Learning survival skills has been a family goal for some time, but recently we began to seriously acquire instructions and tools, and then practice what we learn in order to be proficient. We’re not proficient yet, just beginning.
For Christmas, the kids each asked for and received a Leatherman Surge Multi-Tool (*aff*). The other day, we ordered FireSteel and strikers for fire-starting. Also, we have been gathering books and DVDs focusing on survival topics, such as edible plants, hunting and gathering, knots, flint-knapping, and other survival skills. Many of these have come from Granny’s Store in Montana.
Since the FireSteel rods arrived yesterday, starting fires was high on the list of priorities for the kids today. God gave us a clear, sunny afternoon. Still, today’s experience has only reinforced our prior conclusion that making fires in the winter in Oregon is very challenging, given that almost everything is wet. I’m sure if Jeff were home today, we would have had more success. The afternoon was just plain fun, though, so we none of us have regrets! And in spite of the difficulty, we did achieve making fire. But not with our gathered tinder: scrapings of cedar bark. Instead, we resorted to using cotton balls and dryer lint to catch the sparks from the FireSteel and turn the sparks into flame.
So we finally got flames, but how to keep a fire going? I’m afraid we didn’t succeed at that. We piled on the dry-as-possible small twigs we’d gathered. Those wouldn’t take the flame. We tried dry-as-possible leaves. That worked okay. Then Mikah was the first to attempt feeding our fragile fires with old, woody grasses. We’d ruled them out, thinking they were too wet. But surprisingly, they fared better than the twigs or leaves, and created higher flames, which we then fed with twigs and sticks. But we never could get any twigs or sticks to catch fire; they were too wet. Since this was our first day attempting making fires without matches or a flammable liquid, we hold out hope that we will master the technique. As soon as Dad is able to join us, I know we will be successful.
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Nice pictures, Mom!
Hugs,
Haniya
How exciting! Its looks like you got the fire going and that’s the main thing. I have started fires in a similar way for many years and taught others. I use a steel striker, flint, char-cloth, hemp nest and tinder.
Sort of the really old fashioned way 
Sylvia
We made our own char-cloth yesterday with the cotton balls and dryer lint, does that count?
Making char-cloth is on our list, we want to pack it in our own survival kits. Sylvia, I wish you were here to give us lessons! Love, Wardeh
I make my own fire starters–dryer lint that I store in empty TP cardboard rolls. Just peel back the cardboard a little and light. For traveling-(camping, RVing, GirlScouts…) I dip the ends of the tubes in wax to seal.
A good set of books to get, for survival or remote living, gardening, cheese making or butchering is the Foxfire books. They are older, but good!
Thanks for the tip, April. Haniya just set aside our first TP roll for that purpose! Love, Wardeh
Kyle wants to know if your family will adopt him?! He already wanted to join when you got your goats, but survival is an even stronger interest of his. In fact, two of the items on his Christmas wish list were: dryer lint and a pile of sticks. I saved the dryer lint for him (I’ll have to give him April’s tip), and we gave him a saw and permission to cut down some trees by our house. Now there is a cool lean-to in our side yard. That is such a great family activity!
Yes, we will take him!
No, really, you’re great supportive parents, Kate. Someday we’ll have to live closer together, wouldn’t that be wonderful? God bless you today, Kate! Love, Wardeh
Well, this probably is not old fashioned at all, but we dip our cotton balls in vaseline! That works REALLY good!
Old fashioned or not, we have seen your method on survival shows. We would have tried it already but we don’t have any vaseline. I keep forgetting to get some. I will try to remember next time I’m out. Thanks for reminding me!
Love, Wardeh
Kyle decided that maybe adoption is a bit extreme. Instead he wants to sign up for Harmon Summer Camp. Can we register online?
We’ll let you know when we’re accepting applications.
Love, Wardeh