Here are the videos that I promised in three parts.

1. Fire prepping

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTRxSDmVly8

2. Fire striking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8eCLevgcxU

3. Fire

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

(you guys now how to upload videos directly into post?)

And Mac, I will definitely try to get one as soon as I get some money.

Cool, thanks.

I need to learn how to make vids.

looks like you should strike slower sharp. (from what I understand, and have seen)
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
other than that, great vids and thanks for sharing!

oh yeah, sorry sharp, typo


this is what comes up posting late at night

Mac,

Yea, I really appreciate you showing that to me. Thanks. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

For the summer, Cloak and I should definitely have one in our packs. 'Bout the time the rattlesnakes start getting a little more aggressive.

EMF,

Lol, EMF, it actually takes quite a good amount of heat to get the fatwood going. I did the sparking in quick succession to get the fat wood at the optimum heat. I'm not using magnesium or dry grass that will catch immediately.

Cloak,

NP, Glad to see you corrected it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Ya'll don't wear shoes do yuh?

I was outside for a while today, Regular pine bark with sap on it works well also but only if you have something that will catch right away underneath it.



See the dryer lint underneath it?

Lol BFN, We're hobbits. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

No, we did that vid when we came back from the hike. A little break and all our gear stripped off our bodies.

Nice work on the fire. That's basically what fatwood is. Pine suspended in sap. We did try the magnesium on the rod and it worked like a charm. However, we really just wanted to see how goo this fat wood was at catching. It works really just by itself.

If you look in the first vid. That is a great technique to get very fine strips or very small pieces of wood. It's one of the reasons why the fat wood would catch. With just fat wood shavings the sparks would not ignite it.

Holding the knife perpendicular to the branch and "stropping" the knife over the wood is one of the best ways to get tinder. We also had some really dry grass that would catch immediately, but as I said we really wanted to see just how good fatwood was on its own: one of the best woods that you can get.

I suggest you try that with the fatwood that you got. See how well it works.

Place shavings under the really fine tinder. That should get a really good start.

LOL no, no we do. We both wear medium top hiking boots, though I tend towards lighter, waterproof, lower boots, whereas Sharp like taller, quick-drying, military jungle/desert style boots. The shots of Sharp barefoot are taken when we returned home. We had ditched our boots and most of our gear. The SOP is to wash all of our cloths immediately after the hike, in case there are ticks on the clothes.


Recently, I've been rather attracted to the idea of ultra-light hiking. Small pack with hammock, sturdy keen-style shoe/sandal crossover shoes, and a full quick-dry wardrobe. I think I'll need to try it out this summer.

Sharp: That rig looks just like Blackhawks . Looked at it yesterday but I wasn´t satified with it and $60 is much so I´m making my own thigh rig just as I want it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Can you post a pic on the front side?

I'll go try it now.

Making your own rig? Shoulds like fun. Can you post what materials your using? and maybe a pic of the finished product?

Sure, I can do that. Right now it´s just an uglylooking prototyp. I´ll probably do it in OD 1000D nylon. Pics will come later