Bombproof Windproof Dampproof Lighter??

[Blutack]

Nearly a year on from my last attempt, I'm still looking for a reliable lighter!

I'm sold on the firesteel for lighting my whisperlite (the only way to go if you want to keep your knuckle hairs), but I still haven't found a reliable lighter for lighting fires etc.

I had one of these until last weekend, when I tried to dry the end off in the fire, but melted it off the body instead . Oh well, it never worked that well anyway!!

So, still looking for that totally dependable firelighting solution. Any suggestions??

Blutack.

[MagiKelly]

The cheap 10 for a £1 lighters are hard to beat. They light reliably for ages and if they get wet a quick blow on the flint wheel and they work again.

As my main lighter I use a Zippo case with a tristar gas insert Works well and is still windproof like a traditional zippo.

[bothyman]

As my main lighter I use a Zippo case with a tristar gas insert Works well and is still windproof like a traditional zippo.

i like that idea, which is best the Tristar or the Z plus.

I like my Zippo but it seems to dry up in no time

MickT

[Lloyd]

http://moontrail.com/accessrs/a-wind...ill_delta.html

Piezoelectric ignition is important for a good outdoor lighter as is a loop to secure it to your body so you don't loose it. I like blaze orange just in case you do sit it down though. Just remember to top it up every time you come home.

[bothyman]

Thats nice, but I've never seen that one over here.

I have the Zippo and usually have a few cheapo 50p lighters lying around.

mickT

[Pl@inum]

Jeese Lloyd that looks like a hand grenade

Nice n chunky

[Lloyd]

Tough so you can drive over it with the car and not wreck it. I just use the fero stick for everything now. I can never figure out how to refuel lighters half of the time.

[wayne]

i have the glow in the dark one. The lighter is ok but the lid gets in the way.

I nearly always go back to using my fire steel.

[pierre girard]

Flint and steel is hard to beat. When it is too damp for lighters or matches - seems like you can always get a fire going off flint and steel - if you've kept your tinder dry.

[wayne]

Flint and steel is hard to beat. When it is too damp for lighters or matches - seems like you can always get a fire going off flint and steel - if you've kept your tinder dry.

One of my fave methods.

[MagiKelly]

i like that idea, which is best the Tristar or the Z plus.

I like my Zippo but it seems to dry up in no time

MickT

Definitely the Tristar. I have found blue flame lighters to be a bit temperamental at lighting sometimes and that is the last thing I need to happen when i am wet. the Tristar insert has worked flawlessly for me in all conditions.

I found petrol zippos were great when i was a smoker and was refilling them often but to carry for occasional use they are no good. They dry out long before you need them. The gas insert means they can sit in your pocket for years and still light as soon as you need them.

http://moontrail.com/accessrs/a-wind...ill_delta.html

Piezoelectric ignition is important for a good outdoor lighter as is a loop to secure it to your body so you don't loose it. I like blaze orange just in case you do sit it down though. Just remember to top it up every time you come home.

I have one of these too and it has so far worked very well. It sits in the same container as my strips of rubber. My only complaint about it is that it has a very small fuel tank and so does not last very long. But for as long as it has fuel it is great. A but finicky for constant use but handy as my emergency lighter. it is the Zippo with gas insert that lives in my pocket.

[bothyman]

Definitely the Tristar. .

OK, thats me sold .

I bought one of those windproof lighters with the wire grid to stop it going out , I didn't have it long and the wire bit disappeared, you only have to breath on it now and the thing goes out.

And as you say the Petrol Zippo's dry out in no time.
I may as well buy a few cheapo gas llighters it would be a lot cheaper with all the fuel it uses.
Can you buy lighter Fuel by the Gallon.

MickT

[DougR]

If you have a coleman, or any other "Petrol", stove and a dry zippo - causing a fire should be easy..... with care and attention to detail you can have a small manageable fire of the easily-turn-off-and-on-able type.

[packman]

from tiso, reliable....three colours a bit ott ...leave at your preferred colour. to light first time every time press start lightly till you hear the gas rushing then follow through to ignition.lights in a gale. it has a clear gas reservoir and is easy filled with no adapter just twist the tip of the filler on as you face it up to ensure a very easy refill.the best feature of this lighter though is its ability to spread its heat ,if you leave it on for around 20 sec , through the alloy that constitutes the bulk of the top of the lighter to make a brilliant handwarmer for these winter moments.the lighter fits into the hand well for this purpose and thus it may even meet loyds multipurpose reguirement too!!at around six quid you are unlikely to better it hope this helps w

[monkey_pork]

Flint and steel is hard to beat. When it is too damp for lighters or matches - seems like you can always get a fire going off flint and steel - if you've kept your tinder dry.

I'd agree absolutely, I can get a fire started with flint n' steel in almost no time at all, usually one or two hits, a quick blow on the char, and we're away. The last steel I forged here works really well now, with lots of big, fat, long lasting sparks.

[Blutack]

seems like you can always get a fire going off flint and steel - if you've kept your tinder dry.

Ah yes, and there's the problem! Maybe I should start another thread about how to keep one's tinder dry?

I tend to keep a load of small slices of bike inner tube in the bottom of my kelly kettle bag. These light really well from a flame, but won't take a spark - hence my quest for a reliable lighter.

I have been experimenting recently with roll-your-own cigarette filters soaked in meths. Maybe I should switch to using these instead, and then I wouldn't need a lighter?

Blutack.

[Lloyd]

Rumor has it Magikelly knows how to light a fire with cotton socks and a bag of crisps now...

[Luke Winstanley]

http://moontrail.com/accessrs/a-wind...ill_delta.html

Piezoelectric ignition is important for a good outdoor lighter as is a loop to secure it to your body so you don't loose it. I like blaze orange just in case you do sit it down though. Just remember to top it up every time you come home.

I've got the same lighter, but in glow-in-the-dark. It's a great lighter and lasts several trips on a fill, unless you lend it to a pipe smoker.

Silva to a similar model which is available in the UK, but I've not used it my self.

[monkey_pork]

Ah yes, and there's the problem! Maybe I should start another thread about how to keep one's tinder dry?

I tend to keep a load of small slices of bike inner tube in the bottom of my kelly kettle bag. These light really well from a flame, but won't take a spark - hence my quest for a reliable lighter.

I have been experimenting recently with roll-your-own cigarette filters soaked in meths. Maybe I should switch to using these instead, and then I wouldn't need a lighter?

Blutack.

Two things will fulfil everything you seek:

Charcloth.

Ziplock-bag.

[Chrish]

When things get bad, I use a petrol Zippo to light a blow torch.... then light the fire etc.

[gwing]

Firesteel to light tiny gas stove.

Tiny gas stove to brew or light anything else that the firesteel won't easily do.

Works every time, even if it is cheating

[pete f]

Flint / steel used on
Vaseline(petroleum jelly)
coated cotton wool balls.

[andy]

Tried a firesteel last trip out and it worked brilliantly, used bog cotton and a bit of grass and bog pine. Also worked on the trangia most of the time, once in a while tho and for no apparent reason the meths would just refuse to light, no idea why.

[Lawnmower]

When things get bad, I use a petrol Zippo to light a blow torch.... then light the fire etc.

blowtorch with piezo spark!

[wayne]

When the weather is foul is make a couple of feather sticks and spark onto them with the fire steel.

[Doc]

It's a good question and I'm not sure of the definitive answer.

Ferrocerium rods (eg the Swedish firesteel) - last for ages, are waterproof, but need a striker and suitable tinder. Not ideal for lighting candles or some lamps.

Flint/steel/charcloth - very easy, very reliable in wind, looks impressive to bystanders. But you need a waterproof container to keep the charcloth in. And its a fiddle when you want quick ignition.

Zippos - fuel tends to evaporate as has been mentioned.

'Permanent match' - they dry out too, but take longer

Matchcase - worth considering. I have a modern K and M one with a compass in the lid, and a 1960s Marbles one (search international ebay - Marbles items are collectable and thus expensive, but the Everdry matchcases are just as good and cheaper). All will keep matches dry even if you go for a swim.

Blue flame/turbo lighters - I have had several that have stopped working, so I doubt their fundamental reliability. Having said that, I have a Silva Helios (I believe this is the same lighter as the rather more expensive Windmill) that is still going strong after 18 months. The hot directional flame is certainly practical. I do not believe it would work after immersion (until dried out anyway).

'Lifeboat matches' - are wind and waterproof. You can strike one, immerse the burning match in water, and it still burns when you take it out. Army ration packs contain a plastic bag with a few.

In practice, I use the Silva lighter routinely, with the Marbles matchcase as a backup aginst immersion. As a final back up I keep a packet of army surplus lifeboat matches in the buoyancy aid.

Of course, on a bushcraft weekend I will use the flint and steel, or even try fire by friction

Works for me.

[Chrish]

blowtorch with piezo spark!

That's just posh!

[Bob Andrews]

When all else fails, my canoeing buddy gets out a Crem Brulee lighter - will start a forest fire!

Bob

[Jamie 07]

Whereas I find that if I use a pint of petrol, just 1 match is nearly always enough to get an instant fire.

[kmystry]

Hello all...
I'm new here but have been monitoring for some time. I live in the Rocky Mountains of Utah and get alot of outdoor time here. My little foolproof firestarters are just plastic drinking straws cut into 3 sections of length. You then take about 1/2 of a cotton ball (I think it's called cotton wool in the UK and Canada) LIGHTLY rub some petroleum jelly on the cotton with your fingers, twist them into a tight cylinder in your fingers and then insert them into the drinking straws. Seal the ends with a lighted candle and a pair of needlenose pliers. To use, you simply slice them open with your knife (always with me), fluff out the cotton and light with my firesteel (I carry a Boy Scout "Hot Spark" ferrocerium rod attached to my pocket knife with a leather thong). Instant fire every time...will burn 2 minutes and they're WATERPROOF (and BOMBPROOF as the thread suggests), just add your tinder and kindling, etc....you can swim a river and use them immediately. They are tiny and you can carry lots of them...a few in your pocket and some in your kit. My 2 cents...

[monkey_pork]

Nice idea kmystry, (& welcome to SOTP by the way ).
I know lots of people use bicycle inner tube in the same kinda way.


Have I seen something about the fact that too much being wet kills the ferro rods tho - not some much as they are just 'wet', but that they chemically react to the water, and then loose their combustibility as the alloy simply changes in response to the reaction with one of the elements in the water ?


They should be fine if you take a dip with one about your person I'd have thought, as this may have been a 'found in the bottom of a wet bag after a few weeks' kinda thing.

[Chrish]

Hello all...
I'm new here but have been monitoring for some time. I live in the Rocky Mountains of Utah and get alot of outdoor time here. My little foolproof firestarters are just plastic drinking straws cut into 3 sections of length. You then take about 1/2 of a cotton ball (I think it's called cotton wool in the UK and Canada) LIGHTLY rub some petroleum jelly on the cotton with your fingers, twist them into a tight cylinder in your fingers and then insert them into the drinking straws. Seal the ends with a lighted candle and a pair of needlenose pliers. To use, you simply slice them open with your knife (always with me), fluff out the cotton and light with my firesteel (I carry a Boy Scout "Hot Spark" ferrocerium rod attached to my pocket knife with a leather thong). Instant fire every time...will burn 2 minutes and they're WATERPROOF (and BOMBPROOF as the thread suggests), just add your tinder and kindling, etc....you can swim a river and use them immediately. They are tiny and you can carry lots of them...a few in your pocket and some in your kit. My 2 cents...

Excellent idea..... need to go and nick some straws from the kids now. Welcome along as MP said.

[h2o]

i carry a flint and steel .a zippo a couple of cheap throw away lighters,and some matches in the little black cases for camera film,with a bit of the strike card and cotton wool to stop rattle

[Dr. Joe]

I like the fire starter in a straw idea. I have not tried the Zippo in years.
I know it is not considered safe to paddle alone but I frequently do even in winter. I justify this stupidity because I am usually the guide and feel it is much safer for me to take care of just myself than a dozen teenagers.

Hypothermia is a big concern in the Pacific Northwest. I don't handle cold very well so always have a few items I carry for recovery from immersion. In my wet mesh bag I have an instant hand warmer, (the hope is this will warm the hands enough to build a fire) match safe and can of Sterno. I am not sure what you call this in England. It is jellied alcohol used for keeping food warm in a buffet line.

In my PFD I carry a disposable lighter knife and whistle. In the dry bag besides wool clothing is a candle lantern with another lighter, more Sterno, and a match safe. Perhaps I am a little compulsive or nostalgic but I also carry a replica tinder box like the officers of the Lewis and Clark expedition used. (I purchased this at Fort Clatsop museum where the Corp of Discovery wintered in 1804). Inside this box is char cloth a fire starting lens and a flint. Fortunately I have never had to use these except for fun. The Sterno is great for starting a fire or cooking where fires are not permitted. When the heat is no longer needed you put the lid on the can and in minutes it is cool enough to return to the bag.

[johnr]

i nicked some of the small cotton wool pads my mrs uses for make up removal, they work great. even better if ou keep them in a small zip lock bag and soak them with a bit of nail polis remover!! she can use them to take off her nail polish, then i can light the fire with them!!!

[johnr]

also, anyone used the firesteels with the magnesium rod on the back of them? just scrape some flakes of magnesium off the rod, then light it with the firesteel. it works for me.

[Chopper]

Rumor has it Magikelly knows how to light a fire with cotton socks and a bag of crisps now...

Narrr...ever since he saw Charlie Borman light his fart on Sundays Long Way Down theres been no stopping him!!!

[philipoakley]

Hello all...
I'm new here but have been monitoring for some time. I live in the Rocky Mountains of Utah and get alot of outdoor time here. My little foolproof firestarters are just plastic drinking straws cut into 3 sections of length. You then take about 1/2 of a cotton ball (I think it's called cotton wool in the UK and Canada) LIGHTLY rub some petroleum jelly on the cotton with your fingers, twist them into a tight cylinder in your fingers and then insert them into the drinking straws. Seal the ends with a lighted candle and a pair of needlenose pliers. To use, you simply slice them open with your knife (always with me), fluff out the cotton and light with my firesteel (I carry a Boy Scout "Hot Spark" ferrocerium rod attached to my pocket knife with a leather thong). Instant fire every time...will burn 2 minutes and they're WATERPROOF (and BOMBPROOF as the thread suggests), just add your tinder and kindling, etc....you can swim a river and use them immediately. They are tiny and you can carry lots of them...a few in your pocket and some in your kit. My 2 cents...

Just re-reading this. Particularly noting the candle for sealing - I presume ? you mean you heat the needle pliers and squeze the straw with that! rather than burn the end of the straw and snuff it out with the pliers [might work?]?

My experience.

I'd remembered the petroleum jelly - cooton wool mix trick and had tried it at the weekend. Previously I'd tried the ferrostick with plain cotton wool and noticed how good it was at catching (not letting them through) the sparks and then that the fine hairs then burned off.

So this time I was out with daughter on scottish mountain side (XC-Skiing) with a small basher up and she was sledging, so I thought I'd try it. So I teased out a small piece of cotton wool (pre-impregnated with petroleum jelly - Boots's best/cheapest) - about a 25mm dia.

Now you need 2 pands for the steel and striker, so placed piece of tinder on my breaches. Struck the steel and INSTANT FLAMES, all over and around the tinder peice. STUCK TO BREACHES. . rapid scrape with striker! piece falls on ground and burns for ages!

So try again, this time a little more careful. a rather smaller piece, placed on floor (a moss & heather scrape under the snow), plus two chocolate wrappers. The pice again catches immediately, and the wrappers follow. So try a bit of wet bracken on top and we get the beginnings of a fire!

Feeling pleased, decide must get more details about that tip for putting the cotton wool in the straws, so here I am, looking up how to seal them.

Other point. The petroleum jelly will probably mix better if warmed before hand. Place the tub (closed) in a bowl of hot water to warm up. Just like melting chocolate. Don't warm up over an open flame nor in a microwave!

Philip.

[Yosemite Sam]

followed this thread - will try the straws - surprised no one talked about the "never fail" potassium pomanganate crystal and glycerol (liq.) mix - stick 'em together in a tight bundle, wait just under a minute and stand back - hey presto oxidation reaction and nice purple flames a gogo!

buy all the kit from Boots - always works, irrespective of conditions, guaranteed fuego.

Yos

[Twisted Firestarter]

I use a regular Clipper lighter for everyday fire starting but for emergencies

I've modified a plain Opinel no:7 knife by drilling a 6mm hole down one side

of the wooden handle which houses a mini 5mm fire steel. I use a small

wad of cotton & Vaseline to bung the end of the hole which stops the fire

steel dropping out. The Opinel is cheap, sharp, it floats and it's very good

for striking against the fire steel

[philipoakley]

followed this thread - will try the straws - surprised no one talked about the "never fail" potassium pomanganate crystal and glycerol (liq.) mix - stick 'em together in a tight bundle, wait just under a minute and stand back - hey presto oxidation reaction and nice purple flames a gogo!

buy all the kit from Boots - always works, irrespective of conditions, guaranteed fuego.

Yos

Do you pre-mix them in the confort of home and carry in a bottle, or mix when needed from a two container arrangement? - I'm thinking it is the latter.

How/what is a 'tight bundle' or is that obvious after buying the cehemicals from Boots (The UK Medicines/Chemist shop)?

Philip

[kmystry]

In reply to philipoakley...
You heat the end of the straw with the candle...it'll curl up a little, just roll it in your fingers as it heats up to make the curl consistent. Then use your needlenose plier to QUICKLY seal the curled end closed while the plastic is still hot and sticky. Works every time! I haven't found anything more convenient than these little sticks of cotton firemakers. I like that they're waterproof too.
Hope that helps.
kmystry

[packman]

ok bluetack,as this thread runs on and on and on with advice and ideas for you it would be nice to hear how your search is going.is it over ongoing or what?? w

[Blutack]

LOL! Nah, I just lit the blue touchpaper and stood well back!

A summary of what I've learned:

• A firesteel is by far the best way to light a petrol stove if you want to keep your eyebrows
• Charcloth is great fun, but it's useless if you can't keep it 100% dry, and you still need something like dry grass or paper to make it actually flame.
• Those wee straw thingies are great
• Chopped up inner tube is great too, as it doesn't get soggy, but you need a flame to light it.

To be honest, I'm still using cheap gas lighters most of the time, but I may go for something like the 'hand grenade' pictured earlier (e.g. if Woodsmoke's group buy goes ahead).

Question: Has anybody used one of those 'everlasting matches'?



If so, are they any use?

Blutack.

[DougR]

http://www.dunfly.com/shopcart/dunfl...tles_extra.asp ????

[tmcox]

I've heard, but not tried, that the lint collected from tumble dryers is superb for lighting from firesteels etc. My only real experience of firesteels was when I bought one on a youth weekend in the Lakes. Late that night we sneaked out to burn stuff- tried to light a magasine somewhat unsuccessfully. it was a bit damp...

[Kilurian]

From an earlier reply - carry two containers one for glycerine and another in another part of you rucksac/canoe/trousers. When they come together they spontaneously combust. For a quicker and prettier reaction, grind the crystals down a bit to caster sugar size. A level teaspoon of powder with two or three drops of liquid will light most things.

[philipoakley]

Done some more testing on filling the straws.
#1a the first attempt was to by some party straws from Morrison's (supermarket) at 72p for 50.
#1b Tried melting the ends with a ligher and they seemed to just frazzle, rather than melting nicely, softening and then doing that close up bit.

#2a Nicked/ borrowed a few straws from the local 10 pin bowls - a bit fatter this time and clear plastic - felt I might be onto something.
#2b tried to melt with lighter - a bit better this time, but still poor, the straw had enough 'meat' to look like with a quicj squish it might seal.

#3a easy to stuff the cotton wool in - bit messy getting the "vaseline" (Boots own brand petroleum jelly) onto/into the cotton wool.
#3b Tried and squeezed the end flat BEFORE attempting the seal. A lot better.
#3c a cotton budd is good for pushing the cotton wool down after initial twisting to get it in.

#4 USED A KEY RING TO SQUEEZE THE STRAW. The straw's end goes toward the middle with a few mm showing (4-6mm). Its is between the two turns of the ring! Use the lighter (or candle) to melt the straw back to the metal of the ring. You can even gently ease the ring off the end as the plastic hardens to get a blade like finish!

#5 retested the Morrison's little straws with the Key Ring. It WORKED as well.

Summary : a key ring holds the straw closed while sealing. and you don't need to buy any point nose pliers

Philip

[johnr]

i just dipped the ends of mine in melted candle wax!!

[Doc]

Blue flame/turbo lighters - I have had several that have stopped working, so I doubt their fundamental reliability. Having said that, I have a Silva Helios (I believe this is the same lighter as the rather more expensive Windmill) that is still going strong after 18 months. The hot directional flame is certainly practical. I do not believe it would work after immersion (until dried out anyway).

Just a wee update. The Silva Helios lighter has packed up too. So I have now had four different makes of the blue flame 'turbo' lighters and all four have failed, even the £15 Silva (which admittedly lasted longer than the others).

Back to the matchcase. 1906 technology, but it works.

[Adrian Cooper]

I use one of these



Google any lighter and add the word 'turbo' you should get a vicious product which can also be used for welding plastic.

[MagiKelly]

Like doc I have never really had a turbo lighter last the course. I now almost exclusively use my Zippo with a tristar gas insert.

http://www.pazyryk.co.uk/Pazyryk_Lim...ghters_73.html

Lights every time, does not evaporate like the petrol Zippo and after a dunking you just blow on it to dry the flint wheel and it works.

[GrahamC]

Well last weekend my turbo lighter gave up. Plenty of gas but the spark has started tracking across the sooty surfaces rather than jumping the gap - result, no flame. This was very frustrating and emabarrasing so I had a look through this thread and discovered the delights of cotton wool and vaseline.

Last night I tested it and was really impressed. After making a greasy ball I submerged it in the sink, ran the tap over it and generally tried to get it very wet. Then, with dry hands (important!) I teased a bit of the ball open and dropped a few sparks on it. Second strike it caught! This stuff is wonderful. I will be trying the straw method as well, but as a waterproof tinder this has to be the ultimate - and cheap.

My lighter had failed when I was trying to light a trangia, so I have been testing a ferrocerium rod as a way to light it. It was really difficult to light, even after dipping the rod in the meths and then trying to use it as a match didn't work. The reason was lack of fuel evaporation in the cold weather. Once the burner (or dipped rod) was warm, it worked straight away.

Now I do add water to the meths (5-10%) and wondered if this made any difference. The answer is that it does. Using neat meths, the burner takes a spark straight away, even after it has been in the freezer. So it will be neat meths for the winter and a bit of water added to ease the pan cleaning in the summer.

Graham

[Doc]

As you say meths can be tricky to light when cold. The Swedish military trangias have a fuel bottle shaped like a hip flask. This is intentional so you can carry the fuel close to your body in cold weather - warm meths always ignites better.

I never added water to meths. I know its supposed to stop the bottom of the pans being blackened but I find even ordinary meths doesn't leave enough soot to be a problem and industrial meths leaves virtually none.

[Matto]

Recently acquired a Primus Powerlighter http://www.facewest.co.uk/Primus-Lighter.html which so far seems really good. It has an adapter for filling from a standard screw top gas cannister, so filling is easier in the field. Not sure the design was perfect as I found the gas cannister leaked when the adapter was screwed in, but a quick home made rubber gasket solved that problem and it seems OK. The other nice thing it has is a screw lock to cutoff the gas supply and prevent inadvertent lighting.

Reading the above list of failed lighters I'll be interested to see if it lasts.

[Paddle-Meister]

Bought a 'Z' gas insert for the zippo at the weekend and now have a fully functional turbo lighter. Great option.

Cheers

Andy

[helixpteron]

I watched a demo film for Lifeboat Matches and they stayed alight when partly submerged, very impressive. Good burn time.

Cut up bicycle inner tube ignites even when wet, good flame too and does not need special packing or handling techniques. Cheap and easy.

[rik_uk3]

I have zippo's, but tend to go with cheap lighters to be honest for an open flame. I carry cotton wool/vaseline and a firesteel and use that combo to start a fire most times.

I had a Silva Helios, that lasted about two weeks, so I got a Primus turbo, that just stopped after about 2 months.

Next came these, I picked up 5 about six months ago and number one is still working fine

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4179
for the money and weight you can afford to buy a few and carry a couple

These little (very bright) torches I have clipped to all sorts of kit

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1253

Some people said they had trouble with dealextreme, to be honest, I've used them more than a dozen times without a problem, you can pay by paypal and the price does included world wide shipping

[Fildeau]

Reply to "Blue tack" on everlasting matches. I find this works well. The problem is that the container is filled with meths and this evaporates quickly so you end up carrying yet another container with flammable liquid most of which will be spilt when you fill the container.
This thread is very interesting,advice on water with trangi fuel and those splendid little straws! Highly practical advice and more toys to make. I am still trying to obtain saltpeter to make a Briquet D' Amadou. Are there any French citizens out there of over 60 years who remember these which were in all the Tabacs in 1952. Cheers Fildeau.

[vavrath]

If you use the twigs of Robinia pseudoacacia (very common as a pest in our country) any source of fire will do nicely. They even burn when wet or still green from the tree. Just be careful when picking them, they have plenty of thorns. Matches covered in wax do work nicely if they get wet.