How to Build a Basic Fire Kit
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- čas přidán 9. 07. 2024
- Are you thinking about putting together a fire kit but not sure where to start? In this video we'll go over the basics of how to build a basic fire kit by looking through one of mine and I'll share some practical tips & tricks along the way. Thanks for watching!
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I have been using Bic lighters for over 40 years and I have never seen one evaporate out like you described. I've had one for over 5 years in my backpack and it is still as full as it was when I bought it. They absolutely do not leak out over time and I'm 100% sure about that.
Cheap lighters leak out for sure, I've had many cheap ones do it but you're right, typically BIC lighters stay full indefinitely. Just better quality seals I guess.
With Bic brand, if they empty during storage it’s usually because the thumb trigger was getting depressed ime.
Just a cautionary tale for you J T Cooper. Knew a guy who fell over and broke the gas lighter he had in his jacket pocket, not a big problem, as he had other ignition options with him but it could have been a bigger struggle if he hadn't had alternatives with him.
IT you store th4em in a temperature controlled environment that would be true. Because of safety standards lighters have to be able to off gas when they are left in a hot car, in the sunshine or other conditions. I would change 100% to about a reserved 70% as I have had lighters last for a very long time but I did have one in the top of my pack that off gassed of a trip and I have had on in my car that was empty after no use.
@@AtTheBarn It says right on the label to not leave them in a hot environment like a car in the summertime. The one in my pack is 6 years old now and still full. I haven't had a problem with one gassing off. I cant speak to your situation.
I bought something interesting this afternoon. It looks like a small candy bar. It's called a Fire Buddy. It was R10 which works out about 50c American. You light the wrapper. I've got 2 lighters, matches in a TicTac box. I have a tiny container of Vaseline with cut-off Q-tips embedded in it. There's a pair of tweezers to handle it. There are fire strips cut from waxed cardboard milk cartons - dunno why I've never seen these on CZcams - I cut them about 12mm wide and 7cm long. You light them and use them as an extended match and they are hard to blow out. I have some cotton make-up pads soaked in melted Vaseline and coated with candle wax. A tealight candle and 4 birthday candles. I want to get a ferro rod and I want to get a small container of Permanganate of Potash. I'm going to need a bigger pouch...
Good kit you have. I am oversized ferro rod is a must, makes it way easier to strike especially if my hands are really cold.
In my kit, a large ferro rod, UCO Stormproof matches in their water proof container, 2 BIC lighters, chunk of fat wood, Altoids tin with dryer lint, a Coast pocket knife.
I keep my fire materials in one of those hygiene type travel bags when unzipped, it unfolds into three sections and has a hook to hang on a hanger or a branch what have you. it works great, I keep all my starter materials in the bottom pouch which is all plastic so it is water resistant and my fire starters in my middle pouch in the mesh pocket. The top fold is the smallest with sleeves to hold things like deodorant or toothpaste, but I keep my pocket knife there along with two multi-tool type of silverware that each has a fork, spoon, and knife. The best part is that the pouch or bag, fits perfectly in the large bottom pouch on my Alice pack. Another great thing to use are empty non labeled pharmacy bottles or medication bottles. Great way to store tinder and such and easy to identify.
One thing I did was practice making fire in all kinds of weather conditions from rain to blizzards. I have found that a large ferro rod and UCO Stormproof matches with good tinder like fat wood or Vaseline impregnated cotton balls work the best to start fires in all these conditions that I experienced either in lower west MI or central NE.
BIC lighters are great but can't spark if wet and they won't light if they are really cold.
Mag bars are decent but require time to prepare and not ideal for windy conditions.
UCO Stormproof matches are bomb proof. They will always ignite as long as there is a striking strip, however provides short burn time by itself but is great when used with excellent tinder.
Ferro rods, the bigger the better. Can have thousands of strikes, is not affected by weather conditions and with a good striker, one can shower the tinder with hot sparks igniting even less than marginal tinder.
Sounds like you’ve got a solid kit, & and I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who repurposes hygiene bags for my outdoor kit! 😂 Thanks for taking the time to share your tips & experiences, & thanks for watching!
Happily Ever Outdoors
I enjoy watching your videos. Thanks for your response, I learned a lot from the material shared in videos and from the comments.
That's awesome to hear Todd, glad we can help. Thanks for your support!
Here is one little tip in getting a fire started that isn't mentioned much...in fact, hardly at all. To be honest, I really haven't seen anyone in these videos use it or even mention it. In my area, especially in the winter months, it gets quite windy or perhaps a little too breezy at times...and can make sustaining a fire a little difficult. I solved that by including in my fire kit a couple packs of those trick birthday candles that people use sometimes as a trick on birthday cakes. They appear to go out but they actually don't. And they're practically no weight and don't take up any room in your kit.
Thanks for sharing the tip Cliff, I’ll have to try that out. 👍
I actually have seen 1-2 people have them in their kits.
Those work well. A small road flare is a larger version of that same concept.
Hey,
I'm just getting into the SHTF/survival thing. I have put together a couple of bug out bags with fire kits. I have at least triple redundancy. For the #1 ignition sources( lighters, ferro rods, magnesium bar, matches) #2 tinders( fat wood, cotton balls& Vaseline, 2 kinds of white solid fuel, hand sanitizer for gel fuel, jute twine, gorilla tape, dryer lint) #3 multiple pocket knives, multi-tool, multiple fixed blade knives, plus the scrappers on the ferro rods and magnesium bar.
And all are stored in small containers that fit in each bag.
Gunny Reed
USMC Ret.
Perfect subject to talk to a retired military person about!!!
Thank you gunny reed Perfect fire kit. Sorry I'm a little late to the lesson. I'll be using your list for my personal fire kit. Only difference may be my sanitizer. If you add salt then filter through old t-shirt or cheese cloth. The salt breaks down the detergents.The more you filter the more pure the alcohol. When filtered enough can be safe to use in burners for cooking. Never use in confined areas unless super ventilated.An door open is not enough as carbon monoxide can build up in the top of a tent etc . ( I have no doubt that you already know this gunny reed just for anyone reading etc) . Again thank you for your priceless knowledge. Putting this fire kit together over the next couple days
I love these kinds of fire kits and emergency supplies kits. There's just something really cool about them. Here in South Australia though, it's usually harder to contain a fire than to get one started. So we pay more attention to carrying fire extinguishers, at least 20 litres of water, fire blankets etc in case the fire gets out of control.
A knife, Bic lighter, farro rod, match box and match book. I opted out of magnesium block and replaced it with a windproof lighter like bic ez reach, butane lighter, rope lighter. I took the wax sting out of fire cord and put it in a tube, Alcohol swabs, waxed paper from a roll of stickers. I stuffed cotton balls into a bubble tea strew. Zip fire starter. tea light.
Dryer lint and vaseline impregnated cotton balls are my favorites.
I’m seeing many kits where basic wooden matches are not included. BIC lighters are unreliable in minus temps. Matches and birch bark I would include in my kit. Also for redundancy I would keep extra matches, lighter and/or fire steel elsewhere on my person in case I lose my fire kit.
I add a disecant pouch to my tinder bags and pill bottles to help keep my tinder dry.
I bring cotton balls and a tube of triple antibiotic ointment (and keep them separate, so not to cause a mess).
I have learned to use a coping saw and a vice to cut down the middle of my ferro rod (50/50 to 2/3ds across), in order to expose more contact area for the striker to create many more sparks with each scrape and ensure one strike success. You end up with two rods too (main and backup, when you cut straight down the middle: A la 2 is 1; 1 is none).
Good video on a very basic fire kit. This will definitely help those looking for where to start with putting together their fire kit. Thanks for sharing Will.
Hello lone_woodsman, thanks for stopping by! I'm glad that folks are understanding my intent with this video. I will probably follow this one up with a more "Advanced" video in the future, this was definitely meant to be a foundational video for folks getting started. Your support is appreciated, as always brother!
Thanks for making the vid. I thought your intent was pretty clear.
The butane lighters will also be tough to get to work very well when it gets really cold. You can warm them in your pocket of other safe way to bring you up to temperature. At high altitude they can be uncooperative.
Fire is so important! Thank you for the tutorial!
Thanks for watching!
My kit looks so much like yours. I carry a gallon Ziploc to collect dry tinder as I go into the woods. I sprayed Scotchgard on my pouch. It will repel rain, but not a dunking. I do have a candle to extend a flame under wet tinder, but the rest is almost identical to yours. Thanks for showing it.
csh 62 you know what they say, “great minds think alike”. Hopefully that applies in this situation! :) There are definitely a Handful if extras I normally carry as well, but I tried to keep it fairly basic in this video for instructional purposes. Thanks for watching!
I do carry a BIC and a 1/2 by 6 ferro rod, but as backup I have a cutting torch ignitor. My go to tender is cotton balls saturated with vaseline and a altoids tin with wax infused dryer lint. Enjoyed the video.
Great information. Fire is my most necessity. Great vid man.
Glad you enjoyed the vid, thanks for watching!
Walmart has fixed blade bait knives that come with a hard plastic case and amazingly works great for less than $3 and I've used mine for over 3 years so if your working with a budget this is just something to keep in mind. I also keep a survival pup tent and a couple of waterproof ponchos in my survival kit along with gauze for cuts and extra fire starter. Thanks for the share
Is it green by any chance?
Just started building my own kit.
Great tips!! Would love to go camping at some point
Those are pretty cool. I generally spread my fire starting material through out my kit, in case one section gets wet. Though I used to keep my fire kit in a nice leather belt pouch.
That's a good idea splitting up your tinder, especially if it's not in waterproof containers. I'd never thought of that. Thanks for stopping by Nate!
Well done. Very informative!
Nice video great idea on the zip lock bags … just added 2 to my bag.I’ve seen ideas on contractor bags but this is a first for Sm Zip lock bags👍👍👍😎😎😎
Great video man! Very clear explanation and great kit!
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and we appreciate your support! :)
I enjoyed the video keep it. Giving me ideas for my GR8 nice for when she goes camping.
Cheers ☕️
Brownie
Carry small ziplocs like the snack or sandwich sizes for natural tinder you find as you're moving. Getting wet doesn't ruin the fuel. It gets the wheel and flint wet. Blow out the water and put the bic in your armpit or in your underwear to warm up and dry out. Later a drop or two of oil will help save the spring. You mentioned the bag after I had typed it lol
Great kit! Really great information!
Glad you liked the video, thanks for watching!
Happy Trails Hiking 😎😎😎😎👋👋👋
What a great video, new subscriber
The stuff that caught my attention was that curly, chewed up, "cardboardy" packing material. I see that stuff all the time; need to hang on to a little. No, I'm not going to turn into a hoarder or anything; just enough to add to all my bags. Thanks.
Great video! My kit is basically the same :). I love the lanyard on your ferro rod. If you could leave a link with a tutorial I would appreciate it.
I like your pouch Will...put it on my wishlist on Amazon....
SK Agee it’s definitely a nice little pouch for the money. Thanks for watching!
I'm using a echsrt zip top pencil case and inside of it I have a pocket knife with a 90° spine a ferro rod some jute cord some cotton balls soaked in wax cotton rounds soaked in wax some fat wood and then two Bic lighters just in case oh and around the end of my Ferro rod I have some duct tape wrapped around to make a handle that I can also use as a fire extender or starter
Add - telescopic blow tube + candle
Replace bic lighter with Clipper (flint is removable, giving spark wheel & is replaceable)
Put the bic lighter in an old pill bottle, so you can't accidentally depress the button, and have all the gas leak out! Also, you mentioned keeping the bag itself dry. That looks right about the right size to have a gallon size zip lock bag over the top of it!
You should have more subscribers you are so cool!
Thanks for your support! 😁
" backup " or contingency ....
good stuff... ill channel support... ATB from C.R.
I watched and built a small fire kit and my container is a plastic cigarette case with a magnifying glass, waterproof matches, fatwood, q-tips. I haven't finished but I'll use a mini bic too. I'll continue to expand on other case too.
I use a ferro rod, magnifying glass and uco storm proof matches. I like to use fat wood, char cloth and jute twine. I also carry some of the exotac fire bundle things. Not sure what they are called.
I like to use the awl from my multi tool
Excellent stuff great advice, also I received your stickers👍 I mentioned them and showed them in my last live show. Thank you very much I appreciate them🤠
Very glad to hear it sir, BTW I am working on that video for your channel, I promise! Hopefully I will have it done this weekend. I appreciate the invitation!
Good video on building your fire kit. Lol my problem is I have so many different kits I can't chose my favorite haha. But they all have fatwood and a lighter.
I know what you mean! There's a bunch of other stuff I could have tossed in there, but I tried to keep it simple for instructional purposes. BTW I never go anywhere without a lighter anymore (not a smoker either!) and I keep extras stashed here and there.Thanks for stopping by!
If your bic lighter gets wet it will still work you just need to dry it out especially the sparking unit. Once dry it will start working again!
The 3V Gear Sidekick Utility Pouch is currently not avail on amzn, do you have an alternative pouch recommendation?
If the Bic lighter gets wet it does ruin it . The flint and striker wheel get. All you have to do blow on it until it is dry.It may take awhile.
Bic in water. Take bic out of water shake it a couple dozen times wipe it off roll it down your pants till it sparks then it is good to go never leave home without one. A beautiful sunny day and no Magnifying lens. Good video, Thank you.
1 free tip: a piece of aluminum foil. Give you a clean workplace on wet ground, can make a small windscreen, is compact and very cheap.
I have a dry bag to keep one of my fire kits in, I also have a couple waterproof plastic boxes that can all be easily dropped into a pack
Kaylynn Strain you definitely want to keep your kit dry, and as you know there are a lot of different ways to go about it. Thanks for watching!
Great video👍 can you please post the link for the striker with the yellow handle that you featured in this video? Thank you!
4directionsbushcraft.com
Happily Ever Outdoors Thank you!
Even a Bic lighter that will not make a flame can be used for the spark it puts out.
Awesome kit bro... where can I get that pouch (bag with zipper) ?
It’s from a company called 3Vgear, available from Amazon and elsewhere. Check out the links in the description 👍
Add a pencil sharpener so when you find twighs you just shave them as a pencil. The result shavings will burn fast.
Inclued a fresnel magnifying lense to ingnite using the sun (although any reading glasses will do just the same).
Great video dude
I carry some bcb tinder card in my wallet a fast fire stick in my cargo pocket and have a bic lighter and a ferro rod on my keys.
Folks put your dryer lint in an egg carton and pour hot wax over it. Works the best of all and it cost nothing to make.
Nice👍 and thank you for not! Calling your ferrocirum rod a fire steel!!!👍👍👍👍
Definately keep your tinder at least in a waterproof container.
Bow drill, Bow drill, Bow Drill. The method from hell
Haha, it’s a great skill to have, but I think we all hope that we’re never in a situation where we absolutely need to use it. Thanks for watching 👍
Next video, how to get all that in an Altoid's tin
Dunk those cotton balls in wax. Makes them water proof and gives you 5+ minute burn time.
Look at your kit again lighters-that get wet just dry then off
ok... you don't like mag bars but you have one in your kit??
Thanks for taking the time to comment, perhaps I need to clarify: I don't find Mag bars to be convenient for normal use, so they would not be my normal go-to. For that, I prefer a large ferro rod (in most situations). However, the shavings off of a mag bar are very effective in starting a fire in less-than-favorable conditions, so it's certainly something worth having as a redundancy, or if you need to build a very small kit simply for emergency applications. Thanks for watching :)
All of this stuff is right. Hey I didn’t see a very easy way to start one. I’m just a older cowboy that grew up on a ranch. Grab some of your girlfriends tampons. Because of the packaging they are pretty much water proof. Make a birds nest on light it easy
Too much taking for simple concept. Two minutes experiment 12 minutes talking
Quit moving your hands. Unwatchable.
If it takes 14 minutes to tell of it all, it's not a basic kit. Lol. A basic fire starter kit is something like a piece of flint, a steel striker, and some char cloth. Just three items.
That's right. Redundantcy.the military teaches 2 is 1 and 1 is none