BAD EYES = GOOD FIRE

In the eyeglass section at almost any pharmacy store you will find a display of credit-card-sized magnifying glasses intended to aid reading by those with poor eyesight. To the well-informed student of survival, this small lens is one of the best fire starters available. This inexpensive wallet-sized magnifier can create an ember on punky wood, char cloth, dry deer poop, tinder fungus, sage, and a variety of dried leaves in just a few seconds on a bright sunny day. I always have one in my wallet, and I consider it one of the most reliable fire starters I’ve ever used. In fact, here is a video I filmed to explain exactly how to use it for fire starting: www.willowhavenoutdoor.com/punky-wood-video.

FROM FLASHLIGHT TO FLAME

The convex reflector that surrounds the bulb of a flashlight reflects the light from the bulb into a strong and focused beam. If removed from the case, it can also be positioned to create a solar ember on tinder held in the proper position. First, remove the reflector from the flashlight case. This often requires removing the bulb and plastic/glass lens cover. Stab your small piece of solar tinder onto the end of a thin stick or wire and feed it up through the hole in the bottom of the reflector. Face the reflector directly into the sun and carefully position the tinder so that it rests in the spot with the tightest focal point of converged sunlight. Once it ignites, place it into a tinder bundle and blow it into flame. Best tinders are char cloth, deer or rabbit poo, chaga fungus, punky wood, milkweed ovum, and charcoal. Note: The reflectors in vehicle headlights also work very well for this.

ROMANTIC HOUSE FIRE

I’ll never forget a news clip I saw years ago about how a homeowner poured a glass of white wine, relaxed in her chair, and fell asleep only to wake up and find her house on fire. How did it happen? She placed her glass of white wine (nearly clear in color) on the coffee table next to the chair and right by the window. The sun was shining brightly through the window that day, and the circular shape of her wine glass converged the sun’s rays to focus on a box of tissues sitting nearby. The focal point was so hot that the tissues caught fire, and the rest is history. As survivalists, we can learn a lot from this mistake. A clear bulbous sphere-like vessel filled with water (or any clear liquid) can be used to establish a solar ember when positioned properly.

FIRE TINDER HACKS

PET BALLS

I’m going to start this hack section with one of the best (and most popular) fire hacks in the business—PET balls. These are cotton balls mixed with petroleum jelly; one of these will burn upward of 100 times longer than the same cotton ball without petroleum. The cotton ball behaves as a wick that burns the petroleum jelly fuel.

Many products are petroleum jelly–based, including some hair pomades, lip balms, first-aid ointments, and makeups. Any can be used. A PET ball that has been pulled apart to expose the tiny cotton fibers can ignite with just the small spark from a broken lighter or ferrocerium rod. A ferrocerium rod is a manmade metal that produces hot sparks when scraped against a sharp surface. To make mixing easier, I prefer to microwave the jar of petroleum jelly for a few seconds to liquefy it. I then pour it over a bowl of cotton balls.

THE FIRE PICK

Did you know that guitar picks make incredible fire tinder? They are made from a material called celluloid, which happens to be extremely flammable. For this reason I always keep a couple in my wallet as emergency fire-starting tinder. They will ignite when exposed to an open flame such as that from a disposable lighter or match. However, you can also use them with just a spark if you know how. Start by drilling a small divot in a stick. Then, split the stick in the end all the way into the divot. Next, using your knife, fill the divot with shavings from the guitar pick. Make these by scraping your knife at a 90-degree angle against the pick. Finally, slide the pick into the split until the edge of it is buried in the shaving-filled divot. Now you can ignite the small shavings using a spark from the ferro rod, and they will in turn ignite the pick. Voilà—fire with a guitar pick!

MAKE TINDER FROM A BUSTED LIGHTER

As you learned previously in the Ignition Hacks section, even a busted lighter can be used to ignite cotton fibers and dried seed pods. Did you know you can also make an incredible tinder from a broken lighter? Each time you turn the wheel against the lighter’s mini ferro rod, it scrapes off a small amount of metal dust. This ferrocerium dust is extremely flammable. With the lighter turned upside down, turn the lighter wheel slowly about 50 times over a napkin and watch as the dust slowly collects in a little pile. Then, spark the lighter wheel into that dust pile for a short burst of flame. The small flame will ignite the napkin.

USE A POP CAN TO PLAN FOR FUTURE FIRES

Planning for future fires is a big part of survival. One of the best ways to do this is to make char cloth. It is a natural-fiber fabric (such as a 100 percent cotton bandana) that has been burned in the absence of oxygen. Cut an empty pop can in half, place several squares of natural-fiber fabric inside, and then pressure fit the top half over the bottom half. Next, close the thin metal seal to the drinking hole so that there is just a sliver of opening. Finally, place this container in the coals or a small fire for several minutes. You will see smoke and flames shoot out of the slit at the mouth hole. When the smoke stops your char cloth is done. After cooling, ignite it with a spark or lens, and place it in a tinder bundle to be blown into flame.

GUM WRAPPER FIRE

A foil-backed gum wrapper (or any foil-backed paper candy wrapper) can be used to start a fire if you have a battery source such as a AA battery from a flashlight or remote control. Start by trimming the wrapper to an hourglass shape. Touch the positive and negative terminals of the battery with the foil side of the wrapper simultaneously. The electrical current will converge on the thinnest part of the hourglass shape and ignite the wrapper to flame. If the battery is too weak to bring the wrapper to flame, consider adding a second battery for more electrical current. Be sure to have a good tinder bundle ready because you’ll only have about 3 seconds of flame!

MAKEUP AISLE TO FIRE TINDER

Many female readers will be familiar with the flat, round cotton pads sold as makeup removers. These also happen to be one of my favorite ingredients in a fantastic do-it-yourself fire tinder. I call them fire discs. When candles in my house burn down to nothing I toss them in an old shoe box to repurpose. When I gather enough, I melt them down in an old saucepan until they are liquid. Then I fill that saucepan up with the flat cotton makeup removal pads and wait until they are saturated through with wax. Using tongs, I place them one by one on a board to cool and harden. These can be packed into old candy tins or resealable bags and make for one of the best fire starters I’ve ever used. Pull apart to expose the tiny cotton fiber and light with a spark or flame. Burn time: 5–10 minutes.