Fire Lighting Survival tip using batteries ?

[abvidledUK]

Just a thought.

All those keychain batteries, spare after removing LEDs for other purposes, or even part used 9v batteries, and some wire wool / Brillo pads.

Quickly wrapped and secured around the battery terminals, is it enough power to start a fire ? With tinder.

Not tried it myself, as I don't have wire wool or Brillo pads.

Any other tips ?

 

[carbine15]

steel wool, puffed out and mixed with some dry tinder makes a good fire starter with a single 9v battery for ignition. magnesium shavings make it even better. I use road flares.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ohp0bzRahRA

 

[paulr]

Coin cells probably can't produce enough power to start a fire, even with steel wool. You're better off with a spark gizmo.

 

[Bearcat]

steel wool, puffed out and mixed with some dry tinder makes a good fire starter with a single 9v battery for ignition. magnesium shavings make it even better. I use road flares.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ohp0bzRahRA

I use either matches or a Bic lighter to light my fires, but a road flare or steel wool with a battery will do the trick in a pinch.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Abvidled,

The Blast Match is my choice for an emergency fire starter. It throws so many sparks that you can also light your way with it, in a pinch.

Tom

 

[LumenHound]

A 9 volt or AAA battery will work just fine with triple X or the even finer quadruple X steel wool.

A ordinary SOS pad will work great also if you just fluff a small bit from one of the ends.

Have your dry tinder ready as steel wool tends to ignite quickly.

The other suggestions with the modern flare matches are very good but lets not forget that sometimes you just don't need to reinvent the wheel for a basic survival task.

Simple works... particularly when it comes to teaching kids survival stuff they will remember because they think it's cool to know.

 

[cutlerylover]

Hmmm, I like that blst match, seems simple...I have tons of lighters but I find its fun to start a fire using my magnesium block which has the striker rod on the back of it...I use my knife to scrape off a few magnesium flakes (sprinkled over small twigs or dry leaves) then strike the rod and pooof, fire...

 

[abvidledUK]

Forgot to mention...

Obviously you need to remove the battery from the fire as soon as it strikes.

Don't want exploding batteries now do we !!!

 

[abvidledUK]

I also have a few of these, small combined (low powered) torch / butane lighter, which I keep in my rucksack




ebay item 170075124845

 

[DM51]

A sprinking of Potassium Permanganate crystals (KMnO4) will help get a fire going. KMnO4 has a number of other uses too.

 

[TorchBoy]

I find its fun to start a fire using my magnesium block which has the striker rod on the back of it...I use my knife to scrape off a few magnesium flakes (sprinkled over small twigs or dry leaves) then strike the rod and pooof, fire...

I had a bit of trouble demonstrating mine yesterday. First there was a bit of a breeze which blew the shavings around, then the paper I was trying to light turned out to be very resistant to the idea of burning. High quality junk mail, must have been mixed with clay or something. Eventually used a bit of newsprint and that caught fine, but it still left over half the other sheet underneath it unburnt.

 

[TorchBoy]

How well does an AA cell work for lighting steel wool instead of the 9V? Surely a NiMH could put out enough current to make up for the lower voltage. That YouTube vid is impressive.

 

[GeoScouter]

Just a thought.
and some wire wool / Brillo pads.
Quickly wrapped and secured around the battery terminals, is it enough power to start a fire ? With tinder.

Works great! I done it several times myself using a D-cell from my flashlight.

But if its raining a Railroad Match works a lot better.

Steve

 

[Illum]

heard somewhere about 1 part brake fluid and 3 parts crystalized chrlorine for spontaneous combustion...

oh wait thats off topic

I think 9Vs are probably the best batteries for this purpose primarily because of its voltage by volume ratio and that the terminals are on the same side...moreover....it would "vent with flame" if shorted

 

[TorchBoy]

moreover....it would "vent with flame" if shorted

Nah, they just go flat. :ironic:

 

[Cydonia]

I'm surprised they don't sell more rugged long shelf life emergency fire starters using the Lithium Iron Disulfide chemistry batteries for 15 year shelf life. (Like Energizer AA and AAA's with their 15 year life)

Also I have a stack of those Swedish Primus Firesteel's.
Seem good, been around forever too... check em out.

 

[Bearcat]

The best that I have found at starting a fire is take all the batteries out of your flashlight and lay them on ground in a circle, then take out your waterproof and windproof matches to start the fire. The point is, you would be more likely to have matches on you than steel-wool.