- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Any of you guys ever start a fire using primitive methods?
Posted on 7/13/26 at 6:30 am to Deadmanshand
Posted on 7/13/26 at 6:30 am to Deadmanshand
quote:
You can do anything with enough YouTube videos.
Note to self:
If stuck in the middle of the wilderness or if civilization has ended, I will still be good as long as my cell phone is charged and YouTube still works.
0
Posted on 7/13/26 at 7:19 am to cubsfan5150
Not easy, but doable with enough patience. Learned it as a kid, then Army survival training helped refine the skill.
Posted on 7/13/26 at 7:29 am to cubsfan5150
Somebody has been watching Alone.
I’ve never started one using the bow drill method. I’ll stick to flint or matches.
I’ve never started one using the bow drill method. I’ll stick to flint or matches.
Posted on 7/13/26 at 7:35 am to GeorgeTheGreek
quote:
I’ve used a real match with a matchbox. Had to strike it a couple of times. It was a real bitch.
Off topic but I used to slide the white and red tipped wooden matches down the barrel of my Daisy BB gun. Shoot them at a concrete wall and it would let out a little pop. That’s all I got. Good times.
Posted on 7/13/26 at 7:44 am to cubsfan5150
I have a Ferro rod in my gun safe just in case. Figure I can make fires for a long time with that if I need to.
Posted on 7/13/26 at 7:45 am to cubsfan5150
We didn’t start the fire.
Posted on 7/13/26 at 7:46 am to cubsfan5150
Finally watched Cast Away huh
Posted on 7/13/26 at 8:05 am to Obtuse1
quote:
Any of the friction methods requires a lot of work and a bit of luck. Flint and steel is also a massive pain. Ferro rods (not primative) are often easier than matches in certain conditions.
This is the proper order of difficulty.
In our old troop, Scouts couldn't carry matches or a lighter. The Wilderness survival merit badge has this requirement. Fire Building. Using three different methods (other than matches), build and light three fires. A couple of other techniques to add in to the ones mentioned above are a magnifying glass and battery with steel wool.
At a winter campout (Klondike for those familiar with the scout lingo) I watched a scoutmaster start a fire with an ice "lens" that he shaped from water frozen in a water bottle. It was amazing.
This post was edited on 7/13/26 at 8:09 am
Posted on 7/13/26 at 8:15 am to cubsfan5150
I’ve done a few with a bow drill. It’s hard and takes patience.
Posted on 7/13/26 at 10:37 am to cubsfan5150
I have made fire through several methods.
The bow drill spinning technique was okay.
The hand spinning was a lot of trouble and I got blisters, but it finally worked. Wood must be very dry and properly prepping the stationary piece was very important.
There is also the back and forth method of rubbing a stick in a wood groove. I had better results with this one - was easier on the hands.
When actually out in the woods, I carried an old lens in a case with some char cloth which would start a fire rapidly on sunny days. No hard work.
As a boy scout, flint and steel fire making was a timed event. I was fairly good at it - especially with char cloth or 4 aught steel wool to catch the sparks.
I used to hunt with flintlocks and made fires with my guns at times. Prime the pan with your powder and place a bit of char cloth beside the pan. A spark is easily started when you fire the gun.
But in the modern time, most people just carry a lighter or a high carbon steel knife and a ferro rod. I made a custom sheath which safely contains a Kephart style of knife and ferro rod on my belt. This will get a fire started very effectively.
The bow drill spinning technique was okay.
The hand spinning was a lot of trouble and I got blisters, but it finally worked. Wood must be very dry and properly prepping the stationary piece was very important.
There is also the back and forth method of rubbing a stick in a wood groove. I had better results with this one - was easier on the hands.
When actually out in the woods, I carried an old lens in a case with some char cloth which would start a fire rapidly on sunny days. No hard work.
As a boy scout, flint and steel fire making was a timed event. I was fairly good at it - especially with char cloth or 4 aught steel wool to catch the sparks.
I used to hunt with flintlocks and made fires with my guns at times. Prime the pan with your powder and place a bit of char cloth beside the pan. A spark is easily started when you fire the gun.
But in the modern time, most people just carry a lighter or a high carbon steel knife and a ferro rod. I made a custom sheath which safely contains a Kephart style of knife and ferro rod on my belt. This will get a fire started very effectively.
Posted on 7/13/26 at 10:37 am to cubsfan5150
Yeah, I clubbed a guy over the head with a stick and took his fire
Posted on 7/13/26 at 10:53 am to cubsfan5150
Not too primitive but I have started a fire with a magnifying glass. And eyeglasses.
Posted on 7/13/26 at 11:32 am to Lonnie Utah
quote:
In our old troop, Scouts couldn't carry matches or a lighter. The Wilderness survival merit badge has this requirement. Fire Building. Using three different methods (other than matches), build and light three fires. A couple of other techniques to add in to the ones mentioned above are a magnifying glass and battery with steel wool.
We did this with some of the older boys last year. We had I think 4 or 5 different methods to teach them.
Ferro was the most fun to see them gathering dry vegetation and attempt to get the spark going. Which leads directly into making sure you have your kindling close by. The spark is just the start of it.
Steel wool and a battery was also neat to teach them.
The third method was letting them make their own fire starters. Dryer lint and either paraffin or petroleum jelly. Making charcoal out of an old cookie tin and wood chunks and letting it sit on an existing fire.
There was also something with paracord that I wasn't part of teaching, but I think that was making a bow drill.
Posted on 7/13/26 at 12:43 pm to cubsfan5150
No. This isn’t Arkansas so we don’t live primitively here.
Posted on 7/13/26 at 1:21 pm to summersausage
quote:
I once cut off my penis and doused it in gasoline and lit it on fire to burn a garage down
Shouldn't your username now be "summernosausage" or alternatively "summerwithoutsausage"?
Posted on 7/13/26 at 1:45 pm to cubsfan5150
quote:
Specifically rubbing two sticks together?
Standard operations for kids growing up after World War II.
Posted on 7/13/26 at 1:50 pm to cubsfan5150
quote:
using primitive methods?
Page 2 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News