PRIMITIVE METHODS OF LIGHTING A FIRE
In survival, primitive methods of starting a fire are those which are attributed to our early ancestors. Their great advantage, when compared to traditional ones, is the fact that to put them to action, we do not need any modern tools. Everything we need we can produce ourselves or find in our surrounding. This makes these methods more universal.
Flint and Steel
A flint and steel method is the most reliable of the primitive direct spark methods. To create a spark you need to strike a flint or other hard, sharp-edged rock edge with a piece of carbon steel. It is important that the steel is not stainless, because stainless steel does not produce good sparks (most of today's knifes are stainless). You must place the rock near the tinder and strike, sliding the steel on the edge of the rock towards the tinder, so that the sparks have a chance to reach it. This method requires practice and patience as it may take some time before a good enough spark ignites the tinder (tinder must be very delicate when you're using a direct spark method). When a spark has caught in the tinder, blow on it. The spark will spread and eventually burst into flames.
Fire-Plow
A fire-plow is one of the ”friction methods” of ignition. For this method you need a hard wood shaft and a wood base that is softer than the shaft. First you need to cut a straight groove in the base. Than to achieve ignition, you will plow the blunt tip of the shaft up and down the groove. The plowing action of the shaft pushes out small particles of wood fibres. While plowing you will apply more pressure on each stroke and the friction will ignite the wood particles. At the end of the groove, you will have placed some tinder, on which the ignited particles will fall. Once the tinder begins to smoulder, blow or fan it into a flame.
Bow and Drill
The technique of starting a fire with a bow and drill is simple, but requires much effort and persistence to produce a fire. To make a fire with this method, you must first prepare tools:
- Socket - Socket is an easily grasped stone or a piece of hard wood with a slight depression on one side. Wood is used more often for this purpose as it is usually difficult to find a stone accordingly shaped. Socket is used to hold down the drill in one place and apply a pressure.
- Drill - Drill should also be made of hard wood. It should be about 25 centimetres in length and 2 centimetres in diameter. Most importantly though, the drill needs to be straight, otherwise you will not be able to turn it with sufficient speed. Top end of the drill should be blunt and round as then it creates the best friction.
- Fireboard - Fireboard's size is of less importance. It can easily be a flat board around 2-3 cm thick. To keep the drill in one place, cut a small depression about 2cm from the edge of the board - this will be your top-side. On the other side prepare a V-shaped cut from the air of the board to the depression, so that a little hole to the other side is created in the depression on the top-side (see the picture). Fireboard must be made of soft wood.
- Bow - to make a bow use a resilient green stick about 2.5cm in diameter and a string. Tie the string to both ends of the bow without any slack.
Having prepared your tools prepare the fire lay. Then place a bundle of tinder under V-shaped cut. You should place your foot on the board or kneel on it to keep it in one place. Loop the bowstring over the drill and place the drill in the depression on the fireboard. On the other side of the drill place the socket. Fixed in-between the board and the socket the drill should stand straight.
Start sawing with the bow back and forth. When you establish a smooth motion, gradually increase pressure from the top with the socket and work the bow faster. After a while hot black powder will start falling through the hole into the tinder, causing a spark to catch. Once the tinder begins to smoulder, blow it into flame.
Helpful fire starting hints
- Collect kindling and tinder along the trail - Tinder and kindling are usually hard to find. Whenever you come across good tinder collect it, even if you do not intend to light a fire at this very moment. You may not be able to find it later, especially at night.
- Add flammable substances to tinder - if you have any gasoline, insect repellent or any other flammable material, add it to the tinder. This will make ignition easier.
- Add dry wood to you fire - wood burns only if it is dry. If you add damp or wet wood to the fire, it will not burn until it dries, so you should be careful not to quench the fire with damp wood. Wet wood also produces a lot of smoke, what may be dangerous for you if you are in a potentially hostile area. It is much more convenient to dry wood by the fire before burning it. Simply put wet wood near enough to the fire so that the heat will dry it. After a while, burn this wood and start drying next pile.
- Bank the fire with stones - stones absorb and give away heat relatively slowly. If you bank your fire with stones, they will keep you warm long after the fire is out. Note, that it is not recommended to extinguish fire if you will have to start it again using primitive or unreliable tools.
- Be sure the fire is out when you leave your camp - unattended fire can be very dangerous and cause deaths and injuries of many. Always extinguish fire when you're leaving your camp.