How many of you know how to start a fire?

[Fritzo]

I just "came" across this: (no pun intended)

Balloons and Condoms
By filling a balloon or condom with water, you can transform these ordinary objects into fire creating lenses.

Fill the condom or balloon with water and tie off the end. You?ll want to make it as spherical as possible. Don?t make the inflated balloon or condom too big or it will distort the sunlight?s focal point. Squeeze the balloon to find a shape that gives you a sharp circle of light. Try squeezing the condom in the middle to form two smaller lenses.

Condoms and balloons both have a shorter focal length than an ordinary lens. Hold them 1 to 2 inches from your tinder.

 

[Evadman]

Condoms do not let enough light though. If you really want to use a lens, then use the bottom of a coke can. Polish it with whatever polishing agent you can find.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Evadman
Condoms do not let enough light though. If you really want to use a lens, then use the bottom of a coke can. Polish it with whatever polishing agent you can find.

Stop trying with used ones! :laugh:

 

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: BUTCH1
No, I don't know how, I'm not the "outdoorsy" type, I refuse to go camping until someone makes a tent with cable.

where the hell have you been? Living under a rock? You can take your directv dish with you, your LCD with you, and they make some generators now that are so quiet, you can barely hear them running. Now, get your butt out into the woods and start a fire like a real man would... so your wife can do the cooking. 😛

Ha ha, I don't have Directtv, my LCD is "47 and not fun to tote, I have a genny (FL), but it's 7HP briggs can wake the dead, my wife's nickname for the grill is "turn and burn", I keep the expensive steaks far, far away..

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: EMPshockwave82

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel

And if all else fails, get the gas. 😛

Congrats, you just set your face on fire because the settings were just right in the atmosphere and got yourself stuck in a gasoline flash.


Anything other than matches is cheating

Gas is unneccessary

Depends on your elevation. Sure, you can still start a fire with paper and matches, but it's easier with some gasoline once you get really high.

When I was camping in the Andes, we would make "napalm" by melting styrofoam in gasoline until it jellied, and then smear that on the wood. Don't breathe the fumes...😉

 

[gorcorps]

Never in the boy scouts, but living in colorado means we go camping at least once a year. When I was a kid my dad made sure I knew how to start a fire the proper way.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Originally posted by: EMPshockwave82

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel

And if all else fails, get the gas. 😛

Congrats, you just set your face on fire because the settings were just right in the atmosphere and got yourself stuck in a gasoline flash.


Anything other than matches is cheating

Gas is unneccessary

Someone who manges to get burnt with gas and fire is a retard. Starting a fire with gas requires to use common sense such as keeping distance. NEVER pour gas on an already existing fire (even if it's just sparks/coals). You put the gas on the kindling, light a match, drop it on, stand back. Or light a piece of paper that's crumbled and throw it in the fire pit where the gas was put. Lot of ways this can be done 100% safely. Of course, this is cheating and only to be used as a very last resort.

As for starting a fire without matches or anything I'd pay anyone 100 bucks to successfully do that here. Dry stuff here in the summer is as rare as an abominable snow man in California.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

Originally posted by: Evadman
<Condoms do not let enough light though. If you really want to use a lens, then use the bottom of a coke can. Polish it with whatever polishing agent you can find.

Stop trying with used ones! :laugh:

:laugh:

 

[destrekor]

Yeah I know how and have built a fire with ignition sources and can get embers to start a fire again.
Never had to use friction alone to get a fire started but I know the principals, so if necessary to survive I could do it with a shit-ton of effort and time.

Starting without pre-made ignition sources is the part that I have no practice in, but building a fire and keeping it lit and getting it to be large is not much effort if the necessary materials are scattered about.
I'm a firebug, big time. Absolutely love fire, can keep me in a trance real easy. 🙂

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

Originally posted by: Evadman
<Condoms do not let enough light though. If you really want to use a lens, then use the bottom of a coke can. Polish it with whatever polishing agent you can find.

Stop trying with used ones! :laugh:

If I am stuck in the middle of the motherfvcking woods, what comes first fire or sex? DUH!

 

[sjwaste]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Maybe it's the boy scout in me. But it really isn't that difficult. Is a fireplace that much of a foreign device? No "push button to light fire"?

Watching Survivor reality shows it's pretty clear. Folks just don't know how to start a fire.

So the question is in the Poll.

I can maintain a fire and make it bigger once I have a source of fire, but I'm not any good at creating the source of fire (other than matches or similar), so I said no.

If the question is, can I light a campfire or fireplace using a match, some kindling, and larger chunks of fuel wood, yeah I can do that. But if I'm stuck w/o a flame source, I may be boned.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: her209
Its so easy even a caveman can do it

Thanks!

Pretty good stuff there.

 

[Rubycon]

Or you can use your flashlight. 😀

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel

Originally posted by: EMPshockwave82

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel

And if all else fails, get the gas. 😛

Congrats, you just set your face on fire because the settings were just right in the atmosphere and got yourself stuck in a gasoline flash.


Anything other than matches is cheating

Gas is unneccessary

Someone who manges to get burnt with gas and fire is a retard. Starting a fire with gas requires to use common sense such as keeping distance. NEVER pour gas on an already existing fire (even if it's just sparks/coals). You put the gas on the kindling, light a match, drop it on, stand back. Or light a piece of paper that's crumbled and throw it in the fire pit where the gas was put. Lot of ways this can be done 100% safely. Of course, this is cheating and only to be used as a very last resort.

As for starting a fire without matches or anything I'd pay anyone 100 bucks to successfully do that here. Dry stuff here in the summer is as rare as an abominable snow man in California.

WTF??? Gas is combustible, not flamable...meaning IT'S USED TO BLOW THINGS UP, NOT START FIRES. What's the matter, lighter fluid too expensive or something???

 

[KoolDrew]

Originally posted by: n7
As long as i have matches or a lighter, sure.