Fire pistons & Char Cloth

[jontheturboguy]

YouTube - Bill Gurstelle Fire Piston

YouTube - fire piston directions

YouTube - Fire Piston - Jim Tetzner's design. R.I.P.

Any body know how to make char cloth?

 

[6birds]

Put it on the fire

Making Better Char Cloth | Utah Preppers

I've had better luck with lint mixed with petroleum jelly, and a fire steel, burns hotter and longer to get a fire going. My father loves his char cloth.

Merry Christmas

 

[Eddie]

fire piston

I got one of these for a gift. They work ok, but they do need a lot of maintainance. I keep it with some othe firestarting gadgets, but it isn't my first choice.

 

[HICKMAN]

I think if I had "lube", I could get anything going with my firesteel.

 

[grunt soldier]

lol yeah i agree w/ hickman a fire steel and anything covered in vasoline and you should be good to go. do it the easy way buy a cheap fire steel and then save your dryer lint and then put the vasoline on them and it will burn for a good minute and catch quick as can be

 

[eears]

My daughter taught me how to use a bow drill to start a fire. It's pretty simple after a few tries. I tried making a piston fire starter a few years ago. Don't use three quarter rigid copper. You can't push it hard enough to get enough pressure to start a spark. I had bruised hands to prove it.

 

[gunrunner0]

I think Flint and steel with lint is a much better/easier fire starter, I've never used a piston but the char cloth works better than lint with a bow and drill. Mt first SHTF fire starter choice would be one of those magnesium bars with the striker on the side. Just my though.

 

[HICKMAN]

yup, I washed out the empty coffee containers and just leave them on the dryer to put lint in.

 

[HICKMAN]

I think Flint and steel with lint is a much better/easier fire starter, I've never used a piston but the char cloth works better than lint with a bow and drill. Mt first SHTF fire starter choice would be one of those magnesium bars with the striker on the side. Just my though.

I figure if I was in a spot where I had to use a bow drill instead of flint/steel, I got caught in a situation where I wouldn't have my kit.

Thus no lint or char cloth, I would be gathering natural tinder.

 

[grunt soldier]

those magnesium bars are decent i tried them and it sparks alright. you would really be better of w/ one of those some dryer lint and a nice fire steel. that would go up quick and burn for a minute. i am just saying the fire steel and dryer lint in vasonline cause i keep all those items in my wallet and they are flat and compact so its always w/ me and enough to start about 3 fires and the fire steel is good for 3k strikes atleast.

 

[Sweet James]

Firesteel does it for me.

 

[exodus125]

fire pistons are very effective if you know how to use them

 

[Clay]

 

[tyler34]

even easier than carrying around dryer lint is picking the fuzzies off your socks. just as flammable and you have them on you 90% of the time.

 

[grunt soldier]

fire pistons are very effective if you know how to use them

lol he resurrected this thread because he makes and sells them. same user name over on bladeforums and if you look in the makers exchange he sells some stuff in there. now don't get me wrong he makes some pretty cool **** and i really like his lighters.

imo though fire pistons are over rated, yes they work but there is much better out there that will work better in a emergency and are much more effective when it really counts.

 

[exodus125]

lol he resurrected this thread because he makes and sells them. same user name over on bladeforums and if you look in the makers exchange he sells some stuff in there. now don't get me wrong he makes some pretty cool **** and i really like his lighters.

imo though fire pistons are over rated, yes they work but there is much better out there that will work better in a emergency and are much more effective when it really counts.

I don't think they are more effective than other forms of fire starting, but they can be just as effective. Its good to know how to start a fire more than one way. It does require more attention and can be difficult at times but it develops good habits and overall knowledge of fire starting.

I also make fire steels and lighters, but I still think firepistons are just as effective.

 

[grunt soldier]

ohhh i don't disagree with knowing multiple ways and i have built a couple and used them but i would just prefer to go other routes like a exo-flame or just plain old misch metal rods. fire pistons work but are definitely more sensitive and require more attention for sure.

 

[Hkindiana]

Good char cloth actually works much better than dryer lint. The easiestvwa



Good char cloth actually works much better than dryer lint for fire starting. The easiest way to make char cloth is to cut up a 100% cotton shirt, or use real cotton balls, or even cotton gun cleaning patches. Get a metal Altoids can and fill it with whatever cotton material you choose, and then place it on your gas grill. I cook it for about 30 minutes, then flip the can over and cook it for another 30 minutes. The important thing is to keep the lid closed and not allow any air in to the cotton. After it cooks, let the can cool down, and then place the char cloth in zip lock baggies. With a piece of this char cloth, I can pick up a piece of flint off of the ground, and have a fire going with three to four strikes of my knife blade.

 

[Hkindiana]

As for fire pistons, the best material to use in them is Chaga, a yellow to brown tree fungus that likes birch trees. It is easy to ignite (once dried) and it burns very hot.

 

[Hkindiana]

If you really want to cheat with your dryer lint, just mix a little oooo steel wool in with it, and even a two year old can ignite it