Are you heading out into the woods soon for a camping adventure? Do you worry about finding yourself away from civilization without any help? If so, then you need to learn about how to start a fire without matches.
Even when your resources are depleted, you can still find several ways of starting a fire to keep yourself warm until help arrives. This can help you in an emergency situation such as your car dying on a country road or you getting lost out in the woods.
See below for an in-depth guide on how to start a fire without matches. Be sure to lock it away in memory for future use.
1. Always Carry Flint and Steel
Any time that you’re planning on getting away from civilization for a while, you should pack a survival kit. You should also have an emergency kit stored away in your car in case of emergencies.
When packing that survival kit, be sure to store flint and steel so that you can use it to start a fire. No matches are required.
You simply use the two materials to create a spark. Lay down a piece of char paper (which you should also have stored away) along with the flint. The idea is to have the spark land on the piece of char paper.
When you see an orange light starting to form, you can place it in a nest of dried plants and sticks, blowing on it to grow the flame. Don’t be alarmed if it doesn’t catch right away, as long as the tinder nest is smoking, a flame will show up.
2. Use a Water Balloon
Believe it or not, you can actually use a water balloon to create a fire without using matches. The focal point will be to use the water and direct light onto a bundle of tinder to ignite a fire.
First, fill the water balloon with water, trying to keep it as round as possible. This will make it easier to control the beam of light.
Once filled, place the water balloon in between the sun and the bundle of tinder that you’ve assembled. Focus on directing the beam of light through the balloon as you would use a magnifying glass (which you can also start a fire with) on an ant.
Try to keep your hands as steady as possible while you direct the sunlight onto a specific part of the tinder. Within a few minutes, the tinder should start to smoke.
When that happens, place the water balloon down and focus on blowing the tinder to grow the fire.
3. Use Friction
Everyone learns in middle school science class that friction can start a fire, but few actually know how to do that. Spoiler alert: it isn’t as easy as Hollywood movies make it seem.
To start, you’ll want to grab a log nearby (assuming you’re in a wooded area) and create a notch in it. Grab a spindle (a rounded and slim stick would do the trick) and place it between your hands. Place the end of the spindle on the notch of the log.
Start to rub your hands back and forth to spin the stick (spindle) around, moving your hands from top to bottom as you rub them. This will ensure you’re applying pressure between the spindle and log the entire time.
In time, you’ll start to notice a bit of smoke, at which point you should place the tinder nest close by in hopes of catching a spark. Continue to rub the stick until the tinder starts to smoke.
Once the tinder nest starts to smoke (you guessed it!) place the spindle down and focus on blowing at the source of the smoke to start a flame.
4. Rub Hard Rocks
Once again, this is a method that can be used to make a fire if there are no better options. However, it isn’t as easy as some movies make it out to be.
If you’re looking to start a fire and there are only rocks around you, then look for the hardest type of rock that you can find. Most commonly, you should be able to find quartz or another hard rock near the water.
If you don’t have a steel knife available (which you should) then you can use another smooth rock with sharper edges at the end.
Place the larger rock down on the ground near a patch of tinder that you’ve compiled together. Use your knife to quickly rub against the rock at an angle so that the sparks will fly onto the tinder bundle.
5. Use Your Glasses
If you have glasses on and you find yourself without matches when you go to start a fire, your glass lenses can be an alternative solution.
Simply use them to direct the sunlight down on the tinder bundle. When the tinder starts to smoke, gently place the glasses to the side, and focus on blowing at the tinder to start a flame. Don’t put the glasses on right away, as they might be hot to the touch.
Remember, a tinder can be made of several outdoor materials. You can make it out of cattails, dry bark off cedar trees, or even buy it ready-to-use at camping stores.
How to Start a Fire Without Matches: Use What You Have
Now that you have seen all of the different things you can use and how to start a fire without matches, be sure to use it to your advantage.
For more tips on survival in the outdoors, be sure to read this article for practical backpacking tips that can save your life.
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