Woodland Skills

[SmokeDiver]

Each of us over the years has come across some sort of bushcraft that we took a liking too and became adept at. I thought it would be a great learning experience for everybody if each of us posted one of those neat tricks we've picked up for everyone else. Explain it however you can, post a link to it if there is one, and get creative! Any old skill, a new fire lighting technique, a creature comfort for on the trail, or maybe you know how to make some special equipment, post it here!

[SmokeDiver]

I'll get us started off. I've seen plenty of fire starter kits but my favorite has been this. Take some cotton balls and stuff them into a medicine bottle. Add about two teaspoons of Heet (found in the automotive section of Wal-Mart) and cap off the bottle. Use on of these cotton balls to light your tender. It only takes one flick of sparks from a firesteel to get it going and it burns for about 90 seconds. It has been the best, cheapest and lightest fire kit I ever put together.

Another little trick I found was how to make paracord bracelets. I'm sure you've all seen them for sale for 15 dollars on the net, you've seen Bear Grylls wear them, and I've seen lot's of soldiers come home wearing them. They are the easiest thing in the world to make. All it is is the cobra weave used in making lanyard keychains. Clip some of these 550 paracord braids onto your pack and you'll always have some spare rope, and it looks rather stylish. Don't buy them when you can make them for around 1/15th the cost!
Just follow these steps, except with paracord! Make sure you use mil spec 550!

[Joshua Szulecki]

I found something similar to what you've got. They make pre-packaged, pre-acetone laced, cotton fingernail polish remover pads. When I was playing around with learning to use a flint and steel I experimented with some different materials and found these to be excellent. A single spark anywhere near them would bust them into flames.

[Jackalope]

I'm sure this is no secret but here goes:

When building a fire on wet ground (often the case in these parts) I like to build it on top of rocks or additional firewood to act as a barrier between the fire and the wet ground.

• start by cleaning out the fire ring so there isn't an eight inch thick layer of wet ash under the fire.
• lay down a layer of rocks from the fire ring if there are extras - if there are no extras, get them from the surrounding area - can't find any, just use three or four sticks of larger firewood.
• build the fire on top of the layer of rocks/firewood.

The rocks work better but the wood works well too. This barrier, even if it is the firewood, gives you a chance to build a good coal bed without the moisture from the ground snuffing it out as fast as you can get it going.

[grayw0lf]

Here's a good firestarter:

1.  Take a little ketchup cup from McDonald's & fill it with wood chips from your chainsaw.
2.  Fill it with wax.  Paraffin wax?  Which ever burns good.

It'll burn for about 30 minutes!

[Pathfinder]

John, the woodchips and wax is a huge winner.  Great suggestion!

[WolfVanZandt]

hmmm.....I wonder how the little "tea candles" would work. They're small and portable and cheap as dirt at places like the Dollar Tree and such.

[SmokeDiver]

hmmm.....I wonder how the little "tea candles" would work. They're small and portable and cheap as dirt at places like the Dollar Tree and such.

I've used em, they do the trick and are nice to have just for light. Trick to using them is to dig a little hole in the ground under your tinder so the wax doesn't melt off too fast. Set the candle in the hole so the top of the wax is flush with the ground or a little lower.

I came across a really neat web page the other day. I think this fella is located in the UK, and he has a really cool style about him. He makes most of his equipment and posts it for you. Of particular interest is his multi purpose hobo stove. It takes the penny stove to a whole new level. Check him out over here.

[WolfVanZandt]

Cool site! And thanks for the info on the candles.

[MobileBackpacker]

Ive also used cotton balls smothered in vaseline, pretty decent fire starter, especially in wet conditions. Apparently doritos work as well, never tried that one though.

[SmokeDiver]

Ive also used cotton balls smothered in vaseline, pretty decent fire starter, especially in wet conditions. Apparently doritos work as well, never tried that one though.

I've used a Frito chip, all that corn oil burns like a lantern wick. It will do in a pinch! just light one and it will give you a small flame, not very hot, but it will sustain for about a minute.

[camel]

1. Coghlan's fire starters- 10 for 1.99 - use one half -they light when wet - no container or "prep" needed.
Cotton balls and wax work - but it s another prep item and for a dime i go for convenience.

2. Caution to those of you getting your fire ring rocks from the creek- get a great fire going and those wet rocks explode with the heat.

3. Lighter log is great when you find it - just do not put a large stump in a hot fire - see two above

4. put the large word on bottom of dug out pit when wet - allows ventilation from beneath and in 3 hours you have a great bed of coals for the am fire.

Camel

[luke724]

I'm sure this is no secret but here goes:

When building a fire on wet ground (often the case in these parts) I like to build it on top of rocks or additional firewood to act as a barrier between the fire and the wet ground.

• start by cleaning out the fire ring so there isn't an eight inch thick layer of wet ash under the fire.
• lay down a layer of rocks from the fire ring if there are extras - if there are no extras, get them from the surrounding area - can't find any, just use three or four sticks of larger firewood.

• build the fire on top of the layer of rocks/firewood.

The rocks work better but the wood works well too. This barrier, even if it is the firewood, gives you a chance to build a good coal bed without the moisture from the ground snuffing it out as fast as you can get it going.

I used the rock in the fire pit trick, this weekend and it worked great on Sun. night. It only took about an hour for the fire to burn what ever I put on it. Saturday night was a different story, the rain ceased an hour before dark. I tried to pick up wood that was laying on top of other stuff, but couldn't get the fire hot enough to burn anything significant. There was also no cedar anywhere around.