Reliable fire lighters

[Catweazle]

If I was in a situation where exposure was imminent and needed a fire, the last thing I'd want to be doing would be poncing around with a fire steel or blast match trying to light the fluff from my pockets.

A gas cigarette lighter, the type with removeable striker, a spare striker wrapped in something waterproof, and a block of hexamine will easily fit into a small waterproof container with your other essentials.

If you must try to start fires with sparks, a small piece of cotton wool with vaseline rubbed into it will light easily and can also be used to clean wounds.

[Catweazle]

Yes but the gold zippo would help pay off a guard to escape from a south american kidnapper... You'd have to hide it up your arse during initial capture though.

In which case I'd rather have a gold BIC

[sam_uk]

I have a couple of fire steels.

The ones with a magnesium block are most useful, you shave off a bit of magnesium first, then set fire to it.

Makes it much easier.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BUSHCRAFT-COMBAT- ... 1047wt_907

[adam2]

Dont forget a large magnifying lens by which sunlight can be concentrated to start a fire.
This is of course restricted to sunny conditions which is likely to be a minority of the times a fire is needed.
It does however have the advantage that nothing whatsoever is consumed. Every fire lit thus is a match or whatever not used and available for less favourable conditions in the future.

Also dont forget some cans of lighter petrol as used in Zippos, a few drops can make all the difference between success and failure in adverse conditions.

[mikepepler]

We've got:
- 2 zippos, with spare flints, wicks and lots of cans of lighter fluid
- several cheap gas lighters
- 100 boxes of matches (probably 20-30,000?)
- magnifying glass
- fire steel

Don't forget wire wool and a battery is a another good way to get a fire going, and cotton wool is great with sparks.

[postie]

Or to waterproof matches - at least from my cub-scout times - dip half the match in melted wax.

The striking half of course!

Don't know if that'd work with safety matches though... this was the old "Swan Vesta" red headed matches..

A neat way to "waterproof" matches, or anything small and needing to be kept dry, is to put them in a small screw-topped lid "cola" or drinks bottle. (empty and dry of course) It's a kayakers trick to keep cigarettes dry, even in a capsize. The added bonus is a 500ml or 1lt bottle will float if dropped in water. Yes, the top is too small to put much in, but a few ciggy's and even a lighter/ matches can be squeezed through the aperture..

[JohnB]

A neat way to "waterproof" matches, or anything small and needing to be kept dry, is to put them in a small screw-topped lid "cola" or drinks bottle. (empty and dry of course)

Or a plastic bag with a screw top?
http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/hot-tip/ ... aps-128400

[postie]

Or a plastic bag with a screw top?
http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/hot-tip/ ... aps-128400

That is sooooo simple ... it's GENIUS!

Brilliant... I'm off to cut off some bottle tops from bottles I've been saving...

[RenewableCandy]

One of those Fresnel jobs that you can slip into a pocket, is probably good enough. Very light, and absolutely flat. I know Oxfam Bookshops sell them.

[Layla]

We have got a Gelert Magnesium Block Flint Fire Lighter which works well. We keep it in a little tin with some tinder.

We also keep a small stock of water-proof matches and zip firelighters.

[RenewableCandy]

Nice blog Layla


Apparently last week was International Downshifting Week. Not that anyone appears to have told Wills'n'Kate, but you can't have everything

[adam2]

One of those Fresnel jobs that you can slip into a pocket, is probably good enough. Very light, and absolutely flat. I know Oxfam Bookshops sell them.

Yes, agree. These are useful, size is more important than magnifying power.
A fresnel lens the size of a credit card will work in ideal conditions, but the larger ones are far better in non ideal conditions.
With an A4 size fresnel lens I managed to light a fire of large sticks without any kindling or tinder. The heat is such that several sqaure centimetres of wood may be heated to ignition point, rather than just a tiny spot.

[adam2]

This ebay seller has large fresnell lenses cheap.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Plastic-Fresnel-L ... 230d429362

I have not used this seller, though they have good feedback.

[Kentucky Fried Panda]

I'm not bothering with a lens, murphy sez that the chances that there is sunshine when you need a fire is slim.