When we think of starting a fire, matches or a lighter are typically the first things that come to mind. Yes, it’s always best to be prepared and have these items with you when venturing out into the wilderness. After all, you’ll need fire to cook your food and to keep you warm during cold nights. If matches or a lighter aren’t available, there are a number of ways to start a fire that involve just a little bit of ingenuity.
There are several friction-based fire-making methods, such as; the hand drill, fire plough, string or bow drill, and the Rudiger Roll (Fire Roll). However, one important thing to keep in mind is the type of wood used for the fire board and spindle. Cottonwood, aspen, cedar, juniper, cypress, walnut and willow make the best woods for this purpose.
Spark-based methods of fire-making include; flint and steel, ferro rod strikers and certain rocks. Quartz rocks or other similar hard rocks can be used to create sparks, as long as a carbon steel knife or striker is available. The key is to create a spark, catch the spark and then turn that spark into a flame by igniting tinder or char cloth. Another way to spark a fire is by rubbing a 9-volt battery onto steel wool, which will instantly ignite it. Similarly, a metal gum wrapper or piece of tin foil, can be ignited by placing it to both ends of a battery.
Lens-based and solar methods (used together) can start a fire. However, the only drawback is that it works when the sun is out with intense rays. Binocular lenses, eyeglasses, a magnifying glass, as well as parabolic mirrors, can all work effectively to harness the sun’s rays. A drop of water added to the lens can intensify the beam. The lens needs to be angled toward the sun so that the beam is highly focused on a small pile of tinder. Another way is using ice to make a fire, which can come in handy during the wintertime. Simply craft a small block of clear ice (about 2″ thick) into a lense and polish it to get a smooth surface. Then, angle the lens toward the sun to capture its highly focused beam.
Another similar technique is using a soda can, where the bottom of the can is polished with toothpaste so that it shines like a mirror and is pointed up toward the sun, ready to ignite your char cloth. Sandwich bags can also be used in a pinch for fire-starting, relying on the same underlying principles. This is achieved by filling a clear sandwich bag with water and tying off the end, then squeezing the bag into a sphere. This will result in a type of biconvex lens, which will capture and focus light.
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