In the last video I covered some of the basics when it comes to using the traditional flint and steel method to start a fire. Since this form of tire lighting has been around for so long, there have been some more interesting and creative ways to use it.
One of these methods is the tinder tube. All it is, is a cotton rope with a small brass tube at one end. To prepare the tinder tube for use, light one of the ends, and then put it out. This will create a charred area on the rope. It is this charred material that will catch the spark, much in the same way as the char cloth we used in the last video. To put out the ember, just pull the rope into the brass tube and cover it until it goes out.
Another approach is to simply use some charcoal. After all, char cloth and the tinder tube are just other forms of charcoal. You can remove a piece from the fire and save it, or can take a piece of wood or other plant material and char it by holding it to the flames of your fire. Once a spark lands on the coal, it will glow just like the char cloth.
In the video I also mentioned that you can use the flint and steel to ignite the powder formed by a bow drill or any other method of friction fire lighting. A few weeks back I posted a video made by Les Stroud where it took him hours to get the dust from his bow drill to ignite. A simple spark from his knife a flint rock would have made his job much easier. Just drop a spark onto the dust and it will glow as if though it was ignited from the friction.
There are certainly some other techniques and approaches out there. These are just the few with which I am familiar. In the next post I will try to mention some other naturally occurring tinders that can be prepared and used. These however are my favorites because they are easy to both find and prepare.
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