Fire starting has become somewhat of a lost art. Decades ago, it was an essential skill for survival, but modern technology has made it so simple that most people would be at a loss to start a fire if they were without a cigarette lighter or matches. However, anybody can learn to start fire without either matches or a lighter – rain or shine. Let’s look at the necessary ingredients for starting fire.
Fuel, oxygen and heat are the essential elements for fire. In this article, we’ll especially consider your options for generating sufficient heat to ignite wood, since that is the most likely fuel you would be relying on in a survival situation.
Without a flame from a match or lighter, how can you generate enough heat to start fire? First, you could use an old method the Indians used – rubbing sticks together. Well, it’s a bit more involved than it sounds, but nevertheless, that’s the idea. Friction between pieces of wood can in fact create a coal which can then be used to ignite tinder. The most common way to do this is with a drill or bow and drill combination. We’ll look more closely at this method in a future article. Here’s the bottom line – people who have learned to start a fire this way carry with them another method since they understand just how much work is involved in starting fire this way. So let’s turn to another method – sparks.
By keeping a small fire striker with you at all times, you can assure yourself that you’ll always be able to start fire. Fire strikers consist of a steel piece and a striker which can produce sufficient spark to light tinder. Good quality strikers will actually produce a shower of sparks. There are many on the market, it comes down to which style is most comfortable for you. The great thing about a good fire steel is that it will produce sparks, even when wet.
Keep in mind that you’ll only have consistent results if you light tinder first, and then use that to ignite the wood. Dry grass, bark shavings and dead tree moss make excellent tinder. You might want to carry tinder with you when you’re on your outdoor trips. Whatever method you choose, the only way to be sure you’ll be able to start a fire when you really need to is by practicing. With persistence, you can master the art of fire starting.
Griz Garzo writes about wilderness survival and primitive skills. We hope you enjoyed this article about firestarting.