Fire-Making: 5 Methods Without Matches

Objective

Ignite reliable flame in wind/rain using methods you can carry or improvise.

Prep First: Build a Fuel Ladder

• Tinder: cotton + petroleum jelly, birch bark, or fine shavings.
• Kindling: pencil-lead to pencil-thick splits—expose dry cores.
• Fuel: thumb-thick → wrist-thick, staged within arm’s reach.

Method A — Ferro Rod

1. Scrape coating off first.
2. Place rod against tinder; pull the rod back, holding scraper still.
3. Feed tiny sticks; shield from wind with your body.

Method B — Flint & Steel

1. Make char cloth (tin with pinhole; heat until smoke stops).
2. Catch sparks on char; nest in tinder; blow to flame.

Method C — Bow Drill (Practice)

1. Dry softwood board + spindle; hardwood bearing block.
2. Fast, steady strokes; when smoke thickens, pause.
3. Let the ember grow; tip into tinder.

Method D — Sun Magnification

1. Lens + dark tinder (char cloth is best).
2. Hold steady focus until ember forms; move to tinder bundle.

Method E — 9V Battery + Steel Wool

1. Spread 0000 steel wool; touch battery terminals.
2. When glowing, fold into tinder; blow gently.

Wet-Wood Technique

Split wrist-thick wood; feather the dry interior; start small and build. Avoid smothering—feed gradually.

Common Errors

• Too little tinder; first sticks too large.
• Striking the scraper toward tinder (blows it apart).
• Moving the ember before it’s stable.

5-Minute Drill

With damp sticks, build a splitwood fire using only a ferro rod. Target spark-to-sustained flame in under 5 minutes.

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