Forum Wide Challenge - fire starting

[Scythe13]

Today (you'll love this) I'm teaching my Scout group to make fire without matches!

Oh yeah!!!

This will be a fun one. I'm basically teaching them to use a flint and steel, but I'll also be teaching them to think about different fuel types and about how to use a spark from anything possible.

I'll upload a load of videos or photos of scouts making fire! If they can do it, NOBODY on this forum has an excuse to even TRY.

Try and fail.....is not the attitude to take. Failure is not real! Failure is something we learn as adults. If we don't learn something straight off, we seem to quit. But that's a learned behaviour. We never had that as children! How many times did you fail when you first tried to walk. How many attempts until you tell a child to stop trying?

I'm not asking anyone on here to succeed. I'm challenging everyone to try!

[Pagan-Mist]

You havn't seen my sad attempts I can do some things but fail dismally at fires lol

[00111001]

(14 May 2012, 18:52)Pagan-Mist Wrote: You havn't seen my sad attempts I can do some things but fail dismally at fires lol

Got any steel wool? That takes a spark. Or some vaseline coated cotton wool balls? That'll take a spark too.

It's easier than you think!

[Pagan-Mist]

I'm still trying and will get there with practice lol

[TOF]

(14 May 2012, 18:52)Pagan-Mist Wrote: You havn't seen my sad attempts I can do some things but fail dismally at fires lol

Must be a girl thing I have the same problem. I can, however get a fire going with a Fresnel lens. Much easier than faffing about with ferro rods and bits of stone. You do need the sunshine though.

[Pagan-Mist]

Mmm I might try a lens when we have more sunshine I'm not going to let it beat me

[Scythe13]

Brilliant attitude P-M!!!

Okay, today went really well with the Scouts, but I was so busy supervising them that I wasn't able to take photos :-(

They were all able to get sparks with the flint and steel, but not all had the hand eye co-ordination to do it every time. They're still learning.

Next time we do fire, I'll get the camera going. Sorry everyone.

[00111001]

(14 May 2012, 21:16)TOF Wrote:

(14 May 2012, 18:52)Pagan-Mist Wrote: You havn't seen my sad attempts I can do some things but fail dismally at fires lol

Must be a girl thing I have the same problem. I can, however get a fire going with a Fresnel lens. Much easier than faffing about with ferro rods and bits of stone. You do need the sunshine though.

I've not tried a fresnel lens yet - must look into getting one. Although normally by the time I want or need a fire it's dark Do they work in Winter sunshine? They may be a stupid question.

[Tonka]

A good challenge. I fancy trying the dieseling (compression) method. It might take me a while though as I will have to knock up the apparatus.

[Timelord]

I will be trying the fire piston when I get a round tuit.