Are you tired of having to carry a lighter with you every single day, taking up precious pocket space that could be better filled with a nice shiny blade?
Are you prone to bouts of forgetfulness to the point that you’d forget your own name if it wasn’t written in your mother’s handwriting on literally everything you own?
Or do you just love binge-watching the Primitive Technology YouTube channel, wishing you were man enough to well and truly “rough it”?
Well, then this is the article for you. Learn how to build a fire like a real man and ditch those Zippos for good. Impress your friends, woo the ladies, and feel more connected to Tom Hanks than you ever have before. Because if you’re ever stranded on an island, lost in the woods, or freezing to death in the cold, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared by equipping yourself with the only EDC item you’re guaranteed to have with you – knowledge.
But Why Would You Want To?
Besides being able to always carry information in your mind, there are a few good reasons why this knowledge is both practical and advisable.
- First, gear is expensive and heavy. While it’s true that lighters, matches, and flint are all relatively cheap and light, they still take up space in your pack and your budget. Plus, there are the peripherals, like strikers, wicks, flint, fluid, etc. And, depending on how much you care about materials and aesthetics, these can definitely get pricey.
- Second, gear can fail. Lighters can run out of fluid, matches can become wet and useless, sparks just might not ignite. Shit happens, and it usually happens at the absolute worst time. Don’t go all in on one, two, or even three options that could go belly up when you need them to perform. Knowledge and skill is a hell of a backup system.
- Third, related to the last one, is that gear can become lost. As explained earlier, most fire-starting equipment and gear is small. Small means that it’s far too easy to misplace something, especially in the dark, or the cold, or in the woods when there’s a lot of ground cover. There is nothing more frustrating than losing a piece of gear, especially one as crucial as a fire-starter.
- Fourth, gear can lead to massive ecological disasters. That may sound like an overstatement, but some of the worst forest fires in history have been caused by small, seemingly harmless flames. If you don’t properly douse your match, if you drop your lit Zippo, or if your sparks ignite something you didn’t mean for them to ignite. And while these are, admittedly, very small chances, they aren’t 0%. There is a very real chance that this could happen. You don’t want to be responsible for something like that.
- And, finally, the fifth reason: because you want to preserve the sanctity of the environment that you’re visiting. If you’ve never heard the adage “Take only pictures, leave only footprints”, then you shouldn’t ever leave your urban nest. Those are true words to live by for anyone who values the outdoors. True, a matchbook or an empty disposable lighter is small potatoes compared to some other, usually corporate, level of dumping and pollution. But every little bit adds up. Don’t contribute further to the erosion of this planet’s natural beauty.
THE BASICS
Fire needs three things: heat, fuel, and oxygen. Take away any one of those, and no fire.
If you’re out in the woods, you’ll find plenty of fuel and oxygen. But you need heat. Without any kind of heat-generating tool, where the hell are you going to get it?
Friction.
Friction has been used for centuries as a simple-yet-effective method of heat generation; less so now with the advent of matches and lighters, but those are the tools of the weak, and you are not weak. You will build a fire using your hands and brain and nothing more, for you are Man, and nature is your bitch.
As with any process, preparation is key. It’s important to get everything you need ahead of time, because once you start trying to build a fire this way, stopping means starting over.
The first thing you want to do is gather the right materials you’ll need. First, you’ll want a straight, dry stick. In the woods this probably won’t be a problem, but you can always use your knife/machete/hatchet/whatever to shape one to your needs.
The next step is trickier, but again, you can always make something workable yourself if it’s not just lying around waiting to be found and used. You’ll need a flat, dry piece of wood. You’ll use this to make something called a fire board, which will be explained later.
Tinder’s not just for failed hookups anymore. You’ll need to create a tinder bundle, one that’s dry and fine. Friction generates heat, but you’ll need to have something delicate enough for that heat to ignite. Dandelion fluff, dead grass, old pine needles, all are great for making a tinder bundle. The finer you make your tinder bundle, the easier it will be to ignite.
Build up from there. Get a lot of kindling and bigger sticks to build your fire. Same thing goes for normal fire-building. Dry, dead wood cut or broken into manageable sizes. Kindling can be twigs, bark, and small sticks.
The word dry is mentioned several times for a reason. Wet, green wood is useless for this. The wood should be drier than British humor. More moisture means more friction necessary, which means you’ll either be working a hell of a lot longer than you should, or it will just not work at all. Neither option is acceptable, so source your wood appropriately.
Now, set it all up in a cleared area where it’s all close to hand. Once you catch the tinder, you’ll want to move as little as possible to prevent the air movement from killing your hard work. Use your brain and other, more basic fire-starting knowledge.
The Manly Art of Friction
Now you’re ready. Your chest is bare, your hands are clenched, and your soul is singing the primitive song of your ancestors. Time to get to work and make Prometheus himself shed a single tear of pride.
There are a lot of ways to build a fire with sticks. Here you’ll learn the three best ways, from easiest to hardest. Easiest doesn’t mean a higher success rate; it means less prep work and materials are needed.
The Hand Drill
Ever seen a drill press? Well, congratulations, because now you must become the drill press, channeling the essences of that power tool as you work to build fire.
Remember that long, straight stick you found earlier? Sharpen one end to a point. This is where your fire will begin, at that point, so whisper some loving words to it to help it become more amenable to your desires.
Once that’s done, you’ll want to prep the fire board, that flat piece of wood that you found or made earlier. First, make a small notch on the flat side. This is where you’ll place the pointed tip of that stick. Make sure it’s close to the edge of the fire board for the next step.
You’ll want to make a notch from the first notch to the edge of the fire board. This will allow oxygen to reach your friction point and allow for the friction to turn the point of your stick into an ember.
OK. You’ve done the specific prep work. You’re ready. Finally.
Place the fire board on the ground before you, like an altar. Then, put the pointed end of the stick into the notch you created. Hold the stick between the palms of your hands at a 90-degree angle to the board (straight up and down). Then, get to twirling. Rub your hands together, spinning the stick in place, back and forth, over and over.
A few things to remember. One, it’s not just the twirl. The hard part is pressing down while you’re spinning the stick. You need both the twirl and the pressure.
Next, this is going to take forever, and you have to keep going to build up the friction and heat necessary to create an ember.
You can place your foot on the fire board to hold it steady.
Keep your rhythm and pressure going until you see smoke. Don’t stop. Use it as an announcement that you’re almost there and keep going.
Once you have an ember, a nice, hot, glowing ember, you can stop twirling and quickly apply it to the tinder you should have right next to you. Place it on the bundle and softly blow on the ember to make it flare and hopefully catch the tinder on fire. Then move to the kindling, then the actual fuel for the fire.
This is the simplest method, but not the easiest. This will abuse that hell out of your hands, and unless you’re used to it, you’ll probably be forced to stop because the pain will be too much. So, what else can be done? Can you use your evolved brain to create something from a few additional materials that will bypass this barrier?
Of course you can, because you are Man, and Man will not be stopped.
The Fire Bow
You’ll need a few additional items for this method, and all of them are either on you, near you, or can be fashioned.
You’ll need another stick. But this one should be slightly bowed into a C-shape and have some moisture in it to help it flex and not break when you’re using it.
Next, you’ll need some type of string, like twine, paracord, shoestring, or, if you’re lost in the woods with no shoes, a sturdy strip of whatever you’re wearing. If you’re lost in the woods naked, then you have bigger worries than building a fire, like how to keep yourself from becoming a bear’s meal. Or a bear’s wife.
You’ll need a length about one and a half times the length of the stick you chose to make the fire bow. Tie the ends of the cord to the ends of the stick.
Now, unless you want to experience the stigmata, you’ll need something to apply downward pressure on the fire stick that isn’t the palm of your delicate hand. Find a piece of wood or a stone that fits comfortable into your hand. It should either have a natural depression or you can carve one out to keep the top end of the fire stick from sliding off. Use something to lube the area between the stabilizing block and the fire stick to help it twirl. Something like a crushed worm works pretty well, if you aren’t too squeamish. Or you can use some green leaves if you don’t like the idea of killing animals (and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that).
Everything else is the same as the previous method. Except this time, you have a tool to facilitate your twirling.
Wrap the cord of the fire bow once around the fire stick, hold it at the same 90-degree angle, and use the lubed stabilizing block to apply downward pressure. Then just make a sawing motion with the fire bow, back and forth, in order to generate friction and create an ember.
This is more complicated than the earlier method, but it’s also a bit easier on the hands/arms, and it allows for you to switch quickly from one arm to the other when you get tired. You can also apply a great deal more downward pressure.
But it’ll still take a while. So patience is key. Once you have an ember, the rest is the same to build it up into a fire.
“But I’m not a cheerleader,” you say with a whining, keening tone. “I don’t want to twirl.”
Well, lucky for you, you weirdo, there’s another method that requires zero twirling.
The Fire Plow
The fire plow is an alternative to the fire drill, in that instead of twirling and spinning, you’re rubbing the stick on the fireboard back and forth. Same friction, different method.
Almost everything is the same, except you’ll want to cut a trench in your fire board to help the stick slide back and forth. And you’ll want to hold the stick at a 45-degree angle while doing so. Instead of hurting your arms, this will kill your shoulders, so be prepared for the pain and aches.
But, once you’ve built up a nice glowing ember, follow the same instructions as above.
This method isn’t harder or better, just a different way of reaching the same goal. Some people will swear by one method over the others, but it all comes down to personal preference, as they all have their advantages and disadvantages. Figure out which one works best for you through experimentation and practice. You’ll need to develop that upper-body strength. You know, just in case.
Cheating
Do you want to build fire like a rugged outdoorsman, but want to still be able to use your arms after you build your fire? Does the thought of searching for hours for the perfect wood to use as your fire-building tools fill you with dread and hopelessness?
Fear not! For here are a list of tools that give you the best of both worlds. You can build a fire like a badass while still protecting that delicate skin of yours.
ESEE Fire Steel: ESEE is known for making some of the best knives available for camping and outdoorsy stuff, and they bring that same quality and attention to function to their other offerings, like the Fire Steel.
This little wonder is tough, durable, and multifunctional. Not only can it be used as a flint striker, but it has a small bowl in the middle that can be used as a drill socket for a hand or bow drill. It’s made from 1095 carbon steel, so it should last you a lifetime, and it comes with a hinged storage tin that can be used to make char cloth for fashionable yet functional storage. While the price might seem a bit high, take into account the quality, usefulness, and durability of this nifty little tool; it will withstand all kinds of abuse and still work as well as the day it was made. Definitely a must-have for all kinds of outdoorsman.
Ephiphany Pocket Bellows: If you’ve ever tried to build a campfire before, you’ve probably singed a few beard hairs. Gently fanning your budding ember into an actual flame can be tricky, dangerous work, especially if you have facial hair. It doesn’t feel good having to get so damn close to a fire to build it up.
That’s where this thing comes in.
It’s a series of collapsible stainless-steel tubes that combine to make what is essentially a long straw that you can blow into while staying safely back from the flames. Collapsed it’s six inches long, and extended it’s thirty inches long, giving you plenty of space. And the design allows for targeted and concentrated bellows-work.
It’s light, tiny, and functional, which is all you can ever want in a piece of gear. And at less than twelve bucks, it’s extremely affordable.
Bow Drill Kit: This neat little kit can help you practice building a fire using a bow drill. It comes in three different options. Generation One has all the necessary items, including tinder and instructions. Generation Two offers a collapsible bellows for a few bucks more. Generation Three comes with a pressure plate on top.
While this is impractical to use for real camping and fire-starting, it’s perfect for practice and building muscle memory and strength.
And, for you fathers out there wanting to pass down a little old-school knowledge to your kids, this is the perfect tool for teaching. It’s inexpensive. Gen One is less than fifteen, and the other two are only two dollars more. So you can learn the ways of the woods and then pass them on, keeping the knowledge and traditions alive.
Core Prodigy Python Power Twister: Be honest, it’s only us here. Do you really think you’re strong enough to twirl, pull, or plow for the time required to make a fire? I didn’t think so. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, unless you do nothing to fix it. But luckily you can. Build those muscles and be ready to camp primitively with the Python Power Twister.
This resistance-based muscle-building device is great for gaining strength in your arms, shoulders, and back. The long handles allow you to find a resistance level you’re comfortable with, allowing you to measure your level of strength as you progress. So man up and prepare yourself for building a fire with nothing but sticks and the massive power you’ll soon possess within you.
Biofreeze Pain Relief Gel: This isn’t a joke item. If you’ve ever done a strenuous, repetitive task for long than a few minutes, you know how sore you can get. Building fires this way, even if you have the strength to make it as easy as possible, will destroy your muscles. And if you’re in the woods for any reason, whether camping or due to an emergency, your muscles being too weak and sore to do anything is the last thing you want. You’ll wake up stiff, sore, and barely able to move. And if your fire dies, there’s no way you’ll be able to make another one, not for a few days, at least. Biofreeze is some of the best muscle balm on the market today. Get a bottle and keep it handy, because you definitely don’t want to be useless to yourself or anyone else because you decided to build a fire with sticks.
Conclusion
Building a fire with sticks is a cool trick to show off your skills, and it’s also a great skillset to have in the event of an emergency. To be great a building fires like this, you need patience and persistence. Otherwise, you might just want to carry a Bic.
