Love Me Tinder

I’m notorious during a survival course for selecting a student at random, an hour or so prior to my fire craft lecture, and asking him or her to make the group a fire. The student’s response is usually two questions comprised of only two words: “Who?  Me?”

Being the nice instructor I am, I reply with a smile, “Yes, you, and I don’t care if you use a flamethrower to start it. Please make us a fire. Now.”

Once the student begins moving, others will offer to help the student gather materials. I do love and emphasize teamwork, but not during this training evolution. A forceful, “Sorry, no one gets to help!” has the thoughtful and kind wannabe helpers holding their ground while the fire builder wanders the woods, most often within eyesight. As I chat with the remaining students, I watch the designated fire builder, observing where and how the fire materials are collected.

Ninety-nine out of one-hundred “volunteer” fire builders will reach for the ground, picking up leaves, pine needles, dried palm fronds, and various sticks of all sizes and shapes. Then, they’ll return to the fire circle and begin their fire lay. Some are successful at creating fire, especially during the dry season, using lighters or matches. Others, being bold and throwing sparks at their gathered materials (using a newly-purchased ferrocerium rod), are usually not so successful. Why?

These bold fire-making adventurers most often have no tinder in their gathered materials. In fact, many outdoor recreationists carry no tinder with them, on their body or in their pack, when they enter a wilderness area. This is a big mistake – huge – especially when temperatures are 50-degrees or less. Tinder is the essence of your magical act to save a life when one is wet, cold, and hypothermic.

The word has gotten out on the practical use of ferro rods, magnesium fire starters, Swedish fire steels, and metal matches – all incorporating synthetic flint to be used with a steel device such as a knife. But, with those generated sparks, you must have tinder:  something readily ignitable with a spark. Kindling (materials smaller in diameter than your little finger) and fuel (materials bigger in diameter than your little finger) do not ignite by spark. If you are going to carry a ferrocerium rod in your pocket or pack, then carry one additional thing with it – TINDER. Holy bear crap! What a mind-boggling idea of preparedness.

What is the best tinder to carry? As a former US Air Force Survival (SERE) Instructor, the answer is time-tested and proven: Vaseline-soaked cotton balls. Take five or even twenty-five cotton balls (one-hundred percent absorbent cotton), swipe individually through a jar of Vaseline, and stuff them into a pill vial, small metal box, or a baggie. Viola! You now have precious, kick-ass tinder.

Remember. When ready to use one to start a fire, use the principle of FTP, a most-important step associated with the use of Vaseline-soaked cotton balls.  Fluff The Piss out of it.

Happy balls of fire to all.