How To Start a Campfire Without Matches or a Lighter at your new backyard

Learning how to start a fire from scratch is an essential skill everyone should possess. Whether you like going outdoors or not. Not only is it a great skill to have, but it also makes camping trips much safer and enjoyable.

While going on outdoor trips, you carry hundreds of matches and enough lighters. However, accidents can happen, and you may find yourself stranded in the woods with nothing but your protein bars and wet matches.

This article will look at several alternative methods of starting a fire, the steps to make a campfire, and the materials you should always gather beforehand to make a fire effectively.

Before you can make your fire, you must collect your materials. These include:

Kindling: This material burns quickly and is what you will add to your tinder. I.e., small pieces of wood. It should be completely dry.

Tinder: This can be in the form of coconut husks, dry lint, dry leaves, small sticks, dry bark, and pine needles. This is what the embers are going to be transferred to. So it needs to be as light and dry as possible.

Wood: Depending on the method you'll use, you may need varying lengths of wood. The wood should be completely dry as well.

How To Start a Campfire?

Before we can look at how to make a fire, you need to know where you can get the items you will use. BattlBox is a great place to get pre-made fire kits, which include all the materials you will need. You can also find these items in your backyard or when camping.

There are varied methods you can use to start a fire, and they include: 

1.  Lens-Based Method: Sunlight and a Piece of Glass

Another excellent method to start a fire that you probably forgot about is using a lens. Using sunlight and a piece of magnifying glass is another great way to start a fire. However, this method is limited by the amount of sun in your current location.

Simply grab a magnifying glass or the lens from a pair of eyeglasses. Ensure that you're angling it towards the sun. Grab your tinder nest and place it under where the heat is concentrated; voila, you have a fire.

2.   Friction-Based Methods: Bow Drill

Creating fire using a bow drill is a method that's been used for hundreds of years by indigenous people worldwide and, compared to other methods, is relatively straightforward. The Bow drill uses a bow to rotate a wooden drill/spindle against a fireboard, creating friction that generates heat and ignites the tinder.

To make a bow drill kit, you will need the following: 

·       A bow -The bow can be made from a sturdy branch or flexible stick that's about as long as your arm. It should be flexible and have a slight curve.

·       A fireboard -The fireboard can be made from a flat piece of dry wood

·       A spindle -The spindle can be made from a dry stick about the thickness of your pinky finger.

·       You can fashion a socket out of a stone or a piece of wood. Ensure that it's soft and fits well within your hand. Wood with oil is excellent as it helps with friction between the spindle and itself.

Make a small indentation in the fireboard-where you'll palace the tip of the spindle. By pulling the bow back and forth, rotate the spindle against the fireboard. The generated friction will lead to a smolder and ultimately flames.

3. Ferro Rod and Steel

A Ferro rod is a small pen-sized tool made of various metal alloys and produces sparks when scraped against a hard surface. You can purchase a Ferro rod from an outdoor supply store or online. To use a Ferro rod, you'll need the rod and a striker, which can be anything from a steel knife to a multi-tool.

To use it, you must scrape the magnesium block with a knife or scraper to create shavings. Then, use the striker on the ferrocerium rod to create sparks that ignite the shavings.

4. The Hand Drill

Another method that could come in handy is the hand drill. Although one of the more strenuous methods, it still works.

You will need wood, a go attitude, and tireless hands.

1.     The first step is to build your tinder nest. You can use birch bark, dry leaves, and bark.

2.     The second step is to create your notch. Grab your fireboard and cut a V shape. Make a depression next to it.

3.     Third step. Place your bark underneath it. This will catch the embers.

4.     The fourth step now involves spinning your spindle into the depression. Ensure that you're putting on enough pressure as you roll the spindle. Do this until you see an ember formed.

5.     Once you've seen an ember, tap on the fireboard lightly to release the embers to the bark and transfer it to your tinder nest. Blow on it to give it life.

Bottom Line

Starting a fire isn't an easy task. However, it's possible with the right attitude, tools, and some muscle. Understanding the techniques and having the right attitude are key fundamentals of fire starting; however, patience and practice will help you master any method.

Once you've mastered one or two methods, there's no need to worry about being stuck in a bind without fire. So, get out there and get practicing.

Guest Contributor: Jessica Smith