace and the heat stove in the garage. They also wok quickly.
      God Bless

  • JAnne

    Military survival courses instruct to carry a small ziplock bag containing cotton balls coated with vaseline. One cotton ball and a match is all you need.

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