The ability to make fire is perhaps the most useful skill in survival conditions. Fire is a source of heat and light, you can cook food on fire, boil water, making it drinkable. Therefore, survivalists pay so much attention to all kinds of devices for making a fire. The ability to light a fire without matches and a lighter can help out great in Hard time, for example, when the matches are wet or lost.
The most important thing in starting a fire is good tinder. Many of the techniques described below will be simply useless if you do not have a good tinder, because the fire should kindle from a tiny spark. Good tinder must be dry. Dry grass, leaves, shavings, bark, and also a tinder fungus are usually used as tinder. Of course, tinder can be prepared in advance by taking, for example, a piece of burnt cotton cloth or cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly. Finally, you can buy a special synthetic tinder from a travel store.
Here are some of the most popular ways to start a fire without matches or a lighter:
Fire and magnesium
Flame is a metal rod made of ferrocerium - an alloy of iron and mischmetal, which strikes sparks when it hits the metal. When a metal armchair strikes a metal rod - "flint" - small particles of metal are cut off, which creates a high temperature and the formation of a spark. By gently inflating the smoldering tinder, you thus provide an oxygen supply and, as a result, ignite the tinder. Some flints may come with a magnesium bar. In this case, carefully comb a few small particles of magnesium onto your tinder before setting the wheel in motion, then it will ignite faster.
Friction
Friction is perhaps the most ancient method of making fire, invented by our distant ancestors. This technique is based on creating high temperature by rubbing two pieces of wood against each other. There are many variations of this method, but the simplest is the bow drill method.
The bow spindle consists of wooden board, a spindle, a support block and, in fact, a bow. It is desirable that all elements are made of dry soft wood, especially a board, the wood for it should be as soft as possible. Cut a round indentation in the board to fit your spindle. Then cut from the edge of the board to the spindle notch.
From a curved branch, make a bow by tying a piece of rope, strings, or even a string to both ends of the bow. Roll the spindle around the string so that it wraps around the spindle. Place the board on the ground, with the notch on top of a small pile of tinder. Place your foot on one side of the board and place the spindle in the circular notch. Place the support block on top of the spindle and secure.
Now move the bow back and forth opposite the slot in the board. As a result of friction, smoke will begin to appear - continue rotating the spindle until you see that ash has appeared and smokes in the recess. Take the ash tinder and blow gently until a flame appears.
Magnifying glass
There are several different ways increase the sun's rays. Using a magnifying glass is the most common, but far from the only technique. Sunlight can be magnified through any clear liquid, such as water, in any curved vessel whose sphere will act as a lens. A clear plastic bag will work as well. The main secret- increase the sunbeam through glass or water and concentrate it on one point of your tinder. For this, the water must be clear, and the weather is clear. It is best to choose an afternoon when the sun is at its brightest.
Flint and steel
You can strike a spark by striking with a mild steel rod - for example, with a butt pocket knife, on hard stone, flint is best. To do this, you need to hold in one hand a flint with a flammable tinder, for example, from burnt fabric. The impact surface of the flint must have a sharp edge, so you may need to split your flint or quartz beforehand to get a sharp edge. Use your other hand to strike the edge of the flint against the steel surface of the knife and, if you're lucky, a spark on the tinder will ignite it.
Mining fire is one of the most useful skills that a person can possess. In this article we will tell you how you can make fire in the wild. Survival in difficult conditions dictates its own rules that need to be accepted and be able to adapt to them. Let's find out how you can make fire?
Fire can be obtained in a variety of ways. For example, using the sun's rays, by carving, by drilling, by simple friction. Each of these methods of producing fire also has some varieties. If for some reason you find yourself in the wilderness, then you will most likely need to get fire. After reading this article, you will understand how this can be done.
1. How to make fire with a condom
You will need to fill the condom with water, and the bottle can also be filled with water. Then we get a means for focusing the sun's rays. You look for a calm place, set the "lens" accordingly and just go about your business. Be sure that the fire will already be lit by your arrival.
2. How to make fire with an iron can
Take a look at the bottom of a can of beer - it is concave, and it can perfectly "collect" the sun's rays. But it is better to pre-polish it for high-quality focusing. Then this part of the can can be used to produce fire.
3. How to make fire with a piece of ice
Have you seen one of the MythBusters program? There it was just told and demonstrated how it is possible to make a lens for starting a fire from a piece of a certain shape of ice. So in the episode, the presenters used a round piece of ice. Thus, even ice can become a "source" of fire. If there is no ice nearby, you can make your own piece of ice of the required shape. Just take the bag and fill it with water, you just need the bag to take the desired round shape. Then you bury it under the snow and after a while the ice lens will be ready.
4. We get fire by the "blacksmith" method
If you have a nail with you, just find a material that you can drive the nail into. Then just drive in the nail for about three minutes, turning it periodically. It will heat up to such an extent that it can be used to light a piece of tinder.
5. How to make fire by carving from flint
A piece of steel can be used as a chaise, but only hardened. But getting fire with flint will still be more difficult, although it may be found right on the road. If you are looking for flint, then you need to find only very hard, soft will not work.
If the stone is hard, then it looks like glass, unclear or even transparent. You are unlikely to get fire from a smooth stone, but if you break the stone into two parts, then you will be able to get a spark from the sharp part. To determine the stone that sparkles the most, simply check each stone one at a time.
The tinder that you will burn should be as dry as possible. Thin Tinder can be obtained from wood fibers. For example, you can also use - cotton socks. In addition, vegetal fluff ignites perfectly. You need to get fire only in a calm place. It is advisable to keep the tinder over the flint.
6. We get fire by rubbing a rope on a stick
A pine tree can be used as a stick. A split is made in it, where the tinder is placed. But tinder should be placed in such a way that there is space under the stick. The rope is better if it is made of natural fibers. Handles can be made at the ends of the rope for convenience. Holding the stick with our foot, we "saw" it with a rope from below. Movements should be frequent and quick. In a few seconds you will be able to see the smoke. And only later you can fan the fire from it.
7. We make fire by rubbing a ball of cotton wool
Between the two boards lies cotton wool, which can be taken, for example, from an old quilted jacket. Then simply "iron" the cotton with planks with sharp and frequent movements. After a while, you will see that the cotton wool will start to smolder. The method is quite simple, but at the same time, it is quite effective.
8. How to make fire by rubbing two sticks together
A plank is taken in it at a certain angle, a groove is made where you can insert a stick. Next, you need to push this stick and just move until the clouds of smoke go. The abraded material will be collected in the appropriate place. Later, the powder turns dark Brown color... Some powder particles will fly off and fall to the side, while they smoke, but no sparks are visible.
The fire can only break out in the place where enough powder heated to high temperatures will be collected. In this case, it is important that air flows freely into the pile of powder. It is better to use planks and sticks from such tree species as beech and pine. For this method of producing fire, you should not use aspen and linden.
9. How to get fire by drilling
In some part of the wood, a shallow hole is made, where a stick is subsequently inserted. From above, the hole must be covered with a stone.
Next to the hole, you will need to place a material that will light up later. It can be pile, moss, wick or tinder. The stick should be set in motion with the help of a bow, which is put on the stick by the overlap method.
You will need:
The most ancient and difficult way- production of fire by friction. Exists various techniques this process, but the most important thing is to choose the right type of wood for the plank and rod. For this role, poplar, juniper, aspen, cedar, willow or walnut will do. Of course, we need dry wood for efficient ignition.
The rod is placed in a small hollowed out recess in the plate and clamped between the palms. You need to quickly twist the stick around the axis, creating friction. In this case, the tree will begin to smolder, a spark will appear, and the resulting coals are already used to further kindle the fire.
Hand drill
Another primitive and rather difficult method.
In addition to a stick and a board, we need a tinder. Gather dry leaves, grass, bark in a pile, build something like a bird's nest - this material will help us get fire from coals.
You need to cut a v-shaped hole in the board, and make a small depression next to it, under which you place pieces of bark.
Mark a rod about 60 cm long in the groove and start rotating it between your hands until signs of smoldering appear in the hole. Fan the fire gently until red coals, then transfer them to the tinder and, adding dry twigs, cones, try to ignite a full flame.
Let's say right away: the two options described above are a long, laborious process that requires a lot of patience. But it may happen that you don't have anything else at hand. In this case, the forest will help out and this knowledge.
The method is similar to the previous one, but much more efficient and simpler. If you do everything right, then you will very quickly reach the required speed and pressure, allowing you to get the coveted coals and make a fire even in a wet forest.
Your task is to make a bow drill. To do this, prepare planks, a rod, a deck and a bow. Now let's talk about everything in order. 
Look for the deck or stone we need to apply pressure to the rod. The tree must be from more hard rocks than the pivot.
For the bow, use a strong and resilient vine, about the length of your hand. A string, string, leather belt and other are suitable as a bowstring. durable material tear resistant. Pull the string over the rod.
Next, prepare the ignition board. Make a funnel and place the tinder underneath. Then pull the string over the rod so that you end up with a loop. Place one end of it into the cavity on the board, and press the other with a block.
Now, in fact, the very process that will help us make fire. Move the bow back and forth as if you were sawing. Rotate the rod quickly until embers appear. Drain the embers onto the tinder and blow gently.
Going on your next trip, take flint with you. If you don't have one, make it yourself - quartzite and a steel-bladed knife will be enough! 
Also search charcoal... Its main purpose is smoldering when a spark hits. But for this purpose, any fabric and even moss, capable of smoldering for a long time without fire, will do.
How to use a flint? Squeeze the flint between your fingers so that its tip protrudes 6-8 cm forward. Hold the ignition material between the flint and thumb... Now take a knife and hit the stone with it a couple of times. As a result of your actions, sparks will fall on the coal or fabric and begin to smolder. Place them in a tinder nest and blow. Then you can lightly light your fire.
Jar and chocolate
Everything is extremely simple here. Run the chocolate bar along the bottom of an aluminum beverage or canned food can. Then wipe the bottom with a regular cloth. Chocolate is the perfect polish and your jar will shine like glass. You can use toothpaste instead of chocolate.
Once you've completely polished the bottom of the can, the sun's rays can bounce off it and create a focal point.
This principle resembles the process of a telescope. Again, turn the surface towards the sun's rays and point them at the made tinder, located 3-4 cm from the focal point. Flames will appear soon.
True, the downside is that an aluminum can is not always at hand. And we certainly eat a bar of chocolate before the fire appears!
This is the easiest way to get fire, but it will only work in sunny weather... Many of you probably melted soldiers or set fire to a newspaper with its help as a child. Now, using a lens, a magnifying glass, a magnifying glass, glasses or binoculars, we will try to make a fire.
Moisten the surface with water to speed up the process.
Place the lens at the angle of the sunlight, focusing the beam at one point. Put the tinder in this place and wait literally a few minutes. 
As we have already understood, the easiest way to get fire is with a lens. Unfortunately, it may not always be at hand, but a condom may well be lying around in the inner pocket of a real man. The same method can be taught to a child using an inflatable ball.
Fill the condom with water so that it fits easily in your hand and resembles a sphere. Remember to tie the garment tightly. 
Then squeeze the ball so that a direct beam of light passes through it. As a result, you get two small diameter lenses. The focal length will be shorter than that of real lenses, so you need to keep them at a distance of 5-7 cm from dry objects that should catch fire.
With ice
Water and fire are seemingly two completely opposite elements. However, it is quite possible to make a fire from a piece of ice. This method is especially relevant in winter weather.
It is advisable to use clean water to make the ice clear. If it contains specks, then you simply will not succeed.
An icicle or a piece will do pure ice from the river. You can also take water from a reservoir or pre-melt snow in your hands. 
Let the liquid freeze in a container. The size of the resulting piece of ice should be about 5 cm. Then cut out the lens in the center of the ice, polish and shape it. Point the lens at sunlight and wait for the result.
- For the first method, you will need a piece of foil - from gum, chocolates, a pack of cigarettes, etc. Cut a short and narrow strip of about 1-1.5 cm from the foil. Then give it a crescent shape so that the wide ends are only at the edges of the ribbon.
The lower the battery power, the narrower the strip should be!
In a battery close to the pressing area, scrape a little of the surface down to the adhesive layer and fix one end of the foil to it. Place your hands over the tinder, and place the other end of the strip against the contact - the paper will flash instantly.
- Another method will require a piece of animal hair. Form a strip of it about 1 cm wide and about 15 cm long and rub it with the battery on the side where the contacts are. Ignition will happen quickly, so prepare the tinder and wood for the fire beforehand.
Spoon and toilet paper
For sure, any tourist will have these items, namely: a spoon, a bowler hat and toilet paper.
Twist the paper into a tight rope 3-4 mm thick and roll it between your palms to make something that looks like a cigarette. Then coat one end with soot from the pot.
Now let's move on to the spoon. You need to bend it a little inward towards the handle, and flatten the stock a little so that your reflection inside does not have strong distortions.
Catch a ray of light with a spoon and place the paper over it on the soot side. After a few seconds, the tourniquet will start to smoke. Wait until intense smoldering begins and start making a fire.
You never know what surprises life will bring you. Therefore it is worth it. We present to your attention the post of Boris Zak - a lover of travel, trail running and running in general (who, by the way, has already told us about his). Today Boris will tell you about 10 ways to start a fire. Some of them will seem useful to you, and some will surely surprise you. :)
A bit of theory. What is fire?
Fire is the main phase of the combustion process, which is accompanied by the release of light and heat. Combustion can be caused by different reasons: heating, chemical reaction, exposure to electricity.
So, to start a fire, we need flammable materials, oxygen and high temperature.
Method 1. We light the fire with a condom
The condom is truly a unique item, I think all travelers have appreciated this multipurpose item for a long time. So, take a transparent condom and fill it with water.
Building a fire with a condom
We use it as a lens, focus the beam on previously prepared dry grass or paper, a little patience, and now the smoke appears.
Method 2. Bank of Pepsi
We polish the bottom of the can and use it as a reflector. We direct the beam onto a sheet of paper or dry grass.
The bottom of the can is a great reflector Method 3. Photo frame and cling film
Take a photo frame and wrap it with cling film.
Frame wrapped in cling film We put the frame on the stand and pour water.
Pour water gently That's it, the installation for lighting the fire is ready.
Ready! Method 4. Steel wool and mobile phone battery
Steel wool is a weave of very thin fibers of steel that looks like ordinary cotton wool from a pharmacy. The steel itself is 98% iron and 2% carbon, the proportions may vary depending on the type of steel. We prepare a "nest" of dry leaves and grass, put cotton wool in it and run the battery contacts over cotton wool several times.
We light a fire with steel wool and a battery Method 5. Battery and foil from chewing gum
Finger battery and gum foil Cut off a strip of foil, fold it in half and sharpen the fold with scissors.
We attach the ends of the strip to the poles of the battery, and the main thing here is not to burn your fingers.
The same manipulations, only more clearly, are presented in the video.
Method 6. An interesting but expensive way to start a fire using goods from IKEA
Method 7. Ice
This method takes patience. You will not only light a fire, but also keep warm. We take a piece of ice and with light movements of a knife give it a shape into the lenses. Then we polish the lens surface with our hands.
Smooth ice works like a lens Well, how to light a fire with a lens - every child knows.
Method 8. Chemical reaction
Sodium is a silvery-white metal, plastic, even soft (easily cut with a knife), a fresh cut of sodium shines in air and is easily oxidized to sodium oxide. To protect against oxygen in the air, sodium metal is stored under a layer of kerosene.
Sodium reacts with water very violently: a piece of sodium placed in water floats, due to the heat released, it melts, turning into a white ball that quickly moves in different directions on the surface of the water; the reaction proceeds with the release of hydrogen, which can ignite. This experiment is also called "dancing fire".
Sodium + water Method 9. Fire
With the help of a flint, sparks are struck. The tool is compact, lightweight and can be used in any weather. You can find a large assortment of fires on the Internet. Which one you get doesn't matter, the main thing is to learn how to use this gadget correctly.
Striking sparks is not difficult, you just need to prepare a good tinder. To do this, use a dry, flammable material.
Method 10. Fire Piston
This pneumatic lighter was invented around 1770. It works on the same principle as a diesel engine. Under strong compression, the air in the cylinder heats up to temperatures above 300 ° C, which ignites the tinder at the end of the piston.
Fire piston In order to reach a high temperature, a strong blow is needed.
Do you consider yourself a modern person? Do you really think that you can handle any complexity and problem? In principle, it can be assumed that this is the case. But, as practice shows, the average person can be proud of his omnipotence only as long as he does not leave his usual habitat. Check it out?
Section 1. How to light a fire without matches? Relevance of the issue
21st century in the yard. We have learned to fly to the moon, with the help of the Internet you can find almost any information, and foreign languages you can already study without leaving your computer. All this is called scientific and technological progress.
What about the simpler but vital things? Have you ever wondered if you can modern man survive in, say, wildlife? Does he know, without matches or how to build at least a temporary shelter from the rain? Sadly, the answers to these questions are likely to be negative.
In general, if we turn to statistics, it turns out that most of city dwellers cannot kindle a fire even with a lighter, but about different ways production of fire and do not guess at all.
That is why you should not forget about the school of survival. You never know where and when it can come in handy. There is an opinion that every man should know how to extract fire without matches, but women should also heed our advice today. This, you see, is the most important skill for survival.
Section 2. We list the main ways to solve the problem
How to make fire without matches in the forest? Is this even possible?
It is absolutely clear that any moisture or dampness will ruin all undertakings. Here, it would seem, and there is nothing to argue about. Even a younger student guesses that in order to get a fire in the forest without matches or when using them (at this stage this is not so important), dry rags or leaves will be needed, by the way, ropes, gauze, crushed bark or dry moss, etc. Let me point out that this is only minimal set components. So to speak, the most accessible to the common man in the street.
WITH scientific point vision, there are four main methods to solve the problem:
- chemical;
- textbook (with a lens);
- using friction force;
- solid.
Now let's talk about each of them in more detail.
Section 3. Chemical method
Probably, even from school, some of us remember that a flammable mixture can be caused by the reaction of potassium permanganate and glycerin. If you have access to these components for "cooking" the fire, feel free to act! In this case, you can easily solve the problem related to how to light a fire without matches in field conditions... Just 1 g of potassium permanganate, poured onto prepared rags, and a couple of drops of glycerin are enough. But I would like to warn you right away: as soon as you drop glycerin, quickly remove your hand, because the fire will immediately begin to devour the offered "gifts".
Section 4. How to light a fire without matches. Long, but reliable - a textbook way
Using a lens from glasses, binoculars, a telescope, a convex bottle, aquarium or other shaped glass, you can focus the sunbeam to create a fire. For example, Robinson Crusoe from a well-known and beloved book from childhood before getting fire without matches (what matches and a lighter can there be on the island?!?), Diligently used glass from watches.
Section 5. Are you ready to work hard? Tedious way
You can make a fire, although this is a very tedious and not always productive activity. To begin with, a bow is made from soft woods, but a rope will perfectly perform the role of a bowstring. Any sharpened stick will act as a "drill". The support should be made of dry, hard wood such as pine or oak.
The starting material is first stripped of the bark. Then you need to drill a hole in it 1-1.5 cm deep and carefully overlay it with tinder. The drill needs to be wrapped with a bowstring, inserted in one ring into the hole, tinder should be tightly laid around. Only after that, firmly pressing the drill with the palm of your hand, you need to use right hand move the bow quickly. This should be done perpendicular to the drill. Important: in order not to damage the palm, a cloth gasket is placed between the drill and the hand; it can be replaced with tree bark. After the tinder is smoldering, it must be well inflated and the kindling that has been prepared in advance put in.
Section 6. The hard way
Any stone can be used as a material for this method. It is convenient enough to knock out a spark with a steel knife or other metal objects... It is difficult to predict the success of such an activity, because it all depends on luck and a very dry base for a fire.
Section 7. "Diligence and work will grind everything"
It should be immediately warned that making fire by friction is the most complex method... It's definitely not for the faint of heart.
In general, there is different methods allowing you to get fire by friction. but critical aspect is the type of wood used for plank and spindle.
A spindle is a stick that you twist to create friction between it and the board. Juniper, cypress, aspen, willow, cedar, walnut are considered the best materials for plank and spindle. To use wood for the production of fire by friction, like, in principle, any other, wood must be taken exclusively dry.
Section 8. Hand Drill Method
To be honest, it is the most primitive, but at the same time the most basic and difficult. All that is required in this case is a tree, tireless hands and determination.
Build a tinder nest. As tinder, a material that ignites from a single spark, it is best to use:
- birch bark;
- dry grass;
- pine needles;
- wood shavings;
- tinder fungi (crushed and dry mushrooms);
- wax paper;
- fluffed cotton wool;
- burnt cotton fabric;
- fir cones.
Make an incision by cutting a small indentation on the board. It is worth putting bark under this cutout in order to catch the ember arising from friction. Start rotating by placing the spindle in the groove. Typically, it needs to be about 50 centimeters long for this method to work properly. Rotate the stick between your palms until an ember appears.
As soon as a spark appears, quickly transfer it to the previously prepared tinder nest. Blow gently on it, everything is ready - the fire is burning.
Section 9. The method of the fiery bow
It is considered the most effective way extraction of fire, which is based on friction. In this case, you will need to use a bow and a borav.
Craft a tight bow. To do this, pull a rope, belt, lace on a stick. Then make a hole in the dry wood. Then quickly and for a long time twist the shaft in the hole with a bow. You should end up with a black powder. As soon as a spark appears in it, it must be transferred to the tinder.
Section 10. Flint and Flint
In general, it should be noted that this is an old and reliable backup option for those who do not know how to make fire without matches in a forest or in an open area.
Basically, good idea- this is to constantly take flint with you on a hike. After all, matches can get wet and be useless. Otherwise, you can still get a spark from a piece of flint.
Flint remains the ideal option. In addition, you can always improvise using quartzite and a steel blade of any knife.
But that's not all. According to experts, you definitely need a charred piece of cloth, which can be replaced with a dry piece of mushroom, birch bark.
- Take stone and cloth.
- Place a piece of stone between the large and forefinger, while its edge should protrude by 7 centimeters.
- Hold the fabric securely with your thumb and flint.
- Start casting sparks. To do this, hit the flint with steel or a knife blade several times, you will see that sparks will fly to the fabric, thereby causing a glow.
- Place the sparkling cloth in the tinder and blow gently to ignite the fire.
Section 11. Using a lens
In general, all methods based on obtaining fire using lenses are considered the easiest. Before you start a fire without matches, you just need to focus the sun's rays on a specific place.
Also suitable for this purpose:
- magnifying glass;
- glasses;
- binoculars.
By the way, if you add a little water to the lens, the light beam will become more intense. Try to tilt the glass in such a way as to focus the rays to a point with the smallest possible diameter. Put tinder in this place, soon you can get fire.
The only drawback of this method is that it only works when the sun is present. And at night you will have to use other methods.
Section 12. Creative approach
Not sure how to light a fire without matches? Try to do it in an original way - and have fun yourself, and surprise your friends.
So, in addition to traditional ways there are three completely unusual, but rather effective method which are based on the refraction of rays.
- Balloons and condoms. If you fill in Balloon or a condom with water, they will turn into a lens. True, they should be kept at the least from the tinder - by 1-2 cm.
- Fire from ice. Get fire from a piece of ice. This method extremely useful for winter camping. But for the method to work, the ice must be completely transparent and about 5 centimeters thick. Then shape the ice into a lens shape, polish it with your hands until it is smooth, and use it like a traditional lens.
- Coca-Cola and chocolate. You will also need chocolate. Moreover, the bottom of the first should be polished with the second, it will also do toothpaste... After grinding, you get a parabolic mirror. It remains only to catch the sunlight and put the tinder where the rays are focused.