* Heat & Warmth * Quest for Fire

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Anybody who has seen the movie 'Quest for Fire' should be able to relate to the awesome role fire played for our primitive ancestors.

I searched and did not find this topic, it may help someone.

The ultimate fire starter is a magnesium block. They are generally sold with a flint, beyond that all you need is a small knife. The magnesium is scraped off of the block with the knife and then the flint is struck with the back of your blade. BANG! you have a flame sourc of 2980 degrees celsius. The block will last for hundreds if not thousands of lights.

This is an ideal item, especially for excursions. Ass over tea kettle into the creek during a rainstorm and you can still start a fire.

In an Infomagic situation your progeny could become the masters of heat and light.

Oh, and speaking of light I want to take the opportunity to thank all of the programmers on the TB forum for shedding some light for me.

Sincerely,

Will

-- Will (sibola@hotmail.com), July 05, 1999

Answers

Will -- where can you get one?

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), July 06, 1999.

These magnesium blocks are available in sporting goods stores and sporting sections of your favorite X..mart.

While these blocks *are* the best for long term use, portability and cost, there is another fire starter that is superior. What's better than an mag block? A common road flare.

These are tube shaped, red in color. They have a cap end which, when removed, uncovers a friction sensitive area. The cap has rough sand paper finish on the end. When this is struck or raked across the end of the flare ignition is started.

I have used both in some pretty bad conditions and will always have a few of the flares around for real emergency use. The sulpher in the flare cannot, for all practical purposess, be extinguished. One can start with a pile of WET wood and the flare will get a fire going.

They will cost from $.50 to $1.00 apice and burn complete up when they are used. So they are expensive. BUT, short of things involving nuclear explosions or a 5 gallon can of gas these flares are the best.

- Greybear

-- Got Robert Service?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), July 06, 1999.


Where is the best place to pick up some road flares Greybear?

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), July 06, 1999.

Get road flares at auto supply stores. I have ocasionally seen them a X.marts.

Use caution with the flares. They are HOT when burning. They have some form of sulphur in them and put off a strong (and probably harmfull) odor. BUT, when you just absolutely, positively, GOT to have that fire and its raining the provebial cats and dogs the flare is the most reliable way to go.

BTW, I just realized that I failed to mention NEVER NEVER use a flare in a stove. Thats NEVER. Use them only outside in an open fire area.

-Greybear

--Did I mention NEVER use a flare in a stove?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), July 06, 1999.


Road flares can be found at any large discount store, however, I found the best prices/variety through Galls (you can request a print catalog if flares not listed online). Also look at local army surplus and police supply stores.

Road flares are a must for every emergancy road kit.

Galls Public Safety Catalog

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), July 06, 1999.



For anyone that is new to 'wood burning', like a wood burning stove or a fire place. This is what we use......

Fire logs, (small, packaged in bulk) Not the Log sized ones, they measure about 1" X 2" X 6"s. Now I take that size and break them into 6 pieces, (you dont need a really big piece). We wait until almost spring, Wally world will put them on clearence then we stock up. We uasually buy 3 cases a year, But this is for full time fire people. We heat 100% wood.

-- bulldog (sniffin@around.com), July 06, 1999.


Big Dog

You can get the magnesium blocks at sporting good suppliers. Shouldn't be much more than $5.

IMHO they are vastly superior to a road flare!! WHY?? because a magnesium block is about half the size of a package of cigarettes and contains hundreds of fires. Who wants to pack around a sack full of flares in a bug out situation?

Will

-- Will (sibola@hotmail.com), July 06, 1999.


The magnesium fire starters are great!! 1 problem, make sure your knife is steel. They don't work with a stainlessteel knife blade. Flares are good, use only outdoors, make sure they have good strikers on end.

-- && (&&@&&.&), July 06, 1999.

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