One Stick Fire

[rhino]

How many have tried or practiced a "one stick fire"? If you're not familiar, it's the idea of taking one piece of wood and using it for fuel, kindling, and tinder exclusively. Most people do it with a only a knife (and a baton) or a hatchet for their tool and a ferrocerium rod or more primitive source of ignition.

Were you successful on your first try? How often do you practice it?

I was not successful last week, but I have ideas about what I can change to improve my prospects next time.

 

[Hkindiana]

I do it, but I use locally found flint and a rusty nail to start the fire.

 

[rhino]

I do it, but I use locally found flint and a rusty nail to start the fire.

That's challenging! How many tries before you succeeded the first time?

Given how tough it can be to ignite tiny shavings/wood dust with a ferro rod, I'm impressed that you can do it with flint and steel.

 

[PistolBob]

$3 at Harbor freight and you get a magnesium striking bar and a piece of steel hacksaw blade....make fire for years with that

 

[lonehoosier]

This is one of the challenges I give to my Boy Scouts when camping. If they can do it I will take their tent down at the end of the campout. We only have a few older scouts that can do it. They get to choose the log they want and can use a axe and their pocket knife along with their ferrous rod.

I can do it with just my ESEE-4 and ferrous rod. Preparation is everything.

 

[rhino]

Choosing a good stick seems to weigh heavily in the success of an attempt. I've decided to use a a stick that is dry and more favorable to success for subsequent attempts until I get really good at it. Then I'll go back to the first thing I find in the cold and damp once my skills have improved. Do you just go for "dry," or are there species that work better?

One thing I know I did "wrong" is that I did my scraping of tiny shavings and dust from the outside. The bark was loose and crumbly, which led me to wrongly conclude that it was dry and what was under it was dry. I should have done my scraping and feathering on the inside parts after splitting, where it would likely be dry or at least less damp.

I used my Battle Horse Smoky Mountain Razor and a ferro rod, which I'll probably do again. That knife is a wood-processing beast and did good work on my preparations even though I didn't achieve ignition. It splits and carves really well and the spine is sharp enough to scrape so I can save the edge for carving.

 

[chezuki]

I was extremely tempted to dump about 4gr of titegroup in your tinder bundle between attempts, but I didn’t want to risk hurting anyone If they got too close.

 

[rhino]

Hah! I got plenty of suggestions . . . all were well intended, but they would have defeated the purpose. I had more than one lighter on my person and a variety of tinders and flame extenders in my gear, but I don't need practice with those. Cotton balls with vaseline will ignite from a hard look and burn quite a while. However, they do not appear when processing a stick.

 

[OutdoorDad]

I’m pretty certain I would fail. I can build a fire. But I can’t get a spark to save my life.

I do suspect that wood selection is probably a major component of a successful attempt.
Ill go bolder and say I’m certain of it.

What did you try?

 

[Fargo]

I’m pretty certain I would fail. I can build a fire. But I can’t get a spark to save my life.

I do suspect that wood selection is probably a major component of a successful attempt.
Ill go bolder and say I’m certain of it.

What did you try?

I recommended willow, especially from bottomlands... Or rock cherry...

 

[rhino]

I’m pretty certain I would fail. I can build a fire. But I can’t get a spark to save my life.

I do suspect that wood selection is probably a major component of a successful attempt.
Ill go bolder and say I’m certain of it.

What did you try?

I think it was pine, but I wasn't lucky enough to find a piece that was all resin-ey.

I recommended willow, especially from bottomlands... Or rock cherry...

Thank you, sir!

 

[Fargo]

I think it was pine, but I wasn't lucky enough to find a piece that was all resin-ey.




Thank you, sir!

Just in case the humor didn't come through, please don't try either of those. I have a bunch of bone dry rock cherry splits in my woodpile that only burns if they have multiple hickory splits going full bore underneath. Willow usually isn't even worth trying to burn.

 

[rhino]

Just in case the humor didn't come through, please don't try either of those. I have a bunch of bone dry rock cherry splits in my woodpile that only burns if they have multiple hickory splits going full bore underneath. Willow usually isn't even worth trying to burn.

Ah, no, I did not recognize the humor. Thank you for the clarification!

 

[Fargo]

Ah, no, I did not recognize the humor. Thank you for the clarification!

LOL, no prob. On a serious note though, with seasoned softwood like pine the exterior often holds more moisture than the interior unless it has been kept really dry. You might have more luck if your initial feathers etc are from the interior. Run away from anything that is in direct contact with bark, the space between bark and log tends to hold a lot of moisture and seldom dries completely.

 

[rhino]

LOL, no prob. On a serious note though, with seasoned softwood like pine the exterior often holds more moisture than the interior unless it has been kept really dry. You might have more luck if your initial feathers etc are from the interior. Run away from anything that is in direct contact with bark, the space between bark and log tends to hold a lot of moisture and seldom dries completely.

That's an excellent point and I think failing to accommodate that fact was the primary reason for my failure.

Regardless of what wood I use, I'll do my scraping and fuzzing on the inside parts after splitting.

 

[Hkindiana]

The absolute BEST wood to use is sassafras. It is the ONLY easily found wood in Indiana that burns while wet. It is FULL of oil, and easy to find, all year round. Once you master (the cheating way) of using a ferro/cerrium set-up, then move down to flint and steel. The final test is using fint and flint, and THEN you are not dependant on ANY manmade materials. Another fun fire starter to check out is a "fire piston". With tinder, you can get an ember in one hit. Without tinder, it usually takes several hits to get an ember going out of a small sliver of sassafras. I plan on making one out of deer antler, but have not yet gotten around to it. For the time being, I use a wooden one that I purchased on-line. If any of your kids have gone to Bradford woods in fifth grade, there is a good chance that I have taught them some of this bushcraft.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

The absolute BEST wood to use is sassafras. It is the ONLY easily found wood in Indiana that burns while wet. It is FULL of oil, and easy to find, all year round. Once you master (the cheating way) of using a ferro/cerrium set-up, then move down to flint and steel. The final test is using fint and flint, and THEN you are not dependant on ANY manmade materials. Another fun fire starter to check out is a "fire piston". With tinder, you can get an ember in one hit. Without tinder, it usually takes several hits to get an ember going out of a small sliver of sassafras. I plan on making one out of deer antler, but have not yet gotten around to it. For the time being, I use a wooden one that I purchased on-line. If any of your kids have gone to Bradford woods in fifth grade, there is a good chance that I have taught them some of this bushcraft.

Sassafras, agree 100%. I have built several campfires and I have never found a natural substance that burns like sassafras. It does not last but a tiny bit, but it burns hot and catches ridiculously easily. It is also super easy to identify in the woods, both with and without leaves ("mitten leaves", unusual bark texture and pungent and uncommon smell).

Thank you for fighting the good fight with your work at Bradford woods!

I never went there, but I know lots of folks who have and who's kids have/are. Everyone I have talked to just loves the place and what they do/learn there. Good work!

 

[Hkindiana]

Sassafras, agree 100%. I have built several campfires and I have never found a natural substance that burns like sassafras. It does not last but a tiny bit, but it burns hot and catches ridiculously easily. It is also super easy to identify in the woods, both with and without leaves ("mitten leaves", unusual bark texture and pungent and uncommon smell).

Thank you for fighting the good fight with your work at Bradford woods!

I never went there, but I know lots of folks who have and who's kids have/are. Everyone I have talked to just loves the place and what they do/learn there. Good work!

Thank you. I love imparting "natural knowledge" to kids. I am amzed at how few kids have ever fished, or shot a bow and arrow, much less an atlatl. Most have never eaten anything from the woods, and many have never even cooked over a fire. I teach them the natural antidote to stinging nettles (which usually comes in very handy), outdoor edibles, shelter building, etc. One more point about sassafras, is that the wood AND bark both have an orange hue, and are easy to spot, even from a distance

 

[rhino]

Sassafras! Got it. Sounds like it's about the same as using fat wood if success if virtually guaranteed!

Now I have to wait until next Saturday at the earliest to try again. Stupid adult responsibilities!

 

[bwframe]

Here are my "one sticks":