Fire Starting
Starting a fire using sticks is an essential wilderness survival skill. The most common method is the hand drill technique, which uses friction to create heat and ignite tinder. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to start a fire with sticks:
- Gather materials: a. Tinder: Collect dry, easily flammable materials such as dried grass, leaves, or small twigs. b. Kindling: Gather small, dry sticks or wood shavings to help the fire grow. c. Fuel: Collect larger, dry branches and logs to sustain the fire once it's started. d. Spindle: Find a straight, dry stick about 2 feet long and 0.5 inches in diameter. It should be made of a soft, non-resinous wood, like cottonwood or willow. e. Fireboard: Find a flat, dry piece of wood, ideally from the same type of wood as the spindle, about 0.5-1 inch thick.
- Prepare the fire site: a. Choose a flat, clear area away from trees, bushes, and other flammable materials. b. Dig a shallow pit to help protect the fire from wind. c. Surround the pit with a ring of rocks to contain the fire.
- Prepare the fireboard and spindle: a. Carve a shallow, V-shaped notch into the edge of the fireboard. b. Drill a small depression in the center of the V-notch, where the spindle will be placed. c. Sharpen the spindle's ends to reduce friction and create a point that will fit into the depression on the fireboard.
- Place tinder under the fireboard: a. Form a small bundle of tinder and place it beneath the V-notch in the fireboard. This will catch the hot ember produced by the friction between the spindle and fireboard.
- Start the fire: a. Hold the fireboard steady with your foot or one hand. b. Place the spindle's sharp end into the depression on the fireboard. c. Hold the spindle between your hands, with palms flat against it. d. Start spinning the spindle by moving your hands back and forth, applying downward pressure. Maintain a steady rhythm. e. As the spindle spins, it will generate heat through friction, creating a hot ember. f. Once you see smoke, increase the speed and pressure to create a glowing ember. g. Carefully transfer the ember to the tinder bundle and gently blow on it until the tinder ignites.
- Build the fire: a. Once the tinder is burning, add kindling to the fire, being careful not to smother it. b. Gradually increase the size of the sticks you add as the fire grows. c. Finally, add larger logs and branches as fuel to sustain the fire.
Remember, practice makes perfect. Starting a fire with sticks can be challenging, but with persistence and patience, you'll master this essential wilderness survival skill. Always practice fire safety and ensure your fire is completely extinguished when you're finished.
