Fire starters? 🔥 🔥

[Rifleman1776]

There are quire a few accounts of using a flintlock pistol to start a fire. I think the flash hole was plugged but obviously there should not be a load in the barrel. A patch rubbed with a little powder was put in the pan. The patch with an ember was put in the tinder and blown into a flame.

They would never do it that way because someone told them it wasn't "authentic". :shocked2: :rotf:

 

[tenngun]

In wet weather I have carried a coal in a raw horn stuffed with moss. It’s been forty years since I did it and it was a pia to fiddle with. Today I’m just whimpy, if the weather predictions are for bad weather I stay home. It’s a lot easier to deal with cold then wet.

 

[Major Dorman]

This may seem a little off topic, but it is about fire starting. It's a letter that was written to my great-aunt from her aunt. It has a story about my gggg-grandpa during the Civil War. Here is part of it the actual spelling ( I can translate if you can't understand).
Once all the old People maid ther Close & Shoes Used Pine Torches Far Lits and Greese one. They Just made Enuff cotton to make ther on close. They maid Ther on Leather to make the Shoes. They Raised ther on meat of all Kind they lived in a one Room House Ther Chimbley maid with Grass & mud theyCookedon the Fair Place. They Struck ther on Fair with a Fair Rock & gun Powder.
I've had this letter for about 15 years. I just re-read it and it mentions a letter that my Great-Granpa wrote to one of my cousins. I'll have to try to get a copy of it.

 

[Rifleman1776]

In wet weather I have carried a coal in a raw horn stuffed with moss. It’s been forty years since I did it and it was a pia to fiddle with. Today I’m just whimpy, if the weather predictions are for bad weather I stay home. It’s a lot easier to deal with cold then wet.

Age will do that to ye. I know. Back in the day it was a matter of survival. Using the flintlock in a rifle or pistol seems very practical.

 

[coloradoclyde]

This may seem a little off topic, but it is about fire starting. It's a letter that was written to my great-aunt from her aunt. It has a story about my gggg-grandpa during the Civil War. Here is part of it the actual spelling ( I can translate if you can't understand).
Once all the old People maid ther Close & Shoes Used Pine Torches Far Lits and Greese one. They Just made Enuff cotton to make ther on close. They maid Ther on Leather to make the Shoes. They Raised ther on meat of all Kind they lived in a one Room House Ther Chimbley maid with Grass & mud theyCookedon the Fair Place. They Struck ther on Fair with a Fair Rock & gun Powder.
I've had this letter for about 15 years. I just re-read it and it mentions a letter that my Great-Granpa wrote to one of my cousins. I'll have to try to get a copy of it.

I understood it just fine....Easier than reading the lazy S's...

Used Pine Torches Far Lits and Greese one

Sounds like rush lights and a grease lamp.

They Struck ther on Fair with a Fair Rock & gun Powder.

"Fire rock and gun powder..

Great post.... :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[tenngun]

Looks just like my own spelling before spell check kicks in.
Often old letters were full of unusual spellings. I’ve often wonders who told ol’Dan Webster he knew how to spell.

 

[Major Dorman]

It's written in cursive. In a few more years nobody will be able to read it.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I have a hard time reading cursive.....I was taught to read and write at age 3....by the third grade I was no longer required to write in cursive....Aside from signing my name, I haven't written in cursive since. it's as dead as shorthand IMO....

 

[Black Hand]

The majority of the hand-writing I do is in cursive. I only print when others might need to read what I have written. I just couldn't print fast enough to keep up with notes during lectures...

 

[coloradoclyde]

Got home tonight as the sun set...Looked up on a shelf and saw one of my larger fire kits....Grabbed it and went outside to see if I could get a candle and oil lamp lit....
The charred punkwood in the kit took a spark and was soon blown into a flame lighting my candle and oil lamp..... I snuffed the remainder of punkwwod for another day..... :grin:

When people figure put how easy and fun this is, BIC my might be in trouble.... :haha:

 

[Black Hand]

Easy is not quite a term I'd apply to a bow-drill fire, but you do get warm while working the kit...

 

[coloradoclyde]

Easy is not quite a term I'd apply to a bow-drill fire,

Agreed!.....I'd love to put the best of bow drill fire makers through their paces.... For both the pleasure of it and the education....:haha:

 

[Black Hand]

One day, I got a coal in about a minute. Another day I sawed away for over 2 hours, made lots of smoke but never got a coal. These occasions were 2 days apart and using the same kit...

 

[coloradoclyde]

Were you standing over my shoulder?... :haha:

The power of editing and out-takes does wonders to make one look like an expert.

 

[Black Hand]

...expert...

A term I dislike - many experts seem to stop learning/trying once they earn the title. I neither claim nor desire the title and actively discourage its use when describing anything I do...

BTW, the failed 2-hour session was witnessed by a dozen youth to whom I was teaching the skill and the 1-minute success only had my dog as a witness.

 

[George]

Did the dog learn to do it? :grin:

Spence

 

[coloradoclyde]

They are easier to train than most people.... :rotf:

 

[George]

There are quire a few accounts of using a flintlock pistol to start a fire. I think the flash hole was plugged but obviously there should not be a load in the barrel. A patch rubbed with a little powder was put in the pan. The patch with an ember was put in the tinder and blown into a flame.

I use that method frequently with any flintlock, have for years. Usually it's with a loaded gun, I never plug the touchhole, and I've never had it fire.

Spence

 

[coloradoclyde]

If you think about it.....At the end of the day, you want to start a fire.....Your gun may also need cleaning and you certainly want to keep a fresh prime in the pan.....utilizing that small amount of powder beats wasting it... :hmm:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Dsayer,
This video may be helpful to you...

https://youtu.be/SMe8dzd0QJA