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survival tool--fire?
wlfmn323
Member Posts: 4,712
i saw in a magezine a while back a fire starting tool. i have searched the web over and cant find anything like it.
i beleive it was called a fire pump?
the principle was friction, compression/combustion. you could make one of these things. basically it was a dowel with the middle drilled out to make a chamber. another piece of dowel was widdled down(i think a drimmel or some other method would work too)to a size that fit in the chamber loosely. it was then wrapped with a thin strap of leather to make a tight fit,but allowed it to work up and down like a plunger. you then recessed the tip of the plunger to hold a small amount of tinder. when you inserted it and plunged it down really quick(with force) the friction and air compression ignited the tender, and when you pulled it out the air got to it and it could be tapped off into a bigger tinder, thus starting the fire.
i been thinking about makeing one to keep in my bugout bag. but i only have the basic principle. does anyone have any experience with this type of item, or this technique? anyone know where i can go to find a step by step?
i have found bow and pump drills, using glasses, polishing the bottom of a pop can etc. but i cant find anything on this. it seems like the one in the magazine had a hole drilled through the top and the guy wore it like a necklace when he went hiking and camping.
i beleive it was called a fire pump?
the principle was friction, compression/combustion. you could make one of these things. basically it was a dowel with the middle drilled out to make a chamber. another piece of dowel was widdled down(i think a drimmel or some other method would work too)to a size that fit in the chamber loosely. it was then wrapped with a thin strap of leather to make a tight fit,but allowed it to work up and down like a plunger. you then recessed the tip of the plunger to hold a small amount of tinder. when you inserted it and plunged it down really quick(with force) the friction and air compression ignited the tender, and when you pulled it out the air got to it and it could be tapped off into a bigger tinder, thus starting the fire.
i been thinking about makeing one to keep in my bugout bag. but i only have the basic principle. does anyone have any experience with this type of item, or this technique? anyone know where i can go to find a step by step?
i have found bow and pump drills, using glasses, polishing the bottom of a pop can etc. but i cant find anything on this. it seems like the one in the magazine had a hole drilled through the top and the guy wore it like a necklace when he went hiking and camping.
Comments
The one I saw had two lucite tubes, so you could watch the whole process. Cool, but I don't think it is practical for me. YMMV
http://www.grannysstore.com/Wilderness_Survival/fire_pistons.htm
i too wondered about the ability to compress the air. there was a quote from that survivor dude, les straud that said "it can be used by young and old" and that it was " so easy"
i think les might be a bit mistaken. air compression is not something that is really difficult, but i wouldnt say it would be so easy either.
thanks. i have thrown a spool of tripwire into my bag, and am wondering if a bow could be made from it? it might be too stiff. but i know it would work for certain snares, and even to tie stuff for a makeshift shelter. i am also going to throw a magnesium starter block in. but it never hurts to have a backup plan.
Take wad of steel wool, remove plastic protectors from battery contents, shove it into the wool, starts wool going. Then add jeans fuzz, etc. to get fire going.
For bonus, get a flash light that uses 9v batteries so your firestarter is also a spare battery.
A small roll of 30# braided nylon fishing line- black or green- may be of more use to you. Weighs couple of ounces.