1. Percussion Methods

Percussion methods create fire by striking materials together to produce sparks.

Striking flint against pyrite to create sparks

Flint and Pyrite/Marcasite Method

1. Materials needed:
   • Iron pyrite (fool's gold) or marcasite
   • Flint or similar hard, sharp stone
   • Char cloth, dried fungus, or very fine, dry tinder
   • Tinder bundle (dry grass, shredded bark, etc.)
   • Kindling (small twigs and sticks)
2. Process:
   • Hold the pyrite firmly in one hand
   • Strike it with a sharp edge of flint using a glancing blow
   • Direct the sparks onto your char cloth or tinder
   • When a spark catches, gently blow to encourage the ember
   • Transfer the ember to your tinder bundle
   • Continue blowing gently until the bundle bursts into flame
   • Add progressively larger pieces of kindling as the flame grows

Detailed guide to flint and pyrite fire making »

Stone-on-Stone Method

This method is less reliable but can work in emergencies.

1. Materials needed:
   • Two pieces of quartz, chert, or similar hard stone
   • Very fine, highly combustible tinder
2. Process:
   • Strike the stones together with glancing blows
   • Direct any sparks onto the tinder
   • This method produces fewer and cooler sparks than flint and pyrite

2. Friction Methods

Friction methods create fire by generating heat through the friction of wood against wood.

Hand drill fire making technique in action

Hand Drill Method

1. Materials needed:
   • Straight wooden shaft (spindle) about 2 feet long and ½ inch in diameter
   • Flat wooden board (fireboard) of softer wood than the spindle
   • Tinder bundle
   • Optional: leaf or bark to catch ember
2. Process:
   • Cut a small V-shaped notch in the edge of the fireboard
   • Make a small depression adjacent to the notch
   • Place the spindle in the depression
   • Roll the spindle rapidly between your palms while applying downward pressure
   • Move your hands downward as you roll, returning to the top when you reach the bottom
   • Continue until an ember forms in the notch
   • Transfer the ember to your tinder bundle

Detailed guide to hand drill fire making »

Bow drill fire making technique with all components

Bow Drill Method

1. Materials needed:
   • Wooden spindle about 8 inches long and ¾ inch in diameter
   • Fireboard of softer wood than the spindle
   • Bow (curved stick with cord attached at both ends)
   • Socket (stone, bone, or hardwood with a depression)
   • Tinder bundle
2. Process:
   • Prepare the fireboard with a notch and depression as in the hand drill method
   • Loop the bow cord around the spindle once
   • Place the spindle in the depression
   • Apply pressure from the top using the socket held in your non-dominant hand
   • Move the bow back and forth to rotate the spindle
   • Continue until an ember forms, then transfer to tinder

Detailed guide to bow drill fire making »

Fire Plough Method

1. Materials needed:
   • Flat piece of softwood with a groove cut along its length
   • Hardwood stick to use as the plough
   • Tinder bundle
2. Process:
   • Place the grooved board on the ground with tinder at one end
   • Rub the tip of the plough stick back and forth in the groove
   • Apply firm downward pressure while moving the stick
   • As wood dust collects at the end of the groove, it will begin to smolder
   • Transfer the ember to your tinder bundle

Detailed guide to fire plough technique »

3. Tinder Preparation

Proper tinder is critical for successfully turning sparks or embers into flame.

Natural Tinder Materials

• Char cloth: Partially burned cotton or linen fabric
• Tinder fungus: Dried bracket fungi (especially Fomes fomentarius)
• Plant down: Fluffy seed heads from cattails, thistles, or milkweed
• Dried grasses: Especially those with fine fibers
• Shredded bark: Inner bark of cedar, juniper, or birch
• Bird nests: Abandoned nests made of fine materials
• Fine wood shavings: Created using stone tools

Creating a Tinder Bundle

1. Gather a handful of the finest, driest material available
2. Fluff it up to maximize air exposure
3. Shape it into a nest with a depression in the center
4. Place your char cloth or finest tinder in this depression
5. When the fine material catches, add progressively larger materials

Making Char Cloth

1. Cut natural fiber cloth (cotton, linen, or hemp) into 2-inch squares
2. Place the squares in a small container with a tiny hole in the lid
3. Heat the container in a fire until smoke stops coming from the hole
4. Allow to cool completely before opening
5. The cloth should be black but not ashy, and should catch a spark easily

4. Fire Maintenance

Building a Sustainable Fire

1. Fuel progression:
   • Start with tinder (dry grasses, shredded bark)
   • Add kindling (pencil-thickness twigs)
   • Progress to finger-thickness sticks
   • Finally add wrist-thickness or larger logs
2. Fire structures:
   • Teepee: Good for starting fires, creates intense heat
   • Log cabin: Stable structure for cooking and longer burns
   • Star fire: Easy to control by pushing logs inward as they burn

Fire Preservation Techniques

1. Banking a fire:
   • Cover coals with ash to reduce oxygen
   • Add large, dense logs that will burn slowly
   • In the morning, uncover and add kindling to restart
2. Fire carriers:
   • Use a hollowed piece of wood or horn filled with smoldering material
   • Slow-burning fungi can be carried to preserve fire
   • Smoldering rope made of plant fibers soaked in tree resin

5. Troubleshooting Common Problems

Percussion Method Issues

• No sparks: Ensure you're using the right materials (flint and pyrite/marcasite)
• Sparks don't catch: Your tinder may be too damp or not fine enough
• Weak sparks: Use a sharper edge on your flint and strike at a more acute angle

Friction Method Issues

• No smoke: Increase downward pressure and speed
• Smoke but no ember: Continue longer; the wood may need more heating
• Spindle keeps slipping: Ensure the depression is the right size and depth
• Spindle wears too quickly: Your fireboard may be too hard relative to the spindle
• Ember dies quickly: Transfer it more gently and blow more steadily

Environmental Challenges

• Wet conditions: Look under fallen logs or inside standing dead trees for dry material
• Wind: Create a windbreak and position your body to shield the ember
• High humidity: Warm materials near an existing fire before attempting to ignite them
• Cold weather: Keep tinder inside clothing to warm it with body heat