Fire is life and fire kills all. I’m often asked, “what is the best tool in a survival situation”. My answer is always fire. You might not think of it as a tool, but people have been using fire to get stuff done for a very long time. Fire is the original multitool. It can provide life-saving warmth, light the way, and kill all types of harmful animals; large or microscopic. This is my list of must-haves in your fire kit.
1. Ferro Rod – My number one item in my everyday carry kit. This little black magic wand throws off superheated metal sparks when scraped with a knife. Don’t call it flint! It works very differently.
2. Cigarette Lighter - Yeah it’s cheating, but if you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’. Cheap and effective; always have one handy. The downside…they are unreliable in very cold environments or can explode if too hot.
3. Waterproof Matches – Another cheater item. Small and compact, they fit into any pouch or pocket. Use these as a last resort, though. You’ve only got so many.
4. Steel wool and a 9v Battery – Popular with doomsday preppers, this little MacGuyver hack will get your fire going quickly. Keep them separate, because all it takes is one little touch to turn up the heat.
5. Chapstick and Q-tips – Cotton has two jobs in life: make clothes and make fire. It burns very quickly and at a decent temperature. Add a little petroleum-based Chapstick to it and you’ve got candle made from things at the bottom of your wife’s purse.
6. Tampons – Speaking of your wife’s purse, grab a tampon while you’re in there. Made of cotton, super compressed and wrapped in waterproof plastic, tampons can be fluffed to the size of a cantaloupe and take a spark very easily.
7. Charcloth – A bushcrafter’s favorite. Made from burnt cotton and almost entirely carbon, these have been used since Ancient Roman times. Roman soldiers were issued a piece of flint, a steel striker, and charcloth before going on a campaign.
If you can’t use a blowtorch the next time you’re out, use one of these. It could save you in a sticky situation.
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