Tag Archives | Firecraft

primus

Camp Stove VS Camp Fire

By on November 6, 2014 in Classic Camping, Firecraft, Master Woodsman

Camp Stove versus Camp Fire (“Primus” versus “Primal”) Steven M. Watts A Short Cynical History In the early days of the twentieth century, portable camp stoves–fueled by kerosene (liquid paraffin), gasoline or alcohol—began to appear in the inventories of campers, explorers and military campaigners. These ingenious devices were perfect for above-tree-line-mountaineering, long sea voyages and […]

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Photo: Brandon Jacobs

1 degree; Wilderness Fire Starting Considerations

By on July 11, 2014 in Fieldcraft, Firecraft, Master Woodsman, Primitive Skills, Wilderness Survival

NEXT TO KNOWING HOW TO DRESS WELL, FIRE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BUSH SKILLS THERE ARE, BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF THE FEW MEANS AVAILABLE TO MAKE UP MOST GREAT DEFICIENCIES. Master Woodsman Mors Kochanski’s excellent quote above sums it up.  Next to knowing how to dress well (reducing heat loss), fire is […]

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Some of the author's Flint and Steel Kits.

Punkwood

By on May 19, 2014 in Classic Camping, Fieldcraft, Firecraft, Master Woodsman, Primitive Skills, Woodcraft

When the realization set in to all the things punkwood offers with fire, and how available it is in the woods, I did the quintessential face-palm. This also happens frequently when I read the classics from Kephart, Jaegar, Beard, Seton, et. al. and see those simple and cool solutions that I didn’t take advantage of in […]

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SAM_0030

That Fresnel Lens in Your Survival Kit

By on May 14, 2013 in Firecraft, Master Woodsman, Survival Kit, Wilderness Survival

Today’s common Fresnel lens, and the one a Woodsman should carry, is a super-thin business card sized piece of plastic.  Based on the 1822 lens design by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel, it was originally intended for lighthouses, hence it’s larger aperture, shorter focal length and much thinner design compared to conventional lenses. For a lighthouse, […]

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Tinder Bundle made from the inner bark of Tulip Tree (Yellow Poplar). Click on photo to enlarge.

The Tinder Bundle

By on May 14, 2013 in Firecraft, Flora, Primitive Skills, Wilderness Survival

  For fire and its continuation (chain reaction) three components need to come together: heat, fuel and oxygen.  So many folks into Outdoor Living Skills focus on the ignition or heat source.  While obviously a critical component, the other two-thirds are equally important… So let’s put ugly on the table.  Can’t tell you how many […]

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inversion

Your Campfire And The Weather

By on February 25, 2013 in Firecraft, Master Woodsman

Treat fire with the respect it deserves and it will keep you warm, cook your food, make your water safe, and a host of other things to make you a happy woodsman. Be disrespectful and it could leave you cold and lonely OR you could have a wildfire on your hands! Wouldn’t it be nice […]

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