Enough of the planning, enough of the study I decided. Time to practice! I was inspired by the "Prepared to Survive" DVD I just got done watching, and decided it was time to practice starting fires. I grabbed some dried grass from the last lawn clippings as well as some dried leaves and my Magfire. I used an old paving stone that wasn't doing anything to put my tinder on, since I didn't want to build a fire, just start it. It was a little windy, so I took a split piece of firewood and used it to block the wind. Brand new Magfire, so I had to scrape a little to get the sparks going. The tinder must not have been dry enough because it wouldn't catch. I went in the house and grabbed a Tinderquik, and tried again. I was amazed at how quickly the Tinderquik caught (and how quickly it burned out!). Some of the surrounding grass and leaves caught too when I feed them in. My wife, who was sitting next to me not paying attention to what I was doing got very anxious when she saw the small flame. She kept saying, "Okay, your ego is high, now put it out!" I'm not sure what that meant, but I can tell she won't want to learn firemaking anytime soon.

Now, after a few dozen times starting them on a nice clear (albeit breezy) day, I'll try the cold, wet days to start fires <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Good job. Practice makes perfect. Remember that the timder is the key and have all materials ready to go before you strike.

Ors - Thanks for bringing back the memories. It was only a year or so ago that I, too, started my first fire. Well, not my FIRST fire, but my first fire that didn't employ a Bic lighter or matches or a torch something else that throws a flame. I used only my striker and hacksaw blade. Dryer lint, crushed up dried leaves and a few dried up pine needles. Very exciting. I learned alot that day. Later that summer I headed for the woods with my new skill and just the striker and blade. I actually found some pitchwood (which I found works very well) and shaved some off onto some dried moss and crumbled leaves. A few strikes later and I had something. I literally blew life into a flame and with the twigs I'd gathered I soon had a certifiable fire. I learned alot that day, too. Good job!

Next time wear your bearskin - and tell your wife that it's a caveman thing....

Good point...to be honest it wasn't my FIRST, first fire. Dad taught me how to burn leaves and garbage when I was growing up, but it always involved matches, or a Bic and some sort of accelerant. It was a good lesson for me in what Doug and the others were saying in the "Prepared to Survive" DVD...practice BEFORE you need the skills (I think Nicodemus has that as part of his sig.) It took me several tries to get it to work, because the pressure on the Magfire wasn't quite right, or the angle of the striker wasn't good. Next I'll be working on securing paracord between my clothesline posts to practice ridgelines <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Because as I tell the kids at tae kwon do class, "If you can't do it forewards and backwards while you're asleep, then you don't know it well enough!"

awesome. or as my anchient inner man would say: mmmmmm, fire good, keep man warm, cook man food.

It's good to see that you're not in Florida! I'd have to wonder if your fire got out of control. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Right now I-95 is closed in 2 counties because of smoke from fires. Probably a good time to remind everyone about fire management. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />