First attempt at getting a fire going in damp woods - blisters, embers, but no fire.

[Luke]

So I had a little walk today to test out my hammock. Was quite hard to spot a suitable pair of trees. I eventually found them though. I have some self-made whoopie slings ready to go, but I need to get some tree huggers and a couple of carabiners. So for today I just strung up the hammock (dd travel) with the webbing they provide. Scared I was going to fall through haha. Fall through or follow-through, one of the two!

After getting in the hammock and having a bit of fun swinging about (First time in a hammock) I decided it was time to try get a fire going. Piece of cake I thought.. an hour later and no fire !

I didn't have any dried grass or anything for tinder. I just had some fairly dry leaves (not quite cracker dry, but crunchy dry) and some dead dry sticks in various sizes (Not that I got to use those). I consistently got the leaves on the outside of the pile to ember up, but it would go out almost immediately. I only came close to a fire once when a really wafer thin leaf caught a light and burst into flames but it didn't last long enough to catch any twigs alight! After that I thought enough was enough and accepted defeat! Atleast I got the hammock up :)

Any tips? I did scrunch up the leaves in my hand to make my nest really light and fluffy with loads of fibres, but I think the leaves and surrounding area was just too damp. I also found a birch tree nearby but it didn't have very big streaks of bark to pull off - pulled a few slivers and shaved them with my knife and got some really fluffy stuff collect, but not enough to work with!

[Silverback]

Dry bracken makes great tinder as does birch bark, as you walk in collect tinder and put it in an inside pocket, this will help it dry out hopefully by the time you use it.

You could always pre prepare tinder like a lot of us do. I have a tinder pouch with char cloth, birch bark, cramp balls, cotton wool, hessian/hemp cordage and I always have some lengths of inner tube and a candle. My preferred method of lighting fires is from flint and steel but always have a back up of ferro rod, a bic lighter and lifeboat matches.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqAVzxl91aA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dop_SZ8f4O4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18jxYaSc8QA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCndaSaDIBM

[Tigger004]

At least you had a go, good for you, what method were you using?

[Luke]

Firesteel into ground up leaves. It seemed like a good idea at the time. The bundle of fibrous leaves even felt the right consistency, but it just wouldn't burst into flames.

After that failed I found a birch and tried to get some bark off, but there wasn't enough.

I'll take a look at those links, thanks sapper!

[Luke]

Oh I forgot to mention I tried feathersticks too!

Wouldn't catch. I need to get better at aiming my sparks and also need to shave the wood much thinner.

[beermaker]

+1 for pre-prepared tinder. I carry birch bark, pine resin, fat wood, char cloth, kapok, cotton wool with vaseline and for lighting I have ferro rod, bic lighter and lifeboat matches. Whole lot fits in my billy can inside my hobo stove and all that is in an ex-army canvas container about the size of a large bag of sugar.

That said, I still like to try and find natural tinder and fuel. Big fan of feather sticks, if you shave them fine enough they'll catch a spark but I usually use with another tinder such as seed heads or birch bark.

Hammock sounds fab, very jealous! It's on my list of things to get when I've got a couple of quid saved up and don't have to spend it on the house, the kids, the car or owt else!

[Realearner]

+2 for prepped fire lighting.

[paulthefish2009]

At least you had a go mate,it's what it's all about....learning....good on you for having a go. Paul

[rawfish111]

+2 for prepped fire lighting.

+3 and T^ for the attempt.

[rawfish111]

Interesting links Sapper, cheers.

[Silverback]

Interesting links Sapper, cheers.

I like DC although there was the issue about his 'service' his videos are honest and free - which is the spirit of bushcraft in my humble opinion. I also like the way he doesnt say you 'must' have a particular bit of kit, lastly I like the mix of native american / american settler inspired stuff he does

[OakAshandThorn]

You could always pre prepare tinder like a lot of us do. I have a tinder pouch with char cloth, birch bark, cramp balls, cotton wool, hessian/hemp cordage and I always have some lengths of inner tube and a candle.
+4

I keep pitchwood, thistledown, and bits of dried grass and juniper bark in an altoids tin ;).

[Luke]

I REALLY want one of those tins with the magnifying glasses in them. You know the one I'm talking about???

If I ever buy a tinder box/tin, It's going to be one with a magnifying glass in the lid like that! Anyone found any in UK?

[Silverback]

I REALLY want one of those tins with the magnifying glasses in them. You know the one I'm talking about???

If I ever buy a tinder box/tin, It's going to be one with a magnifying glass in the lid like that! Anyone found any in UK?

ebay dude, or just get a lens and add it to your fire kit

[nilo52]

Oh I forgot to mention I tried feathersticks too!

Wouldn't catch. I need to get better at aiming my sparks and also need to shave the wood much thinner.

Jeez man !
It sounds like YOU sure tried ! Hand gel ??

[Sar-ian]

Hi Luke, Good on you for giving it ago, just a word to the wise, in the UK you can't just light a fire, you should have the landowners permision, just bear it in mind for the next time, cheers Ian..

[wildish64]

I REALLY want one of those tins with the magnifying glasses in them. You know the one I'm talking about???

If I ever buy a tinder box/tin, It's going to be one with a magnifying glass in the lid like that! Anyone found any in UK?

here you go luke,but i warn you they are far from cheap!

as sapper said,just get yourself a lens and keep it in your kit.

http://sharkdesigns.co.uk/bushcraft/Products%20Folder/fire/Tinderboxes/hudson_bay_german_silver.html

[Luke]

Cheers wildfish! But.. I think I'll give that a miss haha.

Went out again today. Last time I had people walking rather close-by looking at me as if I was something evil... Lesson learnt. I wandered off to a place I knew wouldn't have anyone near.
Patience paid off and I found a beautiful spot.

Set-up hammock like last time (Still need to buy a couple karabiners or some Rings). Got in it and just laid there... wonderful.. just listening to the birds and gently rocking. Wow.

Enough of that laziness I thought and got to collecting twigs and fire material.

On the way there I had already foraged: some dead grass (Lesson learnt: Collect more than you need), and some cramp balls and finally the head of a reed (Fluffy seeds)

I took apart the reed head and fluffed it all up, put that inside the dried grass. Surrounded the dried grass with the driest leaves I could find (NOT DRY ENOUGH!)
Sent a spark flying and the fluffy reed seeds singed and embered, but did not set off into a blaze like I thought it would. I closed the nest up and blew into it and eventually it burst into flames. I set it down and quickly begin to lay a few match stick twigs over it (only 3 or so). Long story short, it failed again. Fire went out before the twigs caught on.

Tried numerous other times (For about an hour) but failed. What was interesting though, was whilst off searching for more tinder, I came across a tree that had a chunk ripped out somehow. It was peppered with tiny holes (Wood worms??). And around the holes was loads and loads of powdery saw dust that was also covered in cobwebs. I took a load of this stuff and tried my fire steel on it. It worked great. It caught ember in literally one swipe of the fire steel. And kept going until it ran out of material.

Next time I'll succeed. (Cause I'm gonna bring some petrol haha)

[wildish64]

why does everyone keep calling me wildfish? lol
yh bit pricey eh!

the reed heads are a nightmare,its all over in a second.

the wood is know as 'punkwood' dry rotten wood,its great as a coal extender,stick a piece of that smoldering in a birdsnest,will greatly improve your chances. some people also char it and keep some with them.
I always have the same problem with leaves,they never burn very well.
if you spot any dried bracken on your travels grab some of that,works a treat.

good on you for getting out there and persevering,you'l be a master before long T^

[FishyFolk]

Hey Luke...here are some tricks for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJU7j5iRBWM&list=UU9FgRZL78CerC9y9ql6HAug&index=18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7hs_BLb4Xw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IinY0GSBDrs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LihDgIVMwWc

[Luke]

why does everyone keep calling me wildfish? lol


HAaaaaaaah! As soon as I read that I looked at your name and bellowed out laughing.
I remember I saw someone else call you wildfish on here (I think on the meet-up forum) and I thought you were kidding when you asked him why he called you a wild fish. Now I see why hahahaha
sorry about that, your name is very deceiving! Our minds want to add the F in there! maybe we're all a little childfish ;)

Ahhh.... so that is punk wood!? I guess it never crossed my mind that if you scrunched up punk wood it would just turn into that sawdust consistency stuff.
There was plenty of living bracken (same as fern??) but no dead/dried stuff.

Thanks for the links fishyfolk, you're youtube channel is great btw!

[wildish64]

lol dont worry a few have done it,must have bushcraft brains on ;)

yh pretty much same stuff,if you saw live then there must be last years there too all brown.

[Luke]

Spent 2 hours today striking a fire steel. My hand is so sore!

I'm working out my problem is down to lack of control over the fire steel - rather than tinder. I had wafer thin pieces of bone dry wood. Once I got a big solid blast of sparks in one area it would set alight. Failed to keep it going though as I was only practicing the initial lighting rather than fire management.

Originally I was being quite light and soft with the firesteel and striking quickly with the less force. Now I'm putting much more force and heavier friction and slower movement. The sparks seem much hotter and abundant.

I'm trying various styles (pull back, push, etc)

Looks so much easier than it is haha

[Ehecatl]

"Many of life's failures are experienced by people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." Thomas Edison.

Well done Luke - keep at it.

M@

[Luke]

Cheers Ehecatl, nice quote!

Just like to say to any moderators looking at this thread, or anyone in fact, sorry I posted this in the wrong section! If a mod could move this for me that would be great!

I went out again today determined this time. Found myself a load of nice dry grass and stuffed it in my pocket.

I failed to light the grass directly from the fire steel (I'm really not good at aiming the fire steel!) so what I did was used the fire steel to get a portion of cramp ball lit and then transferred the ember into the nest. Then blew, and voila.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/lukeyblades/IMG_1773_zps39e13d0a.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/lukeyblades/IMG_1786_zpse1d0aa3b.jpg

But I errr.. didn't pay attention to wind direction.


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/lukeyblades/IMG_1778_zps2d7e543c.jpg

safe to say I didn't bother getting in the hammock today!

[Silverback]

eureka !! well done you

[FishyFolk]

Hip, hip, hoooray!

[wildish64]

YAY!! Congrats bro :campfire:

[rawfish111]

:happy-clapping::happy-clapping::happy-clapping:

[OakAshandThorn]

Brilliant :D. T^
It's always a special moment when you make your first outdoor fire ;). :camping:

[butchthedog]

Yippeee :jumping-joy:

[Tigger004]

If a first you don't succeed, try, try again, well done mate, bet you're well chuffed

[paulthefish2009]

Nice one mate,well done for not giving up :campfire: Paul