[Regia-NA] Re: Making Fire

[Hrolf Douglasson]

I also suggest you practise lots. I have actually started one fire this way
, the fire had to be properly laid ..with sufficient air flow to allow it to
get going and people to prevent the helpful addition of damp tinder when it
was too small to deal with such stuff.
Ensuring ALL the tinder is dry is as important as getting the spark:)
vara
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lori Rael Northon" <lesseley@attbi.com>
To: <list-regia-na@lig.net>
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 5:10 AM
Subject: [Regia-NA] Re: Making Fire


> Thanks, Kim!
>
> These are some really helpful tips.  I'll see if my husband  will pick up
> some old files at The Boeing Company Surplus Store tomorrow, then I'll see
> about grinding the teeth off the sides - I'm hoping you meant the wide
flat
> sides - is that correct?  I don't know what you mean by "fire fungus".  Is
> that a type of mushroom that will catch on fire easily like punk wood?
> While I was looking for information regarding flint, I ran across a
message
> from a Native American List where the author of the message said the best
> tinder available in the forest was wasp's nests - paper wasps I'm thinking
> and empty I hope.  Since I don't have any wasp's nests but instead a lot
of
> linen scrap around the house and some empty cans with lids, I'll have to
try
> to make the charred linen.  It doesn't sound too hard - watch me mess it
up!
> 8^)  I'll keep everyone posted on my progress.  Thanks again, Kim.  I
> appreciate your help.
>
> Lori
>
>
> Kim Siddorn said:
>
> It's not that easy Lori. Roland can do it and makes it look as easy as -
> well, an easy thing;o))
>
> But try though I might, I must put my hand up to never having yet set fire
> to anything with flint and steel - although once I have a smouldering
ember,
> I can keep it alight and make a good fire in almost any circumstances.
>
> I know that the flint ought to have a freshly chipped surface
(flintlockers
> "hammer" their flints before shooting) and that the higher the carbon
steel,
> the greater the chance of getting a spark. Most modern steels are made
from
> bits of old files as that is the easiest source of HC steel. If you take a
> sanding disc in an angle grinder to a file and take the teeth off two
sides
> without getting it too hot, you ought to then be able to get a spark.
Strike
> at a sharp angle, speed being important. Vary the angle until you get a
> spark.
>
> Do you have and "fire fungus" to catch it on? This is the best material,
> although charred linen is very good too. You can make charred linen by
> taking some small squares and put them in a boot polish tin or other tin
> with a tight fitting lid. Put this in the fire or on the hob. The linen
will
> burn until it uses up the available oxygen and then (literally) turn into
> charcoal. Keep it dry and dropping a single spark on it will cause it to
> smoulder. Cherish the burn with tinder & away you go.
>
> Regards,
>
> Kim Siddorn
>
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