The Survival Lighter: How to Prep and Use a Lighter to Start a Campfire

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Dan

[@frankwallwork2955]

Your video presentations are brief, to-the-point, informative, well organized and sensible. Please keep it up.

[@williamfuller9633]

You my friend are a number one Micgguyver

[@Chris-y2q]

No time for bs thanx

[@mattytheapplianceguy3973]

Old bicycle tubes cut into half inch pieces make great fire starters. I think they're called ranger bands. I wrapped them all over all kinds of my outdoor gear.

[@tag1462]

And, even after running out of fuel, as long as it still sparks, you can start a fire.

[@viciousKev]

In prison they rub their socks to get lint and stick in the end of the lighter.

[@bethanydavis9023]

@@viciousKev which prison do they allow lighter? Must be a cold one.

[@susiemolnar4892]

game changer for people with arthritis-removing child safe band. Thank you!!!

[@chrismc4900]

I love watching people out in the woods camping trying to light fires, then see them get frustrated when it goes out. Everyone needs to learn the basics whether they are extreme outdoors people or yearly caravan park campers. Great video

[@Ballenxj]

Hah! Never thought about Gorilla tape as a combustible. Thumb up for the education. .

[@johancakep]

The more you know!

[@OldNavajoTricks]

Paracord bootlaces with duct tape aglets.

[@everready19373]

Cotton balls slathered in Vaseline works very well as fire starters. Just cram a bunch of them in an old plastic pill bottle.

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

Wow my daughters talked me into making a channel they said I needed to show what I learned in 20 years in military and 45+ years of backcountry hunting well now that I’ve seen your channel I can stick to hunting tip you my friend are a genius of bushcraft and I don’t normally commend anyone 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻great channel

[@coalcracker]

Thank you!

[@Nick-bo6rz]

What makes the gorilla tape combustible though, the adhesive?

[@Ghost_Os]

I go with hot pink. That's the lighter, the handle of the knife, ferro rod, charcloth tin... Anything that might get dropped, and is small enough that it could be difficult to find. Yellow and orange blend in too easily in the fall. I teach a few small classes here and there in my spare time, and I always tell the people (the guys) who have issues with pink, "you're not going to feel very tactical when you drop your knife, and you can't find it because you had to have a black blade with a camouflage handle". Some of them even listen, lol.

[@Ghost_Os]

@@jackwoods535 It really does stand out great 👍🏻

[@olinseats4003]

A hi vis yellow works really well, even when obscured in the woods due to fall leaves and the like just due to it existing on that chromatic sweet spot. Yellow is in the brightest part of our visual spectrum so it is really easy to spot. The human visual cortex is hardwired to seek out reds, so even though they aren't nearly as bright as yellows, we can pick out a red object with comparative ease. Florescent pink works well because it's nearly as bright as yellow, has enough red in it to draw our eyes, and is a very rare color in the natural world.

[@Ghost_Os]

@@olinseats4003 Exactly! Cheers 😊👍🏻

[@brenthiles3650]

@@jackwoods535 of course once you wrap it duct tape it is all moot. lol

[@tuddsmithers7101]

Good stuff, don’t fret about what the city folks say, you’re providing a great service thank you!

[@ophirdude4342]

Yet another well done "quickie": 1) A bit longer than one of your 3-minute tidbits, but packed with information 2) "Stupidly" brilliant: a) "stupid", because *I* should have thought of the idea and b) "brilliant", because, well, it is a great idea. In particular, tearing the Gorilla tape into strips and make a ball/bird nest … I should have known. 5/5 stars for this tip.

[@bmc2266]

It might look overkill, but I attach my bic with one end on my belt and the other end under the gorilla tape on kayak trips. I use a piece of bank line long enough that I can freely extend my arm in all direction. When I'm done, I roll the bank line around the lighter and put it in my pocket. That way, I won't forget it on the ground. If I have a hole in my pocket, it will dangle on my leg and I won't lose it. The best part is that your buddy can't lose it for you as you can't let him have it now! Most important, carry multiple source of ignition!

[@alexcothren5103]

Its a great idea. I use a key pull chain( think janitor style) and make a lighter holder from duct tape to attach it to the key ring. It keeps the lighter either on your belt or clipped to a pocket and extendable just like your idea. It also keeps friends from " bic-ing your bic" or how we say "pocketing your lighter " And , until now I had not thought that it also means I'm carrying tinder

[@buckshot4428]

I did an experiment with Bic lighters. I put 5 in a Ziploc baggie and left them in the back of my truck for a year, exposed to the elements. When I decided to test them only one would spark despite my drying them. One out of 5 is not good, but it's meant as an example to carry multiples. They all were full of butane btw.

[@WayPointSurvival]

Lots of good advice here, my friend! Thanks for all you do for the bushcraft and survival community and have a wonderful and Happy New Year!

[@arthurdoucette1786]

Greetings once again from nova Scotia, thank you for everything you do, and all the practical tips on how to enjoy our time in the bush. I really wish I could travel again, I would love to take in one of your classes. I love your approach to teaching, you were born to do what you do!! Thank you for your time and attention to this comment, wishing you all the best in the year to come, best regards, Arthur

[@JohnWilliams-oq3cv]

Always carry the element of fire, always. My tip, cut small strips of asphalt tar paper and carry in your wallet. They weigh nothing and are fantastic fire starters.

[@OldNavajoTricks]

I keep the dusters I use to wax things with in little ziplock baggies, just one more means of fire.

[@barrybecker3706]

SO VERY HAPPY to have found your channel!!! Thank you so much for teaching the things you teach in the way you do!!

[@quinntheeskimooutdoors6234]

You are right on Dan. I was in the woods on the ADK and I needed to light a fire to boil water. I always carry a lighter 24/7. Thé weather was very cold and super wet, I first when to my lighter, just like you said my hands were cold and wet. I had trouble, on top of it all it was a small Bic lighter ( not good). I did not know about the safety feature. Well I had backup and got a fire going. This is a great video, thanks. Take care.

[@justindawson3428]

#36 bankline fits neatly under the fuel fork (part you push down to let fuel out) this stops unwanted fuel leaking whilst in your pocket. Another great video.

[@rpwbass]

This channel is no BS and all solid information for anyone and everyone. Subscribed.

[@MrWmburr7]

Another thing you might want to wrap around your Bic lighter is some Humboldt Hemp Wick. It's infused with beeswax so it will adhere to the stalk of your lighter as you wrap it around and around. Unwind a little, light the end, and now you have slow-burning wick to ignite your fire while, at the same time, preserving your Bic's fuel.

[@slowhike]

In addition to choosing a brighter colored bic is I added a band of reflective tape. If lost in dark or low light and you have a flashlight, it will help greatly.

[@spfb]

Some people are just like a horse with blinders... As my father taught me at a young age. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. When I think of fire I think and have several different ways of getting that fire going since it is one of the most essential things to have to survive. Great video as always thank you for what you do. I'm trying to do the same thing just getting started out with my channel to try and get people to understand the importance of certain things in being survival prepared!

[@kidbach]

Subbed

[@robthompson1399]

Lol, anyone who had juvenile relations with Mary Jane knows all of these inside out ! I used to carry a clipper lighter. Because it is possible to remove the sparker, unscrew, add extra flint, and re assemble. This means you've got plenty of back pressure from the spring, and plenty of flint to waste on drying it out with a leg rub ! Great channel, you're a likeable guy. You give good advice, and it's well presented 👍

[@gearheartknivesoutdoor2166]

Yep, Bic is the one! Gelukkig nieuwjaar, Dan!

[@eddiemason4316]

Great simple trick Dan. I've been carrying tape on my lighter amongst other items aswell long before "bushcraft" was a hyped thing. I do alot of river floating and it comes in handy there more often, for me atleast then my land based camps. Always be prepared, keep those doggies rollin in 2020!

[@raulcruz6601]

Excellent

[@everydaypatriot1083]

Thanks, Dan. Good tips and great advice.

[@patricianunez4025]

Great idea. Thank you.

[@GrumpyGrunt]

I got one of the Exotac lighter cases for a Bic. That way: it's ALWAYS orange (regardless of lighter color), it floats better and is waterproof, it's more insulated from hot/cold, and the tape on the outside of it's cap survives even after the Bic runs out of gas. I go back and forth between that and a Clipper with some tape and cordage on it for EDC. Have a happy New Year, Dan!

[@robertcole9391]

Have one also.. but got the black cover.. It's been dropped into the water God only knows how many times at work (I smoke and work on boats, goes with the job) and it has never failed me. Strange how after retiring from the Army I'm working boats.. Life is weird. LOL.

[@Debisthewarguy]

Thanks bro I’ve been stuck in the woods for 3 months😊

[@ponrix]

Will grab a couple and throw em in my bag. Awesome.

[@OverlandOne]

Excellent information. Thank you.

[@mikek4443]

Glad I came upon your channel short snd info packed.

[@ronlessner3247]

So, funny thing happened the other day, I have some brush that has been sitting in the open for the past year and I went to use my bic lighter to start the fire. Nothing would catch because of the 98% humidity and dampness. So there was a piece of cloth in the pile and that was the only thing that would ignite. I thought to myself, so much for and easy way out. Great tip.

[@bjaminf113]

Awesome!

[@janderson3197]

Excellent basic info on lighters.

[@phonecards1]

Great video. Thanks.

[@Eric-ew8jt]

Outstanding!

[@mafitzg]

Good to know, thank you. Love the extra tape idea.

[@MartiniDave02]

I kept a mini-bic with the kid proof spring still fitted, in a coat pocket for a couple of years. When I finally went to use the lighter it wouldn't spark because the flint had deteriorated and just crumbled away. I think moisture had accumulated under the spring, causing corrosion of the flint. So I would definitely say remove that safety spring! Nice informative video - I've subbed!

[@unuzuuu5548]

Excellent! Thank you for teaching me this!

[@klownmittenz8715]

Great tip for the newbs. I would pre core the end of the tale into 4 sections so they have 4 even sections to rip of and 4 possible fires. Thanks

[@becky2235]

Thank you

[@rickdavid1795]

Thanks Good idea

[@nicholaschristodoulou2203]

Excellent video. I never knew about the child proof ring and the duct tape wrap is great for immediate tinder. Always worth watching your videos . Thanks and Happy New Year!

[@jimjr4432]

I remember folks saying that Fritos are great to eat, plus there is so much fat in them that they burn. Thanks for the great video!

[@damimcute1]

I've used tortilla chips too. When they go stale, they still work as fire starters.

[@miked2954]

Good info.

[@donnymcjonny6531]

That is a very nice coat.

[@OakKnobFarm]

I always carry a lighter for choice 1. I also always carry a fire steel in case the lighter fails, too (and a knife and..) I like the tip about a bright color... I never thought about it... but it's very true

[@kr639]

What a great freaking idea!

[@georgecurtis6463]

Great tips ! Thanks.

[@dwaynewladyka577]

Very informative. Hope you have a Happy New Year. Cheers!

[@shaynecarter-murray3127]

Gorilla tape, and before that became common duct tape, is always in my kit. It has si many uses. I've patched many a tarp, small wound, blister, and shoe with it. A multitool, a lighter, and a small roll of gorilla tape are essentials to me

[@Maurice419]

Good stuff!

[@OldNavajoTricks]

And again, Practice practice practice, light your home fires with bush methods, scrap of tissue and woodchips with a ferro to get your bbq on, magnifying lense to light a firedrum/pit etc, the skills we practice at leisure are the skills we can rely on under pressure. Cracking vid as always :-) That's kinda catchy reading it back, practice at leisure to depend on in pressure... idk, work in progress lol.

[@FindersKeepers88]

Good advise, Bics R best and lighters are easy when you make them workable

[@LDBoone]

I can not go forward without giving you a sub. Great info in every video I've seen from you

[@soundwave9414]

Good intro, used my grandpa's zippo in a firepit and the only thing that burnt was carboard.

[@Eric-gi9kg]

This is why I became a sub to your channel. Keep it simple. Love the idea...I also saw your other video when you made mini logs of Gorilla tape.

[@Flashahol]

This is probably THE best fire starting advice out there as it will work 99% of the time. Cold? Just keep the lighter in a pant pocket or inside your jacket.

[@venomrubiconjku2816]

I have my bic wrapped in waxed hemp rope works really well

[@JohnDoe-el5ir]

Cool, I didn't know that trick

[@thomasnewbery7449]

Also a good modification for us septuagenerians... my fingers have lost their range of motions somewhat and it can be hard to operate a Bic sometimes.... took off that child-proofing strip and it made one hell of a difference !

[@craigbuckton8557]

@coalcracker bushcraft. I think you're going to save my life one day 😅. Cheers for all the videos!

[@PRico1966]

Great information! As always 👍🏽

[@davishlamburnt3734]

Thanks for the video man. I did some looking and Gorilla has Blaze orange tape. My Camping and Woodcraft book and Camp Cookery book are coming in today. Very excited about that. Now to hunt down the tape.

[@miltonjunior860]

Thanks!

[@BIG-DIPPER-56]

WOW dude,,, thank you very much for that! ! !

[@nightw4tchman]

Thanks for the Gorilla tape idea, never thought of that. I have a lighter as a backup, also if I meet someone who smokes it's good for making friends, so the tape would help with that as well situation. Your advice about the char cloth box in another video was a great help as well.

[@johnnybushman651]

🥶💥🔥🥵 Happy New Year, thanks for the video Coalcracker .

[@19ADC67]

Nice

[@gco40gray82]

I agree! People dont realize how hard it can be to actually get a fire going if you never done it before. Especially with a lighter.

[@feldarbeiter7171]

...and put a Rubberband or O-Ring under the Red Button,so that you didn't push him by mistake if you had the lighter in your Bag. Atb,from Germany 🤠

[@kidbach]

Nice to meet another person who puts rubber sink washers/o rings around the lighter's button.

[@m1cajah]

@@kidbach I learned that a long time ago. More than once I got caught without fire (ex-smoker here). Those were miserable days. 😁

[@rvlucky2909]

Thank you for sharing I did not know how to remove the safety deal

[@doncampbell9991]

GENUNIS. SUPER TIPS.

[@jlgiii4749]

Great show. I carry several lighters, BBQ starters, 1/2" x 6" ferro rod, many kinds knives, saws, tools, shelter makings, raingear, canned / freeze dried packaged food, water, stove, pans, sleeping bag, a ton of other survival things, in my truck. I always have since I was old enough to drive. (Boy Scouts with a Coast Guard Captain Scoutmaster).. I figure if I have them, I won't need them. So there's the dilemma. I've been doing this for years, and I haven't needed it yet. But I do rotate out the old stuff. And as soon as I stop keeping all of that in the truck, I'm going to get stuck and need it. I just know it........ Take care!

[@jefflatham3247]

Great video as usual fine Sir ! With maintenance a ZIPPO will never let you down though.

[@artzreal]

awesome channel. each shot, each bird.

[@Stoney_AKA_James]

An exotac firesleeve is also a good idea to protect the bic lighter

[@prophesytheorist5130]

With bright tape, you can tape small handy items to the bic. I like a snake wrapped paracord lanyard on my bic. Attached to my carabiner, and if I drop my bic, it just hangs from my belt

[@vinceleblanc2433]

Also don’t toss the metal kid proof spring! It’s a (almost) ready made hook that could be used to fish or hang pots or any number of things

[@ladyofthemasque]

Are there any videos out there how to turn it into one?

[@vinceleblanc2433]

Not that I’m aware of but I have done it. I’d show you a picture if I knew how to do that

[@artzreal]

@@vinceleblanc2433 you can't here. if you have a facebook account you can share the photo there and then the link here

[@charliealpha4220]

Very interesting.

[@mrmrsk219]

Good stuff

[@kylessurvivalandbushcraft3769]

LOVE your channel. I do the same thing. But i also wrap shock cord to the lighter with gorilla tape.

[@offgridDAVID]

Love this channel. I gave you shout out on my small channel. Anyone going in the bush should watch this guy..

[@daveevans2261]

Great video thanks for showing us, great tip that putting tape on as tinder, just subscribed I want to see more 👍🇬🇧🍻

[@watchmkr100]

Thanks

[@chrisu.k9307]

Excellent advice, even to a know it all 👍🏼

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

I've only recently come across your channel, I'm loving your video's. I just want to get into the woods. On fire lighting, I've also come across plasma lighters, they seem an excellent idea, no gas and are rechargeable.

[@Jesses001]

Chipper lighters are good to get as well. They are round though, so they do not fit as well in a pocket. The upside is they are reusable though. You can replace the "flint" and refill the butane. I personally just use BIC lighters though because they are slender and are emergency dedicated, so I do not use them unless in an emergency. At least the ones in my kits that is.

[@johngo6283]

Good tips! Here's one more. Get a discarded mt bike inner tube for free from any bike store. Cut a wide rubber band for each of your lighters. Double up the band, and scrunch it onto your lighter. Now you have already made emergency tinder always attached to your fire starter. It lights even if it's completely wet, and burns great for several minutes (admittedly with nasty toxic smoke, this is emergency use only.) That combined with the gorilla tape gives you a couple of options.

[@letsgobrandon136]

Buy the small bic lighters and you can carry 2 to 1 as far as available space. I typically keep 2 or 3 in my pocket as edc

[@robertkywildcats9266]

I like to cut a guitar pick in half and place them under my tape on the lighter. Great video 👍. Of course make sure the guitar pick is made of celluloid.

[@nmarbletoe8210]

what's the pick for?

[@1notgilty]

Smart trick with the duct tape wrapped around the lighter as a fire starter. I'm gonna use that one. Thanks!

[@clintonminer7636]

Some day soon I’ll be at one of your courses

[@dddhhh2612]

Nice jacket . . .

[@dand33911]

You can take a small zip tie and lock the button so all the fluid doesn't piss out also. Easy enough to cut off. For packed away lighters..

[@uprebel5150]

A friend of mine keeps all his recipe from CVS, that are usually almost two feet long and keeps them in a ZipLock bag. They start and burn quickly even if it is damp out. Probably works in a light rain but probably not more than that.

[@keisha717]

I've been into survivalism for a very long time, but I didn't know about the child-proof mechanism. THANKS!

[@keisha717]

@iPac9mm Because I use manly micro-torches instead of children's BIC lighters.