i tried the fire torch this morning and it was surprisingly easy to build i tried both with splitting the log and another way of using a chainsaw. by and cutting 3/4 of the way down the log. it lights rather quickly even with the wet log i was using, and its probably gonna be one of my favorite ways to build a fire, extremely low impact to i might add. when done right you have none to very little fire mark on the ground. another thing i like about it is you could build this fire any where since the flame do not really reach the ground on ice, in snow with out digging down on a wooden deck what have you. something to think about for those that could be in flooding situations.


another way i know how to make a fire its another low profile fire is the Dakota fire hole in witch you prity much make 2 holes in the ground and tunnel in between them to connect them and then you build your fire in one of them and that's about it the second hole gives the fire oxygen making it burn better with out smoke and its low in the ground so it minimizes the light that shows from a distance if you are trying to stay concealed while also being easy to cook of off
one thing i wanna try wit it is you might be able to actually make the hole fire into a kinda makeshift forge if you force air through the the other hole making the fire hotter but haven't tried it yet might try it some time soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXDlSjZ5fgQ&feature=related

That is really cool, the Dakota hole is great for the desert. It's windy from all directions and hard to cook over in any sort of comfort with a normal fire. Definitely going to use both of these fire methods in the future.

I definitely like the look of the firetorch, and will be giving it a go on my next camping trip!

The only downside I can see is that it will need a saw to get that nice flat edge top and bottom, and I'm not sure if my usual saw (A Bahco laplander) will be big enough to doing it. Oh well, will take my bigger saw just in case!

A good and convenient place to keep a bit of repair tape is wrapped around your lighter with a couple hairbands around the tape, it'll be easier to grip and you'll have the tape handy.

Thats a good call! I usually keep mine around an old credit card, but may add some to one of my lighters for good measure.

Old credit cards are also useful in scraping pots and pans when cleaning them, and for holding sewing floss since a bobbin takes up more space, or fishing line.

my fire kit's got a flint striker on a magnesium block that you can shave off with a sharp knife (if you don't mind sharpening it again later), some thumb-length pieces of birch bark, a couple of dry king alfred's cakes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daldinia_concentrica) and some of the water/windproof matches with the inch long heads. I find cotton wool gets wet too easily when you put it on the ground so I normally try to stick with the birch bark, the oils in it mean that it's water repellent and so you can light it easily, even if it's on wet moss (as long as you're careful). and if you get a big handful of the dry and papery bark from honeysuckle stems, rub it into a tight ball in your hands and rough up the edges, then drop a lit king alfred's cake in there it lights a lot easier then starting with just a spark. oh, and you can replenish birch bark and the cakes without having to drive to the shops, which is always an advantage in my books :)

I've also had potassium permangenate mixed with aluminium powder in a small tube, with some glycerine in another tube before now. the aluminium's something a friend told me to add and I hadn't seen it before, but he said it makes it more reliable and as far as I've seen it works. but because it's not too easy to get the permangenate and I only ever used it as a novelty so I stopped when it was all gone.

You can also scrape the Magnesium with the edge of a rock.

ahh, that's a pretty damn good idea! but I guess you'd have to use something hard like a flint, which isn't always immediately available...

A key works too, I just don't know if you can make a spark with it. Worth a try though...
I have a piece of broken hack saw blade on the key chain attached to my magnesium block.

yeah, I had a metal saw thingy that came with the block, but it broke after the first weekend I used it, haha. but I guess a piece of flint would work and could be a good addition as well - I haven't used a real flint and steel in far too long! :3

I usually use my multi-tool to strike it, the striker that came with it got lost shortly after opening the package! >_<

I have one of those flint/magnesium blocks around here somewhere. Was thinking of adding one to each cache I set out. Very cool little thing!

I'm a fan of 'em, they don't last as long as the swedish firesticks, but afaic the magnesium makes enough of a difference to justify that.

I'm still a fan of bowdrills... This guy gives it to you strait foreward on how to build a fire with one...

http://youtu.be/m0bEoVhxFJ8

I like the idea behind a dekota firehole.

I'd like to think if you knew a rainstorm was coming and needed a fire to make it that night, that one could dig in deep enough that you can surround your fireholes with a mini wall to keep runoff rain out, put some gravel rocks to add as ballast/drainthrough (which the heat of the fire would evaporate and steam out), and a lean to to protect it further. from the top.... this plan is of course prolly full of holes and would take too long to prepare.

yea the fire hole is kinda bad for rain its meant more for just a concealed fire more or less but you could dam it up i guess if you had time and you can put a pot over the hole to cook with and it would help keep rain off it to biggest problem with the fire hole is it takes a good bit of effort to build more then most fires if you wana a good fire to keep you off of storms you could try and build a Finnish rakovalkea witch is basically two logs stacked on top of each other held in place by stakes the top lo keep the rain off and lets the fire burn from the inside out used to use something like it when we did bull roast on the farm it comes in handy.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YG-oTMt15.....rakovalkee.jpg



but then again i can see the fire hole being one of those things that would be used only during war time or something like it when you have to stay hidden so i figure its one of those things in witch a fire is a luxury and used only when absolutely needed

I've been wanting to try out the firehole for a long time, as it always seemed a good way to conceal a fire (Which is a bonus in a country where with 90% of the woodland, people get antsy if you go camping in it)

I would imagine the fire would evaporate most of the rain before it ever got to be a problem though?

eh depends on how bad its raining more or less a light rain probably wouldn't be a problem at all but a heavy one will have you quickly trying to dam it up and that still might end up with you having a hole full of muddy water. like i said i think it might just be one of those things they you do only when you absolutely need a fire seems like something you would use during war time or such so you wouldn't want any kind of fire if you could do with out one. least that's my opinion. seems like otherwise it would be way to much trouble to build i know in some places iv camped you would almost need to have a pick so i depends on weather and location its almost easyer to build a rock oven around a fire tho that takes more skill

Oooooh, that video is pretty epic! I've edited the journal to include it, thank you very much!

In Britain, its always raining...I've just come to accept that I'll probably never find dry tinder, except maybe in the two or three weeks that make up summer!

can alwase use sap wood or split a log open most alwase thares some prity dry wood inside just got to work more to get to it or if your really lucky and know whare to look might find a rat nest or squirrel nest and if your really really lucky you could end up with food and the kindling to cook it with. just remember to alwase look at all your options iv found dry wood in flood zones in those piles of drift wood that are left around just be carefull of spiders i alwase tend to find black widows hidden in them

I'm gunna have to try that Swedish Torch, very cool idea. Thanks for posting

I agree. Next time out, I'm gonna give it a pop!

oh might as well say i tend to cary a piece of flint and knife i have alot of flint left around from my hawkens rifle and you can find a pice of steel almost any whare on the ground or i could use my knife if i realy had to get some sparks flying (also gotten prity good at starting a fire with the actual gun neat little cheater trick) that and have gotten prity good at using a bow drill.