What's Your Preferred Method of Starting Camp Fires?

250 Piece Survival Gear First Aid Kit

LifeStraw Water Filter for Hiking and Preparedness

250 Piece Survival Gear First Aid Kit

  1. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Bic lighter. I would like to learn the traditional friction method.

  2. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Lay a large log horizontally, crumble up some paper and make a small pile right next to the log, assemble small sticks on top of the paper in a pseudo tipi/lean-to, lay a couple large sticks on the sides of the tipi leaning against the log. Light the paper with a lighter and keep adding small sticks till all small sticks are burning, then keep leaning middle size sticks over the small stick pile. keep adding small sticks till the middle sticks start lighting, then start adding more middle sticks lean-to style against the big log. at some point it's a decent self-sustaining fire with enough embers then I add more large logs lean-to style. From there I arrange the large logs into a log cabin, tipi, or lean-to depending on what sort of fire I want/need

  3. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    using a camp stove instead because it's cleaner, faster, and better for the land

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Stoves aren't natural. Burnt wood helps the soil with its ash.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >removing all the fixed carbon and nitrogen and putting back into the atmosphere
        >helping
        choose one
        why do you think the middle east is a desert?

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Ash recharges the soil. Go learn how to farm.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          >why do you think the middle east is a desert?
          They overfarmed and ended up salting their land

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Probably because that piece of land used to be under an ocean in the distant past

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          goats
          they not only look evil, they ARE evil

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          wood is renewable in a decade
          gas is renewable only on geological scale
          try again, homosexual

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          They don't get enough annual rainfall to support the population and level of industrialization that took place over the last few thousand years.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          >why do you think the middle east is a desert?
          Solar cycles. It will be green again

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          >carbon
          frick off pseud

  4. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    I carry a small flask full of gasoline.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      brainlet move, carry everclear instead, burns hotter, can sanitize wounds and if you ever see anything you wish you didnt just chug the flask.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Gasoline actually soaks into wood and works better

  5. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    rub my erect penis against a piece of wood for a couple minutes or slam my balls against a rock but I generally try to avoid doing that as much as I can

    • 2 years ago
      /out/ie

      Can I be the piece of wood?

  6. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    I make cotton balls with wax.
    Pretty Easy to make, pretty Easy to use.

  7. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    A lighter with Birch bark.

  8. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    †bh it's a bic lighter, sometimes I use them fuel bricks you can get cheap from the good people at Coghlan's if it's really whett or windy.

    I always make an upside down fire (which is hot as hell, slow burning, low maintenance, and burns beautifully with whett wood) and here's my time-testing technique:

    >collect big logs or even dead stumps, whett, rotting, punky, solid, it's all good
    >those go in the bottom of fire, at least one dense layer but two tiers high if you can
    >break up heavy limbs and put those in a couple layers atop the big stuff
    >reserve a small pile to the side
    >break up branches and pile them up in a teepee or just a tangle of shit
    >reserve a small pile to the side
    >stuff the tangle of shit with twigs, moss, bark, leaves - anything small and as dry as possible; herein you would plant any fire starter bricks if you really need them
    >collect a shit ton of the thinnest and driest dead twigs you can find, organize them into dense, small bundles aka homosexuals
    >hold the bundle tightly and use your Bic to get the ends burning, like a wooden torch you see archeologists use in movies
    >once the flame takes purchase onto the homosexual, carefully place it into the tangle of flammables
    >repeat with remaining homosexuals
    >keep this small fire atop the hulk of wood burning healthily for about 10mins with reserved woodstuffs
    >eventually the fire will descend into the limbs, which will create molten coals that will have a China Syndrome effect down into the logs, drying all the wood as it descends and burning accordingly
    >literally chill for like 5 hours without having to find more wood

    you're welcome
    *this is also an Alfie-approved method

  9. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    2 gallons of kerosene and a road flare

  10. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Few gum tree leaves and it's away

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      tell me about it :[

  11. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    depressing and extremely gay thread
    I use a firesteel

  12. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Make teepee
    Make tinder bundle
    Light tinder bundle with flint rod
    Put tinder bundle in teepee
    Sometimes I'll put in a piece of a cotton ball if I can't get the tinder fine enough

  13. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    pint of gasoline and a case of beer.
    (i don't really camp, but when i have a brush pile to burn, that's how it's done)
    yes, i am a bit of a redneck, i don't care.

  14. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    The good ol' flint on the end of my cheap knife works well. If I'm fancy, matches/Bic combo in a watertight case works better. If I have prep time or I'm leaving from home/motorcycle camping, I make a cheater stick to throw in my bag by soaking a dense, small piece of wood in gasoline or lighter fluid, and taking the saturated one with me to be able to light with flint sparks. Whichever anon suggested a flask of everclear for fire/sanitation/sanity is a smart bastard, I will be doing that from now on, cheers for that. I'm also a fan of weird fire starts: used to be an army cadet, so Doritos or similar dry foodstuffs with sticky coatings works magic when all you have is sparks from your flint. I've even used Licorice All-sorts and a damaged reflective shelter blanket as "starters" to dry out the fire triangle in a winter camp pinch when some dumbfrick tried to make the fire steam by throwing snow on it at 11pm on a snowshoe trip. I miss being young and let loose into the woods in camo, en masse, with a bunch of other bumblefricks.

  15. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Personally, I love using matches. Somehting about striking a match feels just right, or getting a fire going with just one.
    Other than that i like to use vaseline coated cotton balls and the ferro rod that came with my knife

  16. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Any recommendations for buying ferrocerium rods in Europe? I get that they all are more or less the same.
    Also, I need some way to insulate it, since I live near the sea.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Nvm.
      https://www.reddit.com/r/preppers/comments/btdutm/we_bought_and_tested_40_ferro_rods_and_strikers/
      Turns out the one I was eyeing at varusteleka is already the right one.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Any recommendations for buying ferrocerium rods in Europe? I get that they all are more or less the same.
        Also, I need some way to insulate it, since I live near the sea.

        I have a light my fire "army" firesteel and it's trivial to get tons of sparks from it

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          I live near the sea and humidity is messed up. What's a good canister-type waterproof container I can put the ferro rod in?

          Nice to hear!

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            After checking https://theprepared.com/gear/reviews/match/ and realising the recommended containers are out of stock I though I might just use a small steel bottle like the one on the left. Thoughts?
            It will fit the ferro rod and other firestarting equipment if needed.

  17. 2 years ago
    Anonymous
  18. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    I cut wood into thin pieces and make a tent shape with them, then I put paper in the middle. Then I grab my butane torch and after dousing the wood in a bit of motor oil I light it up.

  19. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Same as when i light my grill. I try to carry a couple of tumbleweeds. However, I try to have multiple ways of starting a fire. Obviously the bic lighter, a ferro rod, stormproof matches and a couple pieces of fat lighter. As important as having fire in the outdoors is, everyone should have a couple ways to start one.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      This anon knows. These things will light even when wet.
      Another option is to keep dryer lint in a cardboard egg carton. You can cut the egg cartons into 4’s and carry around for an easy and effective fire starter

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        and to keep them dry you can transport them in your egg suitcase

  20. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Old dryer vent lint is Based and free and lights like nothing. Just need dry conditions

  21. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    blowtorch at home, disposable lighter when out and about

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      is that a device or a supplement

  22. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Just like in your picture OP i use birch bark
    Usually i have dry bark rolled in pieces in my backpack but in my country 9 out of 10 times birch grows or lays dead somewhere around

  23. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    vaseline soaked cotton balls. Like actually melt the vaseline into a liquid and completely saturate the cotton balls. Store in a pill bottle you can get for free if you ask nicely at any pharmacy.

    Light the cotton balls with
    >bic
    if by myself or with one of my camping buddies
    >ferro rod
    if with normies/newbs

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Do Vaseline soaked cotton balls work markedly better than a cheap pack of firelighters?

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        idk but i guarantee you they're cheaper, go to a dollar tree or dollar store and buy a 100 count bag of cotton balls, a tub of generic vaseline, and a microwave safe bowl or container of some sort.

        go to any pharmacy and ask for some pill bottles for free

        scoop vaseline into microwave safe container and nuke until liquid, stick in cotton balls until saturated, stick them into pill bottle

        100 fires for $3, less if you go to a bad neighborhood and shop lift

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Good tip about melting the vaseline. 1/2 a vaseline cotton ball will burn for around a minute, and can use them for lip balm or lube

  24. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    if I have the room to bring one. pic related is the best way to start a fire. just set it and forget it. you can leave this bad boy for a few minutes to make ambers from the wettest of sticks. or just great for quickly starting a regular fire.
    if i cant bring one, a lighter on tinder with multiple levels of sticks ready to increment the fire.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      and also this thing right here. absolute best fire tool you can ever have.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        These look like a silly idea but they work so well.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Wouldn't a lighter or even a match be better?

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Not him but that's not for lighting a fire, you use it to blow very closely on the fire as it lights up. Personally I wouldn't use one because I want to depend on as little as possible.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        absolute fricking this

        Wouldn't a lighter or even a match be better?

        you'd be surprised with how many fires I've started the next morning with nothing but tinder on hot ashes and blowing on it with pocket bellows

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Cool story but this is a fire starting thread so again wouldn't a lighter or matches be better?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >anon talks about starting fires
            >hurrr this is a fire starting thread

            you've never started a fire before, have you

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              What are you on

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              Hurrdurr not with just a bellows no I haven't

  25. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    3
    2
    1
    Unleash the seethe

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >leaks fuel
      >runs out of flint
      >wheel jams with gunk
      But it makes cool sounds at least

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Only one moron took the bait. I'm slipping

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      I love zippos, good for you man! 🙂

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      ive had a zippo go dry in 4 days.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        how'd you get it to last so long?

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      dont mind me, just beeing superior to you in every way

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Except for the rust factor, mines got it bad

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          i was just trying to bait out a response m8.
          The Zippo is more wind proof and has a larger tank.
          The Imco evaporates fuel slower and is more versetile by beeing able to remoeve the tank during operation. It also lights on the first try.
          Like any tool an Imco should be regularly maintained, that includes impregnating non stainless surfaces with a thin layer of oil, just like you would with a pocket knife.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        I wish imco's were more easily available. I can't seem to find them from anywhere in Finland. Are they manufactured anymore?

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          yes they are still manufactured on the original austrian tooling in japan. you can buy the in hiking stores in germany, and there are plenty on ebay.

  26. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    I just use some white spirits (Coleman fuel, whatever you guys call it) and a lighter.
    Could do it by other means, but why bother unless necessary?

  27. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Tbh I would use a bic lighter or matches, even though I do have a ferro rod in my "firekit". I generally use a camping stove though because it leaves no marks out in to the nature. You may call me autistic but I like the idea of not leaving trails to be followed by.

  28. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    this man fears being "tracked easy"

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      And?

  29. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    spitting bars
    also cotton ball vaseline method

  30. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Bic and Firestarter tabs.
    But if I'm larping I like the fire plow. It's the only friction fire method I've ever done. And I think it's tarded to use your boot laces for a firebow because you need to be able to lace your boots in order to gather wood.

  31. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    >dump wood in loose pile
    >pour gasoline
    >lose eyebrows

  32. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    anyone else bring lint with them?

  33. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Lightning
    Gasoline close second

  34. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    ?t=31

  35. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Can of carb clean, lighter, and a lot of kindling. Almost never goes wrong.

  36. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    I almost got a fire going with a featherstick and a ferro rod, but I guess the leaves were too damp to catch.

  37. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Feather sticking and a ferro rod usually. Sometimes weatherproof matches if it's raining when I need to get it going.

  38. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    >raining for days
    Bros, where was all this water during the growing season? Why are the skies opening up now when I need free wood to heat my home? Are we entering another mini ice age or something? I can't even fathom how shitty this winter will be.

  39. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Something like picrel, except with a flip top rather than that metal ball, and with a side gear to easily move the rope up.
    I now it's larpy as shit but I quite like it. Just make sure it doesn't get wet.

  40. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    >lighter
    >fire steel
    >fire bow

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