Happy to see you on those comment i am working/learning to remove the bumps from my ferro rods with a file i now carry 1 small and cheap on i use the shavings of it like if it was magnesium i slowly scrape it then i concentrate the powder/shavings in my birch barch sheet then i lay what ever i will use to catch easily the spark and this will start to do small explosions as all those little piece catch the spark ! you then lightly blow for more explosions if needed i think its a great tricks
FINALLY! Someone who is willing to clearly tell people that they need to get out there and TRY stuff to see what works and what doesn't. Experience isn't something you get from someone else. Really nice video -- on point. I live in a rainforest, so finding tinder is a very different challenge here. The best way to know what works is just to get out there, collect a bunch of different things that look like they might work, and try them... bearing in mind that results can be seasonal.
You are spot on with this video Joe. Preparing your resources is KEY! You can have the best materials in the world but if you don't have enough of them or don't properly prepare them you are doomed for failure.
Excellent guidelines! I'll be practicing mine later this afternoon. Anyone can luck out and do something perfect every now and then. But practice makes it happen more often than not. Keep up the good videos!
Excellent video ! So often the tools get the blame on the firing line. Stop reevaluate adjust and execute. Collect it, shred it, fluff it, and burn it. Thanks for sharing !
Very straightforward and too the topic at hand. You're a quick talker but easy to understand and I appreciate that you don't boast about your skill level. Practice, practice, practice is a good motto for most curiosities in life :) Time to shop online and get to practicing!
I appreciate your humbleness. You say you are no expert, but hands down you are the best at fero rod fire making. Period. I have never seen anyone get flame with one spark of a fero rod like you do. If you are no expert, then there are no experts. You are also the best with bow drill fires. Making fire with hickory using a bow drill is very hard, except you make it look easy. I'm telling you CZcamsrs that if you want to learn fire craft, listen to this man. He is an expert.
I honestly don't know what to say. I'm flattered man. There are plenty of guys out there with more skill then I though ;) As far as the hickory bow drill fire...There is never anything easy about that LOL!! Thank you very much for the kind words, the mean a lot Sir.
Joe, you say you are not an expert in this area, but you ARE the best I have seen at getting fire. Pay attention people, this man knows his stuff. I say you are an expert, yet humble. Thanks for another great video.
Great video Joe. Loved hearing you mention that you teach 4H kids. All seven of mine went through the 4H program and I am a huge proponent thereof. Thanks for sharing.
Using a ferro rod to light a fire demands that you have a working knowledge of the environment where you are lighting the fire. Being able to recognize the trees, plants etc will prove very useful. Obviously common (or not so common these days) sense comes into play. Preparing tinder beforehand is always the best. I always carry some sisal that's been teased into a woolly consistency, along with some char-cloth (easy to prepare at home). Good video, however, for those new to fire lighting with a ferro rod. Easy to make the mistakes you pointed out .. so well done! Btw, I would strongly suggest don't buy the cheap, small ferro rods - you know the ones - they're only about 2 inches long. .. and get a good striker - a length of broken hack-saw blade works well.
point 4 2:52 Hold the ferro rod closer to your bundle point 3 3:04 Know your resources point 2 4:55 ? Try different materials, see what works? point 1 5:30 Not properly planning your resources not being a jerk, just helping future viewers.
this is great explanation of ferro rod usage. I havnt been able to watch videos for about a month (no time) at home sick so its catch up time. good way to spend the day keep up the good work
Good and informative material, thanks! I like the mindset of first looking at yourself, not the gear flaws. I'm not a huge bushcraft expert but for these dozens of fires I made with ferro rod, learned my lesson in even slightly moist conditions - as you said, the key to success is the preperation of your tinder. In the beginning I tended to use only birch back, but at some point I wasn't able to pick it anywhere near. Then I moved to feathersticks. It was a good method, but I wasn't good enough, I took me quite a bit of time to produce nice, well distributed, long and thin shavings. At some point I started to use the bird's nest and... My, oh my, what a gamechanger that is! Anyway, thanks for the tips!
Great point on practice Joe, and I know from watching your videos that you speak from experience not just head knowledge. You are so right on Number 1!!!!! I know this was big area of trouble with me when I first started learning new types of fire starting methods. I wanted to rush the process and skip processing large amounts...and usually failed!!! Thanks for sharing the knowledge you have learned.
Nice video Joe. Big thumbs up! Out here in the Arizona high desert, we have "tinder" rather different than in the eastern wood land forests. Example, there are no birch trees in my State. But in the mountains that rise out of the desert, there are pines, meaning pitch and fat wood.....and the stubby Pinyon Pine sweats golf ball size globs of resin. Down in the desert, the sun and the extreme heat turns many parts of many plants into very dry tinder, almost as good as birch bark. Dried out palm fronds resemble parchment. And there are dead cholla, and ocotillo, and too many bush type plants to list here. All your points are sound. Just yesterday, I was practicing with my ferro rod in my back yard. It's fun!! And there are two items I always carry for fire starting, that being Esbit fuel cubes burning at 1300 degrees and Vaseline impregnated dryer lint. These two are fool proof in my opinion.
Thanks Charles! Yes, I agree, carrying multiple sure fire options is a must in my opinion. It's so easy to do, it's silly not to. One day I'd love to get out to your area and do some hiking and camping. The difference in playgrounds would be fascinating. Thanks again bud!
A lot of great info Joe, I use to think what am I doing wrong then I thought it's not me or my ferro rod, but then with practice I learned it was me and my type of striker ( not like a 90 degree spine) I had a more rounded spine on my striking tool, then I worked on my material I was lighting to refine its ability to take a spark, and of course watching guys like you to learn from helped a lot.
Great video. I preach preparing your fuel greatly. ferro misuse or understanding how to use is a bigger issue that's never talked about. thanks for shedding some light on the subject.
Thanks Joel, I appreciate that. I highly doubt I'll ever do it for real but there is just something about seeing the wonderment on a kids face as they see the fire they just made and realize that they did that.
Just got back from a camping trip, to try out bushcrafting, tried out a number of gasifiers, and alcohol stoves. Learned a lot about what works and what doesn't in windy conditions. Really wanted to try my ferro rod. must have misplaced it. all in all it was a great learning experience. Going to take a lot more practice to get good at it.
It sounds like you had a blast! Experimenting with different gear is one of my favorite past times. But I guess that is kind of obvious lol Thanks Gregory!
Well said! Important info. I did not find that you rambled. Soothing to listen to. Refreshing actually because you just tell it like it is with no condescending or judgemental tone. Good teaching and that is why I watch these kinds of videos. You have a new subber! Joel T.
I would like to add a tip here. If one is getting horizontal fine grooves on your ferro rod, they can be removed, not to return. When holding the rod and running what ever striker that you use, people usually hold it at a 90 degree angle to the rod. But....if one holds the striker at a 45 degree angle, or there about, the annoying tiny speed bumps are much much less likely to occur.
I said that Vaseline impregnated dryer lint is fool proof. Well, I had that fail me yesterday....even when a lighter was put to it small feeble flame and then out. This batch was made well over a year ago. But WTF?? Since when does Vaseline and lint not burn??? I'm stumped here. Any thoughts Joe??? Anyone??????
Dried Vaseline IMHE usually takes more encouragement to burn than fresh. I use it very often for long term storage of high Carbon large blade knives. It will harden on them, but still protects very well. I keep my PJ cotton in old medicine bottles.
When I had to take Hunter Safety Class, we would use just a flint n steel with charcloth and on top of our tender nest would be the inner bark fibers with a piece of steel wool on top to place our lit charcloth on to get our bundle started and I still use this method everytime I make a tinder start bundle. But moving from Colorado to Nevada as you said was a learning process as to what types of wood works in the desert from that was abundant in Colorado changes where you live. So you definitely need to familiarize yourself with your area of camping and survival.
No rambling, straightforward and to the point. Thank you.. During practice I kept losing my fine gathered and fluffed up material. I found a gather bag helpful to contain and concentrate these materials until all my material was in position. I ended up using a lowly Walmart bag that due to wet conditions burns and added to the tinder.
Good video I live in north west pa I really love using birch bark burns better than paper and hemlock has super fine branches and the lower ones are usually dead and dry
I have had a fun experience with my probably Chinese made ferro rod. It came with its own striker which is so very difficult to get a spark with. I eventually tried the back of my folding saw blade and much better sparks were produced. Continuing with this experiment I have found that the back edge of childrens scissors (mine are Faber Castell) which I use in my first aid kit are the best at producing really good sparks.
Watching you show different fire skills such as bow drills and other techniques, I've realised I don't need to practice...... I just need to invite you along on my outdoor adventures ! Well done sir ! It's just as important to know why your doing something as is the techniques themselves....... Sometimes other youtubers fall short there......PAPA DUKES
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that either Shaun. We all share a love of the outdoors but there is no one right way for you to enjoy it. Thanks!
I appreciate the video. I've made basically the mistakes you mentioned. I'll be trying the ferro rod again this summer when out camping. That said, I WILL have a bic in my pocket as backup...
Your overall point is that practicing will show you the correct way to prepare and start a fire. Start in a controlled place, like a garage, where there is no wind, then move to a more natural place, like the backyard, then go out into the wild, and even on a windy day or in the rain.
Your right brother practice, practice, practice. Guys stop worrying. Just practice your skills and get out there in the woods while your doing it. Get your gear dirty. You payed the money for it. So go out and use it. God bless, hang tough.
Great tips Joe! A Bic is always a good choice. If Lewis and Clark had access to some Bics they surely would have made use of them! Love that shirt and the BHK!
I love that shirt and BHK too :) And that is the truth about Louis and Clark. A short story here. A couple years ago I had the opportunity to spend a 4 day weekend camping with a mentor of mine. We got into camp late, it was raining, we hadn't eaten for a long time so were starving. We throw camp up and I start gathering wood while he processes it and starts the fire. I had my back turned and I hear the snick of a bic. I turn around with a surprised look on my face and he looks at me and just said "Why show off? I'm tired and hungry...lets get this party started.". The most important thing I learned that weekend is simply this...we do this stuff because it's fun, not because it's necessarily best practice. Thanks Dan!
Research the resources of your AO to find which natural materials provide the best characteristics of combustibility. For example in my AO, the fibrous material found underneath the boots of the Sabal Palm tree (aka Cabbage Palm) is my go to all natural tinder. It can usually be found dry enough to use even after a deluge of rain. This fibrous material will combust instantly to flame with a few strokes of a Firesteel. Fatwood is another all natural fire starter which is abundant in my AO. A combination of these two resources will guarantee instant fire. Knowing what works in your AO is paramount to making fire using a firesteel.
Feral Woodcraft This was an excellent video on how to properly use a fire steel. I took your advice and got outside to practice, practice and practice! After a pretty short period of time, I was able to get a fire started easily with the proper preparation and striking techniques. Thanks
Even though I'm not much of a "ferro rod" user, Great statements made in getting out in one's own area ,learning from others in said areas, and different areas may have different resources and such. Higher or lower Humidity has effects on resources used to make fire as well, and may require different techniques that work best in a specific area(which can change , even within one's own state boundaries ,especially with substantial elevation changes) . Good vid, Joe.
Humidity can throw a wrench in the gears for sure. I haven't really experienced much difference with altitude but most of my playgrounds are below 6k feet. Great points, thank you for sharing!
I do need to practise more with the materials available in my Immediate are Not just where I camp up North. Good idea - using a bic to test flammability .
A very cogent and analytical process that you put together, one counterpoint use the 90-degree spine on your knife to strike sparks on your Ferro rod, not the cutting edge is a very limited resource that will be irreplaceable once used improperly.
Nothing wrong with reviewing anything. Just reminders for every level. Maybe this winter you can show us how it's done when it's colder and a little wind, how to make wind blocks so one can make a fire.
Great points. I am also a student of primitive fire. Have had very good luck using a misch rod, sparks a bit hotter and burn longer. David Mashburn, Mills River, NC
I think Allen Iverson said it best, "We're talking about practice". Lol. Speaking of practice, I need to get out and work on my bowdrill skills. Or maybe hand drill. Actually, both is what's called for in my situation. Living in Northwest Indiana is sometimes not the ideal place to find the proper ingredients for either of the two. Very good video my friend. Everyone learns something new everyday. If not, they're doing something wrong.
"Everyone learns something new everyday. If not, they're doing something wrong." I've heard the first sentence but never the second in conjunction with the first. I am stealing that. Just so you know :P haha Thanks!
Good video poplar is plentiful here in east tenn makes a good tinder bundle makes good fire boards in the right decomposing state just a good wood to fool with
When it comes to a really went environment where even the insides of trees are damp, you can get some rocks and mash the inside wood to pulp. Even wet, it will easily light.
Thanks for your knowledge and tips for a first time hiker/camper and first time subscriber as well! Like the video and if it's not to much to ask can you please send me a patch! Thanks
Nice video. I have used a flint and steel since I was about 9 years old. I have won fire making competitions with it. Replace your metal striker with an old jigsaw blade.
Yes I 100% agree that you need to practice a lot to become proficient with a ferro rod. I love them and usually only use ferro rods while starting my fires. PS at 8:23 a bird poops behind your right shoulder lol.
Very well explained. I admire your ability to explain thoroughly the point you are trying to get across.
Happy to see you on those comment i am working/learning to remove the bumps from my ferro rods with a file i now carry 1 small and cheap on i use the shavings of it like if it was magnesium i slowly scrape it then i concentrate the powder/shavings in my birch barch sheet then i lay what ever i will use to catch easily the spark and this will start to do small explosions as all those little piece catch the spark ! you then lightly blow for more explosions if needed i think its a great tricks
FINALLY! Someone who is willing to clearly tell people that they need to get out there and TRY stuff to see what works and what doesn't. Experience isn't something you get from someone else. Really nice video -- on point. I live in a rainforest, so finding tinder is a very different challenge here. The best way to know what works is just to get out there, collect a bunch of different things that look like they might work, and try them... bearing in mind that results can be seasonal.
Exactly !
You are spot on with this video Joe. Preparing your resources is KEY! You can have the best materials in the world but if you don't have enough of them or don't properly prepare them you are doomed for failure.
Thank you Mike.
Great video. Very informative and honest. Your humbleness and demeanor are exactly what others on CZcams should follow. You are part of the solution.
Excellent guidelines! I'll be practicing mine later this afternoon. Anyone can luck out and do something perfect every now and then. But practice makes it happen more often than not. Keep up the good videos!
Right on!! Have fun!
Thanks, Joe. These basics are so important, and often glossed over. Be blessed my friend. John
Thanks John, I completely agree Sir.
Excellent video ! So often the tools get the blame on the firing line. Stop reevaluate adjust and execute. Collect it, shred it, fluff it, and burn it. Thanks for sharing !
One could never tell you were a military man... :-P haha I like your synopsis! I may have to borrow that sometime. Thanks!
Very straightforward and too the topic at hand. You're a quick talker but easy to understand and I appreciate that you don't boast about your skill level. Practice, practice, practice is a good motto for most curiosities in life :) Time to shop online and get to practicing!
I really like how you present your ideas and the humility you have. Thank you. Peace from Turkey, Izmir.
Thank you very much Emrah, I appreciate it.
These are all great truths I could've used about a year ago....any beginner out there listening, this is great advice.
I appreciate the way you break everything down and give the reasoning behind success. Your "verboseness" makes it clear and easy to understand.
I appreciate your humbleness. You say you are no expert, but hands down you are the best at fero rod fire making. Period. I have never seen anyone get flame with one spark of a fero rod like you do. If you are no expert, then there are no experts. You are also the best with bow drill fires. Making fire with hickory using a bow drill is very hard, except you make it look easy. I'm telling you CZcamsrs that if you want to learn fire craft, listen to this man. He is an expert.
I honestly don't know what to say. I'm flattered man. There are plenty of guys out there with more skill then I though ;) As far as the hickory bow drill fire...There is never anything easy about that LOL!! Thank you very much for the kind words, the mean a lot Sir.
Joe, you say you are not an expert in this area, but you ARE the best I have seen at getting fire. Pay attention people, this man knows his stuff. I say you are an expert, yet humble. Thanks for another great video.
Great video Joe. Loved hearing you mention that you teach 4H kids. All seven of mine went through the 4H program and I am a huge proponent thereof. Thanks for sharing.
Your kids probably hate you 😂
@@ticket2space621 No idea why you would say that...
Excellent tutorial
Using a ferro rod to light a fire demands that you have a working knowledge of the environment where you are lighting the fire. Being able to recognize the trees, plants etc will prove very useful. Obviously common (or not so common these days) sense comes into play. Preparing tinder beforehand is always the best. I always carry some sisal that's been teased into a woolly consistency, along with some char-cloth (easy to prepare at home). Good video, however, for those new to fire lighting with a ferro rod. Easy to make the mistakes you pointed out .. so well done!
Btw, I would strongly suggest don't buy the cheap, small ferro rods - you know the ones - they're only about 2 inches long. .. and get a good striker - a length of broken hack-saw blade works well.
point 4 2:52 Hold the ferro rod closer to your bundle
point 3 3:04 Know your resources
point 2 4:55 ? Try different materials, see what works?
point 1 5:30 Not properly planning your resources
not being a jerk, just helping future viewers.
Excellent video. I too am in NEC. I am a fire keeper and I learned some from you. Thank you.
WNC auto correct. Gotta love it
You never mentioned removing the lacquer from the rod - Once I did this I get better sparks. Saw this from others - I learned.
lacquer!? I like to call it the skin :)
Call it what you want. The man's right it's lacquer
Awesome Sir. your explanation is informative, pretty good. I am from Indonesia.
this is great explanation of ferro rod usage. I havnt been able to watch videos for about a month (no time) at home sick so its catch up time. good way to spend the day keep up the good work
Howdy Ed! I figured you'd been busy helping out a mutual friend. ;) I hope you're feeling better!
Good and informative material, thanks! I like the mindset of first looking at yourself, not the gear flaws.
I'm not a huge bushcraft expert but for these dozens of fires I made with ferro rod, learned my lesson in even slightly moist conditions - as you said, the key to success is the preperation of your tinder. In the beginning I tended to use only birch back, but at some point I wasn't able to pick it anywhere near. Then I moved to feathersticks. It was a good method, but I wasn't good enough, I took me quite a bit of time to produce nice, well distributed, long and thin shavings. At some point I started to use the bird's nest and... My, oh my, what a gamechanger that is!
Anyway, thanks for the tips!
Great point on practice Joe, and I know from watching your videos that you speak from experience not just head knowledge. You are so right on Number 1!!!!! I know this was big area of trouble with me when I first started learning new types of fire starting methods. I wanted to rush the process and skip processing large amounts...and usually failed!!! Thanks for sharing the knowledge you have learned.
Thanks Lee, I appreciate that. Thanks for watching!
Nice video Joe. Big thumbs up! Out here in the Arizona high desert, we have "tinder" rather different than in the eastern wood land forests. Example, there are no birch trees in my State. But in the mountains that rise out of the desert, there are pines, meaning pitch and fat wood.....and the stubby Pinyon Pine sweats golf ball size globs of resin. Down in the desert, the sun and the extreme heat turns many parts of many plants into very dry tinder, almost as good as birch bark. Dried out palm fronds resemble parchment. And there are dead cholla, and ocotillo, and too many bush type plants to list here. All your points are sound. Just yesterday, I was practicing with my ferro rod in my back yard. It's fun!! And there are two items I always carry for fire starting, that being Esbit fuel cubes burning at 1300 degrees and Vaseline impregnated dryer lint. These two are fool proof in my opinion.
Thanks Charles! Yes, I agree, carrying multiple sure fire options is a must in my opinion. It's so easy to do, it's silly not to.
One day I'd love to get out to your area and do some hiking and camping. The difference in playgrounds would be fascinating.
Thanks again bud!
Thanks Joe great video, I have to admit my fire skills need a little refresher I got a little lazy with my fire making through the summer.
Jason
That happens to everyone my friend. Thanks for watching!
A lot of great info Joe, I use to think what am I doing wrong then I thought it's not me or my ferro rod, but then with practice I learned it was me and my type of striker ( not like a 90 degree spine) I had a more rounded spine on my striking tool, then I worked on my material I was lighting to refine its ability to take a spark, and of course watching guys like you to learn from helped a lot.
A rounded spine will definitely make your job a lot harder Jeff. Thanks man!
Thanks for your time and viewpoint
I wonder why you don't have more subscribers. Your videos are great. Your way of teaching is what I aspire to.
Great video. I preach preparing your fuel greatly. ferro misuse or understanding how to use is a bigger issue that's never talked about. thanks for shedding some light on the subject.
Thanks bud! I appreciate not only the comment but the shares on FB as well. I am grateful for the support!
Great tips! Here in South Carolina, I found that thistle seed takes a spark very well. The slightest spark sets it on fire.
I've watched several similar videos, this is my favorite so far. 👌
Thanks for the video, I to do agree with material prep, for many years I sucked with ferro rods, largely because I didn't prepare it well enough.
Thanks Matthew!
Pine is common pretty much all over the US and makes a great feather stick
Great video sir, I would love to take any class you teach, you explain things very well.
Thanks Joel, I appreciate that. I highly doubt I'll ever do it for real but there is just something about seeing the wonderment on a kids face as they see the fire they just made and realize that they did that.
Just got back from a camping trip, to try out bushcrafting, tried out a number of gasifiers, and alcohol stoves. Learned a lot about what works and what doesn't in windy conditions. Really wanted to try my ferro rod. must have misplaced it. all in all it was a great learning experience. Going to take a lot more practice to get good at it.
It sounds like you had a blast! Experimenting with different gear is one of my favorite past times. But I guess that is kind of obvious lol Thanks Gregory!
Learn from ALONE, never misplace your ferro rod ! :-)
Very well done, Joe!All this homeschooling you've done has wooped you into a fine teacher!
hahaha I don't know lol THanks Mark!
Well said! Important info. I did not find that you rambled. Soothing to listen to. Refreshing actually because you just tell it like it is with no condescending or judgemental tone. Good teaching and that is why I watch these kinds of videos. You have a new subber!
Joel T.
Well thanks Cheryl, I appreciate that greatly!
Well-done sir. Good info.
Thank you very much Sir! I appreciate you stopping by!
Feral Woodcraft yes sir. Good stuff
+EverydayTacticalVids thank you. That really means a lot coming from you.
Great how to! I have some catching up to do. Have a great day
Im in Boone NC, i use whatever will light and burn! Have a great day!
I would like to add a tip here. If one is getting horizontal fine grooves on your ferro rod, they can be removed, not to return. When holding the rod and running what ever striker that you use, people usually hold it at a 90 degree angle to the rod. But....if one holds the striker at a 45 degree angle, or there about, the annoying tiny speed bumps are much much less likely to occur.
Yep. The angle is different on just about every scraper but the concept you share is spot on. Thanks Charles!
I said that Vaseline impregnated dryer lint is fool proof. Well, I had that fail me yesterday....even when a lighter was put to it small feeble flame and then out. This batch was made well over a year ago. But WTF?? Since when does Vaseline and lint not burn??? I'm stumped here. Any thoughts Joe??? Anyone??????
Charles Larson I second the notion of synthetic materials, if your drier lint has a bunch of synthetics it wont work well.
Dried Vaseline IMHE usually takes more encouragement to burn than fresh. I use it very often for long term storage of high Carbon large blade knives. It will harden on them, but still protects very well. I keep my PJ cotton in old medicine bottles.
When I had to take Hunter Safety Class, we would use just a flint n steel with charcloth and on top of our tender nest would be the inner bark fibers with a piece of steel wool on top to place our lit charcloth on to get our bundle started and I still use this method everytime I make a tinder start bundle. But moving from Colorado to Nevada as you said was a learning process as to what types of wood works in the desert from that was abundant in Colorado changes where you live. So you definitely need to familiarize yourself with your area of camping and survival.
you rock my friend!! many new people mute be put off from trying. this is what they,we need to see. thanks much and blessings sir 😇
Thank you very much! New and struggling folks are who this was made for.
Really like your humble attitude, great video!
No rambling, straightforward and to the point. Thank you.. During practice I kept losing my fine gathered and fluffed up material. I found a gather bag helpful to contain and concentrate these materials until all my material was in position. I ended up using a lowly Walmart bag that due to wet conditions burns and added to the tinder.
Good video I live in north west pa I really love using birch bark burns better than paper and hemlock has super fine branches and the lower ones are usually dead and dry
I have had a fun experience with my probably Chinese made ferro rod. It came with its own striker which is so very difficult to get a spark with. I eventually tried the back of my folding saw blade and much better sparks were produced. Continuing with this experiment I have found that the back edge of childrens scissors (mine are Faber Castell) which I use in my first aid kit are the best at producing really good sparks.
I enjoyed your video very much.
Thanks Joe.
I need to start getting out again.
Yes you do!! I officially challenge you Mark. Go out and make bacon and bannock on your next day off!
Watching you show different fire skills such as bow drills and other techniques, I've realised I don't need to practice...... I just need to invite you along on my outdoor adventures ! Well done sir ! It's just as important to know why your doing something as is the techniques themselves....... Sometimes other youtubers fall short there......PAPA DUKES
LOL I'd be happy to come along. It really is a shame distance separates most of us. Thanks John!
Ferro rod is definitely one skill I need to work on.Lighter is usually my go to most of the time.
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that either Shaun. We all share a love of the outdoors but there is no one right way for you to enjoy it. Thanks!
I appreciate the video. I've made basically the mistakes you mentioned. I'll be trying the ferro rod again this summer when out camping. That said, I WILL have a bic in my pocket as backup...
Your overall point is that practicing will show you the correct way to prepare and start a fire.
Start in a controlled place, like a garage, where there is no wind, then move to a more natural place, like the backyard, then go out into the wild, and even on a windy day or in the rain.
Your right brother practice, practice, practice. Guys stop worrying. Just practice your skills and get out there in the woods while your doing it. Get your gear dirty. You payed the money for it. So go out and use it. God bless, hang tough.
Yep, exactly. Practice is the key.
Good video, very sensible. I light my woodburner most evenings, have done for decades, and agree with everything said here
Good video. This is a very well spoken young man and he does a nice job on this subject 👍🏻
Great tutorial, points well broken down! Main point, practice, practice, practice! Materials, and Ferro rods, are not all the same!
All very good points Joe, thanks for sharing!
Great tips Joe! A Bic is always a good choice. If Lewis and Clark had access to some Bics they surely would have made use of them! Love that shirt and the BHK!
I love that shirt and BHK too :) And that is the truth about Louis and Clark. A short story here. A couple years ago I had the opportunity to spend a 4 day weekend camping with a mentor of mine. We got into camp late, it was raining, we hadn't eaten for a long time so were starving. We throw camp up and I start gathering wood while he processes it and starts the fire. I had my back turned and I hear the snick of a bic. I turn around with a surprised look on my face and he looks at me and just said "Why show off? I'm tired and hungry...lets get this party started.". The most important thing I learned that weekend is simply this...we do this stuff because it's fun, not because it's necessarily best practice. Thanks Dan!
Research the resources of your AO to find which natural materials provide the best characteristics of combustibility. For example in my AO, the fibrous material found underneath the boots of the Sabal Palm tree (aka Cabbage Palm) is my go to all natural tinder. It can usually be found dry enough to use even after a deluge of rain. This fibrous material will combust instantly to flame with a few strokes of a Firesteel. Fatwood is another all natural fire starter which is abundant in my AO. A combination of these two resources will guarantee instant fire. Knowing what works in your AO is paramount to making fire using a firesteel.
Spot on my friend! You hit the most important points necessary for success.
I really enjoyed this video, many thanks for making it
An excellent and highly useful video. This really helps fill in some of the gaps were I was getting frustrated in my attempts. Thank you Joe!
Excellent, I am stoked it helped! THanks for watching!
Good Info Brother, It could save someone's life.
While I hope it never comes to that, I am glad you feel the info bears that quality. Thanks for the compliment.
Feral Woodcraft
This was an excellent video on how to properly use a fire steel. I took your advice and got outside to practice, practice and practice! After a pretty short period of time, I was able to get a fire started easily with the proper preparation and striking techniques. Thanks
Good video! He does a good job, on subject, humble, honest guy! I liked it, and learned! Practice, practice, practice is right!!! Thank you!
great video brother. i often use birch bark and birch feathers here in norway or dry reindeer moss etc
Thank you sir! I've used all three and all three work very well. Although the moss does tend to smell awful when it burns lol
Thats true 😉
Even though I'm not much of a "ferro rod" user, Great statements made in getting out in one's own area ,learning from others in said areas, and different areas may have different resources and such. Higher or lower Humidity has effects on resources used to make fire as well, and may require different techniques that work best in a specific area(which can change , even within one's own state boundaries ,especially with substantial elevation changes) . Good vid, Joe.
Humidity can throw a wrench in the gears for sure. I haven't really experienced much difference with altitude but most of my playgrounds are below 6k feet. Great points, thank you for sharing!
Good strategy that applies to many things in life Good reminder, thank you
Excellent video like you showing feather sticks exactly right on all 4 👍🏻
Excellent Video! Great job on the break down and incorporating the physics behind it all..Know all the basics and practice, practice, practice..
Get a bic for edc and several for survival kit bug out or in bags cant go wrong wit a bic joe, tanks for ur videos tho very educational
Thanks. We're from Texas. My boys and I have still had no luck with a ferro rod. Still trying.
Great things to watch for when using a fero rod.
I think so. I am sure others have other valid points as well. Thanks!
That is what makes this whole CZcams thing so beautiful. We all get to learn from each other.
the entire video was VERY smart...… … ! I live and breath in Alaska. good job sir ...
Very good video, thanks for sharing. Take care.
SO MANY words to deliver such a simple method ? I mean, Gee Wiz Man.
What can I say but I am rambler. Thanks for watching
I do need to practise more with the materials available in my Immediate are Not just where I camp up North.
Good idea - using a bic to test flammability .
I am a big fan of practice :) Thanks bud!
Nice vid Joe , lots of good info !
atb john
Thanks John!! Good to see you Sir!
A very cogent and analytical process that you put together, one counterpoint use the 90-degree spine on your knife to strike sparks on your Ferro rod, not the cutting edge is a very limited resource that will be irreplaceable once used improperly.
Great educational video Joe. God bless and stay safe.
Thanks Rich!
Great video and very worthwhile...... Offers a great platform for learning.
Nothing wrong with reviewing anything. Just reminders for every level. Maybe this winter you can show us how it's done when it's colder and a little wind, how to make wind blocks so one can make a fire.
Just found your channel. Great vid, simple explanation of exellent tips. thank you.
Great points. I am also a student of primitive fire. Have had very good luck using a misch rod, sparks a bit hotter and burn longer. David Mashburn, Mills River, NC
I think Allen Iverson said it best, "We're talking about practice". Lol. Speaking of practice, I need to get out and work on my bowdrill skills. Or maybe hand drill. Actually, both is what's called for in my situation. Living in Northwest Indiana is sometimes not the ideal place to find the proper ingredients for either of the two. Very good video my friend. Everyone learns something new everyday. If not, they're doing something wrong.
"Everyone learns something new everyday. If not, they're doing something wrong." I've heard the first sentence but never the second in conjunction with the first. I am stealing that. Just so you know :P haha Thanks!
Lol. Have at it my friend. It's not stealing if it's free to take.
Joe, great tips for beginners.
Thank you Jonathan Zook's Outdoors Laboratory !
This is helpful information. Thank you
A good video for beginners...."We are all beginners at something," otherwise, we are not still learning!
Good video poplar is plentiful here in east tenn makes a good tinder bundle makes good fire boards in the right decomposing state just a good wood to fool with
Amen. That window of decomposition is incredibly short though unfortunately. Thanks!
I never make mistakes it's about learning from the mistakes I'm not a expert I definitely deny being a expert and a Hero I deny
great post my friend, right on the money, all the best [I subbed]
Great advice best I have ever heard
I just bought 2 1/2 by 6 in ferro rods...they are so hard they seem like mild steel.....nice vid
Very good ideas. Thank you very much
When it comes to a really went environment where even the insides of trees are damp, you can get some rocks and mash the inside wood to pulp. Even wet, it will easily light.
Thanks for your knowledge and tips for a first time hiker/camper and first time subscriber as well! Like the video and if it's not to much to ask can you please send me a patch! Thanks
If I had a patch, I'd be happy to but I don't have any. Thanks Frank!
Nice video. I have used a flint and steel since I was about 9 years old. I have won fire making competitions with it. Replace your metal striker with an old jigsaw blade.
Yes I 100% agree that you need to practice a lot to become proficient with a ferro rod. I love them and usually only use ferro rods while starting my fires. PS at 8:23 a bird poops behind your right shoulder lol.
thank you Jo
Thank you Tim Leaning !
"Verbose". I like this fellow.
nice video Joe I myself am still trying to get down your just scrapping the end trick instead of the scrapping the entire rod method.
The harder the ferro is the easier that is to pull off. What kind of ferro rod are you using? Thanks Sean!
Ebay rod's mostly