How to make a bow drill in the wild (for starting fires and drilling holes)
A bow drill is most often used for starting a fire – it’s the most efficient fire starting method – but a bow drill can be used for drilling too. A bow drill consists of five basic components – spindle (or drill), board, socket (aka handhold or bearing block), string,…
How to build a simple foundry (forge) and mold metal objects
Introduction In a survival situation, tools and weapons made from stone, bone, or wood will suffice but those same tools and weapons constructed from metal may prove overwhelmingly useful. However, metal construction requires use of a forge or foundry, a special furnace used to generate extreme heat – enough to melt…
How to build an efficient fire using a single log – the Swedish Fire Torch
The Swedish Fire Torch, also known as a Canadian Candle, is a simple and efficient method to make a fire using a single log. In addition to being easy to ignite and control, it is small and compact, burns long (is a self-feeding fire method) and provides not only excellent…
When it comes to fire tinder in a survival situation, you have dozens of resources available
As any good survivalist knows, when caught in a survival situation, one of the first tasks at hand will be to build a fire. In addition to knowing how to construct a fire in the wilderness, you're going to have to have the appropriate resources available which includes not only…
Making Char Cloth (charcloth) – the essential outdoors firestarting material
Char cloth (or charred cloth) is a swatch of fabric made from vegetable linen, such as cotton, that has been converted ( decomposed using a process call pyrolysis) into a slow-burning fuel of very low ignition temperature. A single, small spark placed on char cloth will ignite the cloth which…
Survival fire principles (introduction to “firecraft”)
Introduction to Firecraft In survival situations, the ability to build and light a fire can make the difference between life and death. You can use fire to purify water, sterilize bandages, signal for rescue, drive animals from their homes, efficiently modify the landscape, smoke and preserve food, softening tar for…
There are various types of fires – each with their own purpose
Fire Building Methods There are several methods for laying a fire and each has advantages. The situation you are in will determine which of the following fires to use. Tepee Fire To make a tepee (or tipi) fire, arrange the tinder and a few sticks of kindling in the…
How to start a fire in the wild (using bow drill, hand drill, flint, and other methods)
Tips for Lighting Fires Always light your fire from the upwind side. Make sure you lay the tinder, kindling, and fuel so that your fire will burn as long as you need it. Igniters provide the initial heat required to start the tinder burning. They fall into two categories: modern…
