Ahhh Kari not my type you guys can have her. I stick with Scotty since her torch technique are of extraordinary magnitude. And I always wanted to learn welding.

The Ice Lens technique of firestarting was referenced in the movie "The Edge" (one of my faves). Hopkins character riddles Baldwin's "How do you get fire from ice?" in an effort to distract him from the despair of having watched the rescue helicopter heading for the horizon away from them.

If you build a big enough lens, you can get moonlight to start a fire.

We are failing at looking the innocent.

"If you build a big enough lens, you can get moonlight to start a fire."

Ah... I don't think so. Moonlight is just reflected glow-light -- it just doesn't have the "candlepower" that the sun does.

Also, what I don't understand about ice lenses is how to get clear ice. If it's cloudy ice (the only kind I can make <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />), I don't see how it can focus light. I actually tried making two ice cubes in half-sphere molds (5" dia), then "gluing" them together with water, but I couldn't get it to focus, and that was on the 4th of July at high noon. (I figured if I couldn't do it then, I couldn't do it in MN in January.)

Sue

I've used (or rather, tried to use) both smokeless and black powder to start a fire... NOT a good idea. Smokeless doesn't ignite until you get to a pretty high temp, if you can get your tinder that hot, you don't need the smokeless. Black powder flashes at the least provocation, and you'll singe your fingers and blacken your tinder, but the flash doesn't last long enough for ignition of the tinder. I tried both when I was young and FOOLISH, and learned the hard way. I've never tried the textbook "cloth in a cartridge after pulling the bullet" method, but then again, after learning my lesson with gun powder fire starters, I've never been without (several) better ways to make a fire <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Troy

You just need a REAAAALLLLLYYYYYY big lens.

I've tried the ice lens as an experiment in natural surroundings. I. E. The middle of the winter in the North East. This was long ago in my scout days. Following pictures from a book the lens was about 6 to 8 inches in diameter. The ice was pond ice and appeared cloudy to start. As per the text the lens was shaped using the hands to melt and shape it. Brother was that cold. But as it melted into shape it cleared up. And yes I was able to start a fire.

While it worked and I now know it is an available part of my repertoire. It is definately not very high on my list of ways to start a fire. In fact because it is slow to make, very cold on the hands and once made slow to start the tinder. I would say it is about a last resort method.

Yes, size does matter, at least that's what they say in the commercials.

Okay, maybe not practical for a survival situation, but hey, what a concept.

Re: TANSTAAFL

Are you a Richard Maybury fan?

Sue

Les Stroud started a fire with a "bullet" (bullet head removed) from a rifle. He eventually got it to work.