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I have been involved in teaching survival skills since 1974, longevity in it self doesn't mean much, but I have started many fires using many methods in many environments.
I feel that if you practice starting fires with primitive means, that if you do have your "guaranteed-mini-nuclear-blast-match" and use the same principals your chance of success are higher.
So some principals; start small & work-up. I have seen many students confuse small to mean short in length not small in diameter. So now I say something like "nothing shorter than the length from the tip of your outstretched thumb to the tip of your little finger & and smaller in diameter than 1/2 the size of a pencil or smaller."
Always use some type of a platform or base for you tinder. If you do this in dry conditions then when it's wet you have greater success.
I always use a tepee shape when starting as the heat is concentrated at the apex, and helps start the bigger kindling pieces better.
Usually if you are getting a lot of smoke and no flame your fire is not getting enough oxygen. Spread out the wood to allow for more surface area to be exposed and blow on it gently but forcefully.
But you say I don't need to know how to use a flint & steel or other primitive method because I always have my________(fill in the blank) with me. OK but is that really true.
I also believe that practice while maybe not making you perfect does make you better when the chips are down.
I hope this gives you some food for thought.
I feel that if you practice starting fires with primitive means, that if you do have your "guaranteed-mini-nuclear-blast-match" and use the same principals your chance of success are higher.
So some principals; start small & work-up. I have seen many students confuse small to mean short in length not small in diameter. So now I say something like "nothing shorter than the length from the tip of your outstretched thumb to the tip of your little finger & and smaller in diameter than 1/2 the size of a pencil or smaller."
Always use some type of a platform or base for you tinder. If you do this in dry conditions then when it's wet you have greater success.
I always use a tepee shape when starting as the heat is concentrated at the apex, and helps start the bigger kindling pieces better.
Usually if you are getting a lot of smoke and no flame your fire is not getting enough oxygen. Spread out the wood to allow for more surface area to be exposed and blow on it gently but forcefully.
But you say I don't need to know how to use a flint & steel or other primitive method because I always have my________(fill in the blank) with me. OK but is that really true.
I also believe that practice while maybe not making you perfect does make you better when the chips are down.
I hope this gives you some food for thought.
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