What methods other than tinder, lighter and matches has anyone used to start a fire in adverse conditions like a <br>high wind? How about using wet wood? I can use a<br>flamethrower or a thermite grenade, too. I am interested in<br>practical solutions that you arrived at on the spot-if you did.<br>How did you sustain the fire?<br>Has anyone thought about the efficacy of ading a pair of<br>pruning shears to your kit to facilitate the accumulation<br>of dead wood ? <br><br>

There are numerous ways to start fires without matches. I try to carry enough dry tinder to catch a spark and start small twigs. Once the twigs are going, I can dry out enough wood to get a blaze going.<br><br>I collect what I was taught was called "sqaw wood". Dead branches still on trees. Since they are still on the tree, they are not rotted and the wind drys them even when it is raining. Stuff up to about the size of your wrist can be easily broken off and used immedately. Once you get your twigs and pencil sized wood burning, you can add wrist sized overtop even it if is wet. The fire will dry out the larger wood which will then burn. It will tend to be a smoky fire with lots of sizzling and popping. Once you have a fire going, stack your wet firewood around the ring of fire. The heat will dry out the wet wood so it will be ready to throw on.<br><br>

A useful product to use in wind or rain are the magnesium bars with strikers. Magnesuim burns at 5000+ degrees and cannot be put with water. Well, technically it can be extinguished by water but fire departments do not feel they have enough water to extinguish magnesium with multiple fire hydrants. They use a special purpose fire extinguisher, Class D. But I digress....<br><br>You can get the magnesium bars at the Mart stores for about $5 in the camping section. A dull gray bar about 3 inchs long x 1 inch wide x 1/4 inch. Get a hack saw blade and break it off the same length as the bar. Most bars come with a chain attached. You can connect the hack saw blade via the chain so you don't lose it.<br><br>Take the saw blade and scrape the bar with the teeth side of the saw blade. Make a pile of magnesium shavings. The package directs to make a pile about the size of a quarter. Make the pile of shavings on top of your tinder. Now scrape the artifical flint on the side of the magnesium with the saw blade. It will throw white hot sparks. Aim the sparks at the pile of shavngs. They will catch fire and burn extremely hot. <br><br>The package recommends using your knife to make the shavings. Yes, thats right. Cut and scrape your nice sharp knife against metal. Then it recommends you scrape your (now dulled) knife agaist the metal artificial flint. That will work. New hack saw blades are $1. They are thin, lightweight and designed to cut metal. If you are going to carry around this hunk of magneisum, adding a piece of hack saw blade 3 inchs long is not an inconvience, it is a necessity to make the magnesium a vivable firestarter.<br><br>I put the shavings on a leaf or piece of bark so that I can transfer the pile of burning metal easily. Put your other tinder on the leaf/bark tray and then make your pile of shavings on top of the tinder. That way you can pick up the whole mess to blow gently and then stuff inside your tepee or log cabin of twigs.<br><br>For windy conditions, build a wind break around you fire area to limit the problems. Remember, building a fire is mostly about prepartion. Things like clearing your site from fuel which could start forest fires, collecting a large pile of fuel to burn in all the sizes you will need before you even start, breaking and correctly sizing your twigs, sticks, tinder, etc. before you start, placing it all within arms reach. Making the spark or striking the match is the last part of making a fire. <br><br><br>

I once started a fire on the Oregon Coast with a handdrill.This was about as tough as it gets; one broken hand,sea spray and the ever present rain. I had been tought this ancient method as a little boy by an Apache cowboy;AND MADE TO PRACTICE ! Driftwood is obviously waterlogged, but even on the beach some becomes dry and seasoned in the right 'nooks and crannies'. When you practice any survival skill,total focus is essential. I had no choice but to succeed. Pruning shears,axes etc. are uneccessary with dried wood. Just break smaller pieces for kindling and then build it up to burn the larger billets. When your tired and cold ,big tools make big cuts, usuallyin your thigh.<br><br>

>>>The package recommends using your knife to make the shavings. Yes, thats right. Cut and scrape your nice sharp knife against metal. Then it recommends you scrape your (now dulled) knife agaist the metal artificial flint. That will work. <<<<br><br>I use my multi tool with the magnesium bar.<br><br>I first use the file to generate the filings, which I place on dryer lint. Then I use a square edge of the phillips screw driver tool to create the sparks. <br><br>I taught my kids to do this and they went crazy when they created a shower of sparks and actually started a fire without matches.<br><br>BTW, can these bars be cut without igniting? I have a leather holder for my tool that's too tall. I use a little block of wood in the bottom as a spacer. A chunk of the magnesium bar would work as well as server as an emergency fire starter. Any thoughts?<br><br>Willie Vannerson<br>McHenry, IL

Cut away. Doug dispells this concern in his review of magnesium. Some folks apply a thin wash of fingernail polish to seal the bar from moisture.<br><br>

Saw a suggestion on another web site to cut the bar in half lengthwise. Carve a notch along the long side and superglue replacement lighter flints into the notch. Now you have two bars for the cost of one that take up only half the space.<br><br>It would seem easiser to cut in half the other direction but that may leave you with a flint that is too short to generate sparks easily. It also depends on the size of the space where you plan on storing the bar.<br><br>

In addition to the 'standard' NATO lifeboat matches and magnesium flint, I also keep a pad of 0000 fine steel wool and a 9 V dry cell in my primary survival kit. Pull off a large wisp of steel wool from the pad, roll it into a slightly compressed wad, and touch it to the terminals of the dry cell - instant glowing iron filaments. Works well in the wind and/or rain.<br><br><br>

1. Do you dilute the fingernail polish or apply it straight?<br><br>2. How susceptable to moisture are the bars?<br><br>Thanks.<br><br>Willie Vannerson<br>McHenry, IL

I'd need to cut it crossways so it sits in the bottom of the sheath and pushes the multi-tool up higher. I'll try taping part of one to see if the remaining length is sufficient for sparking. I'd still have a full size one in my fanny pack. <br><br>The idea was to put something of use in the bottom of the sheath instead of a small block of wood. Any other suggestions? I don't have it with me but the space is about 1" wide x 1/2" deep x 3/4" high. And it sits in the bottom so it will not be easy to get out. I would likely have to remove my belt and ti[ the sheath over to knock it out. A string to pull out would not work as the sheathing of the tool during normal use would push it down.<br><br>Willie Vannerson<br>McHenry, IL