In keeping with the idea of using a wrist mounted reflector, I wondered if a concave watch face would work so I began a search for one and found one.

As usual, the size of an optical device can make a huge difference in results. A watch face is relatively small but under full sunlight it can successfully create an ember.

While using a reflector solar device, be sure to point it directly at the sun. If a small reflector is used it might need to be slightly offset so your tinder will not block the sun.

You can determine the focal point of the sun’s rays by placing your finger above the reflecting surface and raise it or lower it to observe where the light is aimed and how broad or narrow is the beam. The smallest point of light is the hot spot where your tinder should be held.

As with all optical methods it is best to select dark material for tinder and if it is fiberous, pinch it tight to create a flat surface on which to focus as there is no focus on fluff. The condensed material also transfers heat and helps to create a coal.

In the photo I wore the watch on my wrist to illustrate the possible use and method of a bracelet to light fire during a Mayan ceremony. However, I found that using the watch in hand was more convenient. I’m happy to say that my solar experiment was successful.

Acquiring clear ice is the challenge. The first time that I made fire from ice I bought an ice block from a dispenser and then cut, shaved, and formed a lens using a pruning saw. My warm hands smoothed the surface.

I always had trouble trying to create clear ice at home. I was able to find clear ice at a nearby stream where I fashioned a nice lens but the same weather under which the ice formed was also cloudy and prevented the solar capability of sunshine.

While surfing the web I saw an advertisement for a clear ice making device for beverages that could make a sphere. I have used a glass sphere as a lens to make fire and so decided to acquire the ice maker so that I could demonstrate this remarkable fire craft method.

I acquired the clear ice kit and was happy with the resulting sphere. As I rubbed it in my hand the frosty surface became clear and usable.

Here are some observations and suggestions when using ice.

– Once the ice is exposed to sunlight it will begin to melt so the ice will begin to shrink and drip. Prop your tinder at the edge of an elevated support so water drops will miss the tinder and not pool next to it.

– While holding the ice lens be careful to allow full exposure to the sun’s rays to maximize the effectiveness of the focal point on the tinder.

– As with all optical methods it is best to select dark material for tinder and if it is fiberous, pinch it tight to create a flat surface on which to focus as there is no focus on fluff. The condensed material also transfers heat and helps to create a coal.

My next goal is to cut the ice sphere in half to increase the focal distance. It will be fun to have this capability for my personal use as well as the ability to demonstrate to others.

NOTE: Size/diameter makes a difference in an optical tool. Using a 2″ ice lens is difficult to ignite tinder. I used some charcloth with my tinder successfully. A 5″ ice lens for example would not require that advantage. Also, make sure that the skies are clear before you venture out to use this method.

I was unable to acquire the large ball bearings needed to accomplish this feat and so resigned it to my bucket list. However recently I viewed a video that showed the use of a hammer, aluminum foil, a very rusty disc, and a treated cloth used as tinder to recieve the sparks.

In pursing this method I tried striking foil on top of various rusty items without success. I finally contacted my mechanic friend and asked him if he had any scrap brake rotors that were rusty and fortunately was able to acquired some.

At first I tried to strike the rusty flat disc surface with a ball peen hammer using the flat end but had almost no sparks. Then I used the ball peen end and had better results. Then it dawned on me that the teacher demos used 2 ball bearings for a reason that the curved surfaces provided a single point of contact for effective kinetic energy transfer so I chose to strike the “hat” portion of the rotor that had a curved surface and “presto”! Great sparks were achieved.

To capture the sparks I applied a spirit accelerant to a cloth and layed it next to the metal surface that I was striking. When attempting this it is important to exercise caution as the accelerant can be quite volatile so a pair of tongs can be useful to remove the ignited tinder to a safe place and enabling a way to smother it out for additional safety.

So now you know a another method to create a fire that would make MacGyver proud and might be needed in an emergency situation.

However the hot wire of this article is heated by friction and can be accomplished by using simple materials found at home or perhaps with your camping gear. This method has been described in military survival manuals using wire, wood, and gun powder.

This is very similar to the fire thong method that uses natural materials, particularly a rattan vine used as a thong to rub a light dry wood to develop char that is heated by rubbing to create a live coal/ember.

The difference here is that a thin wire is used instead as a thong and is rubbed long enough to heat the wire so when it is removed and layed in contact with a pile of gun powder a flame results.

In this case the gun powder has been removed from a cartridge ahead of time to recieve the hot wire for ignition. Tinder is placed adjacent to the gun powder to catch and sustain the flame.

This is a survival method and removing a bullet from a cartridge to obtain gun powder can be risky so care should be taken, especially with center fire ammunition. I disassembled three .22 caliber rim fire cartridges by holding the casing by hand and removing the bullet with pliers.

Creating the fiber roll

The simplest fiber source are 100% cotton balls that can be unrolled, stretched out, and given a generous sprinkling of ashes on top. Then it’s tightly rolled lengthwise into a cylinder that when complete looks like a cocoon. As experience is built there are other
“Fire Roll Tinder Variations” that can also work.

Prepping the fiber roll

The fiber roll is placed on the bottom board and the top board is placed over the fibre roll and is repeatedly stroked in one direction to compress the roll until it smooths out and takes the shape of a pencil. This process initiates heat in the roll.

Stroking the roll

Now the back and forth stroke action begins. It helps to lean over the board to generate greater friction for increased heat. After many passes at some point you should feel some resistance where the roll kind-of grabs. It’s not uncommon to smell smoke so after a few more rolls it’s time to stop and remove the top board and view the roll for a dark spot and perhaps smoke.

Finding the ember

You should be able to feel a hot spot and I have found it helpful to prop up the roll vertically against the boards that allows the internal heat of the roll to build upward much like you might hold a bird’s nest upward with an ember in the center to maximize the heat. A small black char spot begins to appear and a slight breath on the roll should reveal an ember that you can let build and in turn place in a tinder bundle to work into s flame.

Some years ago I got a personal look at the aftermath of an accidental
Spontaneous Combustion fire and soon afterwards I tried a similar set up to see if I could replicate it but I think that I didn’t give it near enough time for the heat to build.

Since then my research indicates a 6 hour time frame is common so I was inspired to try again. In preparation of this effort I bought some boiled linseed oil and a cotton mop head. I also gathered a few combustible cotton rags that provided insulation that is key to the process.

I took a small cardboard box and layed a cotton shirt at the bottom then drizzled some oil over it. Next I layed the cotton mop head on top and thoroughly drizzled oil all over it, both internally and externally. Next I drizzled oil on the rest of the rags that I layed on top, leaving a two inch opening in the center. Finally I lowered the box’s two end flaps over that. This project was conducted outdoors.

Keeping the oil soaked material somewhat bundled allows the heat caused by the drying effect of the boiled linseed oil in to build the temperature enough to ultimately reach ignition.

At 2.5 hours I checked it and felt that it had a slightly elevated warmth. At 3.5 hours it was very warm and I could see some very slight smoke emerging so I grabbed a chair to observe it as it progressed. Occasional breezes would increase the smoke a little more until after 1.5 hours I could not resist blowing on the thick smoke to coax it further. I sputtered and coughed with watery eyes but finally I spotted a small orange ember!

I was excited and could not wait for it to naturally reach full combustion on it’s own so I intervened and fetched a scrap piece of water pipe to use as a blow pipe and was rewarded with a spectacular flame!

This was a proof-of-concept project that made me feel like MacGyver! It would be a very odd circumstance that would require this method to start a fire but now I have it in my bag of tricks if ever needed.

I discuss fire methods using gum wrapper foil that generates enough heat to cause the paper substrate to burst into a flame.

One method that I learned recently uses two AA batteries and staples that can create a red hot point to ignite tinder so I decided to try it.

Apparently prisoners can purchase AA batteries at a commissary for various personal electronics. Staples can be acquired from various printed material.

To begin, one battery is held upright with the second battery Inverted next to it while placed on a metal surface. This creates a circuit in series that produces 3V. In prison, that metal surface might be the top of a sink or toilet. I used an Inverted stainless steel cup.

For convenience I used a rubber band to hold the batteries together. Next, I straightened out one side of each of two staples and used masking tape to mount one on the topside of each battery.

Then I tore off a piece of toilet tissue and placed the jagged edge between the staples so when I rotated the batteries together to touch the ends of the staples they became red hot and ignited the tissue paper.

The masking tape and rubber band are modifications of mine that make this method alot more manageable. The staples get hot to hold but the masking tape helps to buffer the heat while stabilizing them on the battery poles.

It took a little practice to use successfully. I prefer the gum wrapper foil method better but it’s good to know an alternative method when materials might be limited.

I often inspect the huge bin of glass for potential resources. I have recovered soup bowls, floral vases, thick bottom bottles that I use for flint knapping, and recently I spotted a sphere shaped bottle that I removed it’s label and filled it with water to become a solar lens with which to create fire.

In a previous article “Optical Fire Method Using A Vinegar Bottle” my optical fire tool came from a shopping trip, but this glass bottle originally came from a liquor store.

It may not be a practical tool for hiking but a fun part of firecraft and could actually save the day in an emergency. In any case, be aware of possible resources when you travel out and about.

Old downed pine trees are a great source for fatwood that is found where the branch emerges from the trunk and when the outer wood is removed it reveals the darker hardened resin that resides at the core.

As an alternative, many major grocery or big box stores carry fatwood fire starters next to the charcoal and briquettes where barbecue supplies are displayed. This would be a convenient resource for experimentation to gain experience of fatwood properties.

As I pursued experimenting with fatwood for cooking I learned that it is best to be conducted in a wind-free environment. I soon discovered that it needed a thicker/wider piece than shown in the photo. I tried to make a fuzz stick at one end but the material was too brittle and wouldn’t hold a curl, so I took another approach by laying the stick on it’s side, then taking the tip of my knife and plunged down to split the end several times, creating a small fringe. That worked well to lite and sustained the flame while heating up my cup. My cup was hand-held to maintain a constant distance above the flame as the fatwood was consumed and shortened in the process.

The cook-time is limited but a small packet of instant coffee added or just hot water can be very satisfying. One negative side effect is that the resin is very smokey and coats the bottom of the vessel that you cook in.

You may have seen an experiment at school or perhaps a demo on social media of an empty 5 gallon jug with a small amount of alcohol or acetone poured into it. When the jug is layed on it’s side and rotated, the alcohol is spread thin, thus causing it to vaporize. When a match is dropped into it, a hellasious flame erupts in the cavernous vessel. By modifying this vaporization process you can create a small scale manageable lighter.

You can take a glass or jar and pour a small amount of alcohol or acetone into the bottom. Then, you can take a paper towel or tissue and fold it into a strip and line the lower portion inside the glass. The paper will act as a wick and draw up the flammable fuel that will begin to vaporize it, thus enabling it to be ignited by the empty peiso lighters spark.

Be aware that the flame will be sudden and large. You can place an intermediate tinder above it to capture the flame to transfer it to a prepared tinder pile to ignite briquettes or campfire. Please exercise caution when exercising this method.