That's nice, to have ideas bounced at you .....

I have got a flint + magnesium device (too big for my EDC), and I am not confident I could start a fire with it : I have tried (not many times ... maybe I just need more practice ...) and if I can produce plenty of sparks, I still have to start a fire !
The only time I succeeded, was when I used some kind of "tinder" jelly ; works really fine and easy. But that jelly is not easy to pack (and maybe not safe as well).
Sparks don't ignite Esbit blocks (solid alcool or something like that, used for small emergency furnaces).
I have try with cotton wool : doesn't ignite either !!
and I have tried to scrap magnesium : it's a PITA ... to scrap just a few bits and try to ignite it. And the least puff of wind ...... you get magnesium all over the countryside ....but not for your fire !! <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
In this forum, I have seen posts about cotton wool + vaseline (?) or tissue+ nail varnish ; not tested yet. Or do you think I could scrap some magnesium at home, and put on cotton wool, and put the lot inside a small vial or plastic bag or anything ... ? Or maybe I could get some magnesium powder ?
Question : would it be safe to keep the magnesium under that form ??
I guess I will have to try again .... practice, practice ..... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
and if I'm finally successful, I will try to get a sparky set.

Thanks for the links about tarps. Nice pix. For that too, I will have to practice a bit. Seems simple enough ... even I should be able to do that <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
But the poncho is not for EDC. I keep it in the rucksack I use for daylong hikes.


Bye.

Alain