FIRE MAKING

Pictures of items to be added as soon as I get them scanned in...

    *chuckles*  From everything I have read and hear, making fire with flint and steel is supposed to be easy.... notice I said supposed to be.  For me, it isn't.  I keep trying and trying, and perhaps one of these days I will get good at it. However, until that time, I will just include in here how it is to be done.

To make fire with Flint and Steel, you need several things.... A metal striker, one sharp piece of flint, some char cloth, dry tinder, and some wood to make the eventual fire come to life.  (How to make Char Cloth will be covered further on in this section)

Place the char cloth on top of the dry tinder. (Keeps you from burning your fingers later) Tow, dried grass, palmetto "hair", birds nest, or as I use sometimes, a rope "birds nest", etc... make good tinder as they ignite easily.  Hold the striker in one had and the flint in the other.  Hold the striker steady, and strike the flint against it, so that the sparks are directed into the char cloth.  If at first you don't get a good shower of sparks, stick with it... you will.  It takes practice to get the rythym just right so you get good sparks.  Once you have the char cloth smoldering, GENTLY blow the spark to life.  Blow too hard, and it will go out.  Once the cloth bursts into flame keep it up until the tinder catches too. (DO NOT INHALE as you do this... bad idea!!.. trust me again.. I did).  Set the tinder down and slowly add kindling, working up to larger peices of wood until you have a nice fire going.  Put the coffee pot on the fire... kick back... and enjoy!!  (Well, it sounds simple enough... I gotta keep working at it.)

CHAR CLOTH.  What is "char cloth", you ask?  It is cloth that has been "cooked" or charred until it is easily combustible.  To make char cloth, you need the following items.... 100% cotton cloth, a small can (I use a 3" or so round tin) with a lid, and some hot coals.  Punch a small vent hole in the lid... about a little over 1/8" in size. In the can, place the cotton material that has been cut round (or oval) to just smaller than the tin.  You can put several layers in, but do not "stuff" it full.  The air and heat needs to circulate inside. Place the tin on the bed of coals.  Keep a close eye on the vent hole.  When the smoke stops coming out the vent hole, remove the tin from the coals. You just want to char the cloth, not burn it up. Let it cool, then open it. If it was done right, you now have char cloth.  (Hey... even I can do this part) <grin>

Update - Jan 2000:  FINALLY, I got it right!!!  Yea team!!  Don't know what I was doing wrong, but all of a sudden my birds nests started to catch, and I have been able to make fire darn near every time now...