start a fire without matches

take a 9 volt battery and rub the negative/positive end against steel wool.

...but I’ve never given up the idea that it is good to be prepared. Starting a fire without matches or a lighter just seems like one of those ‘man-things’ every guy should know.

Not sure when I’ll do this, but I surely will.

I’ve done this several times with flint and steel. It might be interesting to try it with a bow drill sometime, too, but at least I know there’s always one way I can do it.

I got a plastic magnifying glass from a Crackerjack box and started a little fire in the backyard. Yikes!

So Ray Mears is upto his bush craft stuff again so I thought I would create a small fire in my back garden and cook some food on it. I cut up a few potatoes, garnished with olive oil, salt and pepper, Placed in tin foil. I used a gadget that creates a spark by running a blade down the shaft of a bit of metal. It was fairly easy to do but getting the fire to become a propper fire was harder. My advice is have lotts of dry leaves and small kindling. I felt like a real man. Ill try using a stick next time. and leaves instead of tin foil.

It occurs to me that I’ve started fires with cigarette lighters and probably a few other things.

But I don’t mean any of that. I mean, like, with a bow.

The one time I tried this I managed plenty of smoke, but no flame. I suspect I could manage now, but I haven’t tried for years.

I have tried the flint and steel method and got close. I would like to learn how to start a fire with a bow drill. I think it’s a lot of technique once you figure it out.

Magnifying glasses don’t count. However, finding a broken piece of glass and starting a fire with that is acceptable.

Who hasn’t started a fire with a magnifying glass when they were a kid? Plus, I was a Boy Scout, so I did start a fire once, using two sticks (hint: do it on a really dry day) just because people kept asking if I’d done it.

Bah! Kid’s play… :)

Items needed:
Fine steel wool (000 or finer)
Dried kindling (straw, hemp, twigs, cedar bark, etc.)
One nine volt battery (keep the battery and steel wool separate or you’ll get fire before you’re ready for it)

Tear off a piece of the seel wool and fluff it up just a bit. Place your kindling upon the top of the steel wool. Touch the two terminals of the nine volt battery to the edge of the steel wool and gently blow to fan the flames as they form. Get out the marshmellows and call the kids.