Firestarting with a flashlight...reflector

Ran into something I had never heard about for survival fire starting. It talked about using a flashlight reflector to concentrate the sun. The method was removing the reflector and then sticking the tinder through from the rear so it's located where the bulb/emitter is located. Now there's one more spec to look at when evaluating a light - reflector fire starting ability.

Before relying on it I would want to experiment. Anybody heard of or tried this one before?

I believe it can work. Ive seen it done with the bottom of a soda can on Surivor Man.

I didn't see that one. If a soda can bottom concentrates enough sun a reflector that is designed to deal with a point light source should be able to. Still worried about screwing up a reflector even though I am sure it won't "flare up."

No, it generally won't flare up. Also of course, the larger your reflector, the better your results will be. I used to have an old lantern reflector that was about 6 inches around. That one worked really well but I've had success with Maglights too.

I use parabolic mirrors all the time for fire starting. In fact, I keep one on the front porch to light my cigars on sunny days.

The trick with this technique, as usual, is to have REALLY good, dry tinder. Charcloth works well, so will 0000 steel wool and cat tail fluff.

There is of course another way to start a fire with a flashlight...

Needed:

1 small ball of 0000 steel wool, about the size of a golf ball.

1 Mini-Maglight with decent batteries (AAA or AA, doesn't matter)

2 Little bits of stiff wire small enough to stick into the electrode holes when you remove the bulb from the MiniMag.

To start the fire...

1. Lay your fire in preparation for a "One Match Start"
2. Remove head from MM
3. Remove lamp
4. Insert one wire into each electrode hole, being careful not to let them touch.
5. Touch the two wires to your 0000 steel wool.
6. When you see fire, gently blow to encourage the flame, place burning steel wool in laid fire.
7. Tend fire until it reaches desired size.
8. Re-assemble your flashlight, it should still work properly even if the batteries are fairly drained.
9. Cook dinner, make coffee, prop feet up, relax in the knowledge that YOU have made FIRE! (Just like Tom Hanks!)
10. As with all fires, be absolutely sure the fire is properly extinguished before you leave the area.

On the episode of Survivor Man that I saw, he didnt sit and fiddle with concentrating the light on the dry brush/tinder. He just set the can down and stuck a pile of dry brush in front of it, then he came back like an hour or two later and it was smoldering.

I second the steel wool
soak a bit in petrol jelly and carry a 9V battery with you.

when it comes to starting fires, cutlerylover is the man to ask
see FIRE!

that will depend on the focal point of the reflector...I do think its possible even if your reflector doesn't look like this

Funny thing is I knew about using a battery to start a fire. I've though about using the lens with water to make an improvised convex lens. I've seen the Mythbusters were they used mirrors to burn a boat.

I just completely over looked the nice focusing reflector in front of my eyes. Maybe I should have turned the light off before I looked :duh2:

I doubt it would work too well with an orange peel reflector....