Being able to start a fire is an important thing to master when out in the wild. When someone in your group drops a match in the river or a lighter is lost, you may need to know how to start a fire using natural materials or household items to create friction or create a fire. Find out how to make a fire without using matches or lighters by reading the methods below.
Step
Method 1 of 6: Preparation
Step 1. Know how to make a pile of dry ingredients to make a fire and prepare this pile of dry ingredients
Of all the methods below, you will need a pile of dry matter to generate a spark in order to start a fire.
Step 2. Collect dry wood
This wood is needed to create friction and maintain a fire, you need wood that is completely dry.
- Dry wood storage. If the area is damp, you may want to inspect the inside of logs, under ledges, and other places where they are protected from getting wet.
- Find out the wood-producing trees. Not all types of wood can light a fire in the same way. Depending on where you live, wood from certain trees may produce a fire more quickly. For example, the paper-birch tree produces twigs similar to paper, making it suitable for use as firewood.
- Look for materials other than wood. While lighting a fire is generally done outdoors, you may have to adapt. For example, since there are not many trees in an urban setting, you may want to consider using items such as old books, wooden pallets, furniture, etc., to light a fire.
Method 2 of 6: Making Fire with Steel Fibers and Batteries
Step 1. Make a pile of dry plant material that is easy to fire
You can use dry grass, dry leaves, logs, and bark. This stack will be used to generate a fire with sparks generated from the battery and coir.
Step 2. Use the battery and find the terminals
The battery terminals consist of two prong circles located at the top of the battery.
All sizes of battery voltage can be used, but the 9 volt size will produce a fire faster
Step 3. Take the steel fiber and rub it against the battery terminals
The results will be even better if the steel fibers are finer.
Step 4. Continue rubbing the steel fibers into the battery to generate a spark
This process works by generating a current from a layer of tiny steel wires that heats up and ignites.
Another way to do this is to use a 9 volt battery and a paperclip and rub the paperclip against the terminals at the same time to create a spark. The way this works is the same as how the iron wire on a lamp lights up and how a toaster oven works
Step 5. Gently blow the steel fiber when it starts to glow
This will keep the flame and spread it.
Step 6. When the steel fibers are fully ignited, quickly transfer them to the dry ingredients pile you made, keeping blowing until the pile ignites and produces a fire
Step 7. Then immediately add dry wood to the pile so that the resulting fire can grow bigger
Method 3 of 6: Lighting a Fire with Flint and Iron
Step 1. Prepare another pile of dry matter using dry plants
Step 2. Prepare a flint with a size of about 5 to 7 cm, so that you can easily grip it
Step 3. Take the charcoal cloth and stick it on the flint
Charcoal cloth is a cloth made from charcoal fiber. If you don't have a charcoal cloth, you can use a small wood mushroom.
Step 4. Use the back of a knife or iron (depending on how easy you are to grip it) and scrape or rub quickly on the flint
Continue until a spark forms.
Step 5. Make a splash on the charcoal cloth until the charcoal cloth glows
Charcoal cloth serves to maintain the flame without producing a fire.
Step 6. Transfer the charcoal cloth flame to the prepared dry ingredients pile until it produces a larger fire
Step 7. Then add dry wood to make the fire bigger
Method 4 of 6: Lighting a Fire Using a Magnifying Glass
Step 1. See if there is enough sunlight to make a fire using this method
Generally you need sunlight that is not blocked by clouds in order to hit the magnifying glass.
- If you don't have a magnifying glass, glasses or binoculars can also be used.
- Add water to the glass/lens so that the sun's rays are more focused.
Step 2. Make a pile of dry ingredients, and place them on the ground
Step 3. Tilt the magnifying glass toward the sun until the glass/lens forms a small circle of light focused on the pile of dry matter
You may have to try aiming the magnifying glass from several angles to get a more focused beam.
Step 4. Hold the magnifying glass against the stack until it starts to produce smoke and fire
Blow to spread the fire.
Step 5. Then add dry wood to make the fire bigger
Method 5 of 6: Making a Fire Using a Drill
Step 1. Prepare a pile of dry matter using dry plants
Again, make sure the material is easy to produce fire.
Step 2. Find a piece of wood to use as the base for your hand drill, also known as a fire board
You will drill this wood to make the spark.
Step 3. Using a knife or other sharp object to make a small cut, make a V-shaped notch in the center of your plank
Make sure the notch you make is large enough for the turning rod to fit.
Step 4. Place the bark under the incision
The bark is useful as a receiver of heat/sparks generated by the turning rods and fire boards.
Step 5. Use a thin turning rod that is about half a meter long and 1 cm in diameter, and place it in the V-shaped notch in the center of the fire board
Step 6. Hold the twist bar between your palms, and rotate the bar back and forth
Be sure to press the turning rod into the fire board.
Step 7. Continue to rotate rapidly while pressing, until heat builds up on the fire board
Step 8. Make the heat generated hit the bark
To do this, you'll first need to apply the bark to the incision.
Step 9. Transfer the burning bark to the dry ingredients pile
Blow until the fire spreads on the pile to produce a fire.
Step 10. Then add dry wood to make the fire bigger
Keep in mind that this method requires a lot of time to make a fire and requires a lot of energy.
Method 6 of 6: Making a Fire Using an Arrow Drill
Step 1. Again, prepare a pile of dry matter from the dried plants
Step 2. Find an object such as a rock or a heavy piece of wood
This will be used to apply pressure to a rod.
Step 3. Find a long, flexible piece of wood that is about the length of your hand
It would be better if you find a curved wood. This will be used as the hilt of your arrow.
Step 4. Make arrow strings using a strong, rough material that can withstand friction
You can use shoelaces, a small rope, or a leather belt.
Step 5. Tie the string as tightly as possible to both ends of the arrow
If there is no natural groove in the bow to hold the strings in place, make these in the wood.
Step 6. Find a piece of wood to use as the base of the drill, otherwise known as a fire board, and make a V-shaped notch in the center of the board using a knife or other sharp object
Step 7. Place a pile of dry ingredients under the V-shaped notch
Because it will make it easier to produce fire.
Step 8. Wind the dart string on the swivel bar only once
Make sure you wind it right in the center of the string so you have enough room to wind it back and forth.
Step 9. Smooth one end of the log until it is pointed to reduce friction in the hole
Don't cut off the tip once it starts to form charcoal so you can use it for a longer time.
Step 10. Place one end of the turning rod into the notches on the fire board, and press the top end with the previously prepared pressing object
Hold the pressing object with one hand.
Step 11. Begin to move the arrow rapidly back and forth, using your other hand
This movement will make the log rotate and create heat at the base of the fire board.
Step 12. Continue until the fire is generated, and make sure the pile of dry ingredients is close to it
Step 13. Bring the lit fire to the wood chips and toss it on the dry matter pile
You can also toss a burning fire board on a pile of dry ingredients.
Step 14. Blow to spread the fire and add dry wood to make the fire bigger
Tips
- Keeping a flame is the hardest thing. Make sure to blow it carefully.
- Make sure the wood is completely dry
- Cottonwood, walnut, and spruce are ideal materials that can be used as fire boards and turning rods.
- You must know how to put out a fire before you learn to light it.
- Hand drill is the most primitive and difficult way, make sure the prepared materials are complete.
- If you don't have a magnifying glass, you can also use a balloon filled with water and squeeze it until it can channel light or form a glass/lens-like shape of ice.
Attention
- Make sure you turn off the fire with water or sand before you leave it.
- Watch out for sparks that might fly.
- Always remember to watch if children play with fire.
