Fire lighting is like everything else in bushcraft – it takes time to get it right. Follow these steps and you’ll be well on the way to failure-free fire lighting.
Practice Your Fire Lighting. This can’t be stressed enough. Like so many other skills used in bushcraft, practice makes perfect. To confidently start fires in all conditions you need to practice in all conditions. Like some guy once said “If it ain’t raining it ain’t training”.
Use the right tool for the job. If you’re fire lighting for some bushcraft practice then use that hand drill you’ve only tried once before. When you really need a fire increase the odds of success by using firelighting methods you’re used to and know will work. Keep it simple. Like some other guy once said “don’t turn up to a gun fight with a knife”.
When you practice your fire lighting split the task down into the smallest steps and be confident with each one. From nothing to ignition. From ignition source to tinder to flame. From flame to fire.
Preparation. This is the second thing that can’t be stressed enough and just like the first time, applies across the board in bushcraft. Never take shortcuts when you really need that fire or you’ll pay for it later. Time and time again I’ve seen experienced people (including myself I must add) take short cuts and end up with a smouldering pile of wood, not a fire. At best it takes more effort to light your fire. At worst you die of hypothermia.
Fuel selection. Don’t pick up any old crappy wood that happens to be nearby. The ideal is dry, standing, dead wood. If you can’t find this then compromise or improvise but don’t start off this way. Don’t forget that dry, dead wood can be collected anytime, not just when you need to light a fire.
Tinder selection. Again, tinder can and should be collected whenever you get the chance, not just when you’re in firelighting mode. Collect and dry it out in a pocket or shelter before use.
It takes some discipline to put in the time and do it properly but that’s life. If you want to take your bushcraft to the next level this is part of the journey.
Try the classic fire lighting exercise – make a one match fire and repeat. Once you get good at this try splitting the match in half and try again.
Don’t forget the preparation or the practice!
If you’re in a situation where fire lighting is really important for morale know your limits and when to not even try. If you have the choice leave the fire until conditions are better.
I have never known wet tinder to catch a spark. I assume you mean kindling? There is a difference, and it can make it confusing for Pilgrims trying to learn, but it is a common mistake.
With respect and regards.
Hi Le Loup. Thanks for the input!
I take your point but was talking about all ignition sources, not just spark. Birch bark is a bit of an oddity in that it will perform as a tinder when wet but only with hotter, and less traditional, ignition sources. Anyway, you’re quite right – this could confuse the uninitiated so I’ve changed it.
For the record, birch bark will take a spark from a ferro rod when wet. It will also burn with a flame from match, lighter etc when wet. However, if we’re talking more traditional firelighting such as using flint and steel it won’t catch a spark whether it’s wet or not.
Birch bark is something of an oddity all round which is one of the reasons it’s such great stuff. Depending on your ignition method it falls somewhere on the scale between tinder and kindling – maybe it should be called tindling! For the traditionalist though I suppose it’s firmly in the kindling camp!
Thanks for your reply Nick, it can be difficult to get your point of view across sometimes without upsetting people.
The problem I think comes from the term “tinder dry” when refering to anything that will catch fire easily. But the think is, tinder, or in old English Tynder, does not actually flame, not without adding wax.
If you think about all the tinders there are, they only smoulder, and their composition is all very much the same from punk wood to fungus.
The thing we have to think about is if a tinder is something that will flame like kindling (dried grass, teased rope, bark, twigs, sticks), then what do we call the OTHER tynder which does not take flame?
A matter of modern day usage clashing with primitive terms. Even a modern dictionary will say “Readily combustible material, such as dry twigs, used to kindle fires”. See what I mean!!!
Thanks again Nick.
Regards, Le Loup.
I must apologise Nick, I forgot the most important thing: That is a dam good post Nick, and important information to remember.
Regards, Le Loup.
No worries and thanks for the thanks. No ego here so no upset unless it’s downright insulting!! – I’ve got as much to learn as anyone else.
That’s really interesting. I developed my skills using a real mish-mash of modern, less modern and downright primitive methods so while I understand what you say, I suppose I’ve never attached the same significance to it.
Modern innovations such as the firesteel blur the definitions. Equipped with only a flint and steel or iron pyrites it would be pretty obvious where the boundary is. But you’re right – for the serious student this boundary is an important one.
P.S. I still like the tindling idea!
Excellent post Nick.
Cheers
Andy
Thanks Andy. Great blog you have there by the way. Nice to see someone putting the skills into practice.
Same to you mate. Keep up the good work.