what do you use as tinder?

gunpowder<br>Ive always got bullets in my pocket.

how is that, does it catch with friction and sparks?

Break the cartridge open. Pour the powder on leaves and twigs. Light it with whatever means at your disposal. It only takes a spark.<br> Another way is to break the cartridge open and put a piece of rag in the bullets place and fire it out of a pistol. The rag will be burning when it hits the ground.<br> .22 long rifles can be broken with your fingers but it usually takes more than one to get enough powder to make a difference. (the leftover bullet makes a fantastic sinker for fishing) A .38 works very well. There is plenty of powder. There is enough surface area on the cartridge that you have something to hold onto. It doesnt get any easier than a shotgun shell though. Just cut it open with a pocket knife.<br> Be carefull. Smokeless gunpowder burns extremely hot.

thanks, i'll take some with me next time im out

I originally used cotton balls with a small amount of vaseline mixed in. They work great, however, when I received my Spark-Lte firestarting kit, the tinder that came with it worked great too and without the mess. I also carry trioxane fuel or PitchWitch firestarter material for the more severe weather conditions.

I tryed rubbing some vaseline on cotton wool, but it wouldn't take a spark, even with magnesium, am i doing something wrong?

You need to saturate the cotton. This is easier by warming the petroleum jelly. Then you squeeze out -and squeeze again all the excess vaseline. Try puttig it in a plastic bag and roll with a can. When the cotton looks like an untreated ball, only with a slightly greasy feel it's almost ready. Now gently "fluff" the ball by carefully pulling the fibers. think about your cotton tinder as- tinder! A glob of vaseline, while flammable is like the large billets of wood in your fire's final construction. Remember too, when making fire with sparks work close with your materials.

Remember you don't have to look very far, you don't need very much. Try the lining of your pockets and the seems of your clothes the lint that collects there makes good tinder, except for wool. Dry bark, shredded into tiny pieces, dead grass, fern and moss, dead pine needles, all these make good tinder as long as its dry.<br>The commom factor is the size of the individual pieces or fibres. They must be tiny so that much of their substance is exposed to the air and to the spark or flame.<br>Personally I never empty my pockets from all the small pieces of rubbish from my smock, just in case I need them to start a fire.<br>Reinhardt<br>