I am thinking of building a seperate fire lighting kit that will fit in a 2oz tobacco tin. The contents will be as follows:<br>1. flint & magnesium block<br>1. lighter<br>1. magnifying glass<br>20+ wind/waterproof matches<br>cotten wool<br>Hexamine<br><br>This is still in the planning stage but could you please comment on the idea and come up with additions or subtractions.<br><br>thanks

soak the cotton wool in some vaseline or get some other waterproof tinder

Thanks for the reply. Do you know anywere where I can get any water proof tinder in England, I havn't seen any of the types of tinder that Doug or Chris use?

Try http://www. sofmilitary.co.uk and then look in fieldcraft > cooking for Wet fire Tinder. Just don't mistake them for boiled sweets. Of course they are in Wales....<br><br>I've never tried the magnesium block but a lot of people I have read don't recommmend them. Check out the Outdoor forum of knifeforums.com to read what people say there.<br><br>Personally I prefer the Swedish Army FireSteel, and find that I am using that for almost all of my fire lighting when out playing! I'm always looking for natural tinders, currently using Thistle down or Willowherb down because it''s in season but the thin peelings from Birch bark works wonders. The fire steel will work with hexamine too if you shave some of it to a fine powder.<br><br>Justin

Always keep a quantity of strike anywhere matches on your person. Why? Let us imagine a forum member unconscious,cold,wet and slipping into hypothermia. Now have one of their family members retrieve his kit. There is a redundant array of firemaking systems and tinders. Now, which item do you think most people will be most familiar with? Even the excellent Lifeboat matches have a unique striking angle. Metal matches are virtually indestructable and last for thousands of fires. All the other methods and tools have their place. Just make sure that first one can be started by anybody ;O)

Thanks for the reply.

Thanks Chris that makes a lot of sense.<br>I've only really just started thinking about the safety side of outdoor pursuits even though I've been into the since I was 10(six years)

Along with Chris' post about having Strike-Anywhere matches available because of people's familiarity with them, I vote for mini-lighters, too. <br><br>I breeze through airport security without a hitch with Bic mini-lighters, whereas SAW matches could raise some eyebrows because of their incendiary qualities. <br><br>(BTW, I don't think they're sold in my state because they're considered HAZMAT. I have to get mine out of state.)<br><br>I've never had a lighter lose any fluid after being at altitude, either. <br><br>Face it, I'm lazy and would much rather flick my Bic than use a magnesium block or a Spark-Lite. :-)

I agree with getting rid of the mag. block. All I ever managed to get to work on it in a breeze was the striker, lol. The lighter is ok to carry, but if it gets wet, it's useless. Replace the magnesium with a metal match, keep the lighter and like Chris recommends, have some strike anywhere matches someplace in your system. I carry 5 types of tender (pitchwitch, trioxane, Esbit solid fuel tab, spark-lite tender and I always carry a tin of cotton wool and char cloth with me)and 5 types of ignition (spark-lite, strike anywhere matches, storm matches, lighter, metal match w/steel) . The strike anywheres are in a film canister and have a big bright label that says matches, just in case, lol. I also carry backups so in all I have up to 8 fire kits in my various kits which combine to make up my main kit. Redundant no doubt, but I know that I'll be able to start a fire one way or another, lol.

Chris,<br><br>I salvaged an old Tylenol 10 pack bottle. Inside I put 2 trick birthday candles, 12 strike-anywhere matches,<br>1 small flint from a mag. block that popped out when I dropped it, and 2 Sparl-Lite tinders. This will fit inside and stay dry in a downpour. I submerged it for 12 hours and finally got a little water in. But most of the matches would lite. I used to have Coghlan tinders in the kit, but after a while the matches soaked up the solution from the tinder and would not light. I really like the Coghlan tinders for they burn longer. My only solution is to invert the matches.<br><br>Hunter

As long as you can make it work when the situation arises.

The Magnesium block and flint actually have a use. I also have fought the wind with a pile of shavings and what a pain in the feeffvv when you are in a hurry. One day when I was bored at work I shaved off a film container full. You will be suprised how much will fit. I actually use it to light trick candles. 5400 degrees will light it every time.<br><br>Hunter

On my key-chain I carry a magnesium fire-starter. I do this because it is indestructable. My pocket always has a mini-bic.<br><br>In my pack I carry the usual spark lite, vaseline cotton balls, strike anywhere matches, trioxane. <br><br>A final thought here. Many situations will leave you in cold environments without combustables to burn. All the fire-lighting in the world will be rendered useless. In this case a survival candle will keep a small shelter warm.<br><br>Take a look at Ranger Ricks idea of using one underneath a mylar blanket. I have heard these are flamable so I would keep the flame from touching the mylar.

I am not trying to doubt you or anything but I have used a magnessium and flint for a long time and its all about how you do it. I have mastered it. i use it so offten Id have too. You have to scrape off more than a quarter size worth and then scrape it into a leaf. Now place this under your tender and strike. and now you have a blaze. its all in the amount of magnesum

Ah heck, that's ok. We all got our likes and dislikes and our abilities are just as varied as there are freely given opinions. To be honest, I had better luck with cotton wool, char cloth, flint and steel than I did the mag bar, lol. Not that I've spent anywhere near enough time to master either. I can see your point that there are those like yourself that have taken the time to master the mag bar. I've been sitting on the sofa with the wife tonight scraping shavings from the bar and placing them into a film container. The wife asks what the heck I'm doing and all I can say is "Making a mess?" :o) I just figure that we gotta go with what we are efficient with and the mag bar isn't one of my best sources. I am working on it though. ;o)

My thoughts were similar to yours as well regarding the lack of suitable combustables! <br><br>That's why I made up my altoids tin survival candle just for this purpose. To keep 2 - 3 people warm in a small shelter if no fuel was awailable for burning......<br><br>

Magnesium bars are not my favorite. Having said that, I do know how to use the things properly. To twist my example with the matches, what if I came upon somebody with only a magnesium bar and flint? I think I've met more people with a unused mag bar in their kits than any other item. They know as much of it's use as the G.I. pocket surgical kits that are proudly displayed next :O(

I got to review my fire lighting kit too. Normally I have no problem lighting a fire with my flint and steel (and recently my swedish fire steel) until recently when i was in the forrest and coudn't mange it anymore. (I checked natural resources including small feathers, dried fungi(?) and them the lining of my pockets.) No luck. I didn't want to use matches or a lighter as I only just received the swedish fire steel. I wanted to be able to start one with that. If I couldn't than no brew for me. I went home thirsty and dissapointed.<br>Reinhardt

Redundancy is a good thing but not if all your firestarting supplies are in the same place! I'd supplement your kit with redundant firestarters in other places (matches in a match safe on a key chain / carabiner, lighter in a pocket, etc.). Along with that, practice, practice, practice. I like a small cup of tea at lunch and try different methods and fuels each time (I work in the woods so it's easy for me to get in some practice time). It's especially challenging when it's raining so a thermos of hot water back at the truck comes in handy sometimes:)