strike-a-lite bag

[1eyemountainmen]

I just made my first strike-a-lite bag. I'm not sure how to "wear" it. I made it with a strap that will fit around my neck. I have read that indian women would wear them around thier waist on a belt. Any ideas or info would be a great help.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Mine is carried inside my haversack. I don't have to get to it so quickly that I would wear it hanging outside.

 

[No Deer]

I have read that you should carry two. One around your neck, on a belt whatever, to get at easily when you stop for midday meal, tea etc. The other should go in your pack where it will be kept dry in case of rain, and as a spare in case you lose the one carried outside.

 

[RC]

I have read that you should carry two. One around your neck, on a belt whatever, to get at easily when you stop for midday meal, tea etc. The other should go in your pack where it will be kept dry in case of rain, and as a spare in case you lose the one carried outside.

"in case it rains" OR if yer on a situation woodswalk and ya "loose" yer pack and the next station is ..fire startin.. :shake: trust me it happens! :haha:

 

[Halftail]

I have read that you should carry two. One around your neck, on a belt whatever, to get at easily when you stop for midday meal, tea etc. The other should go in your pack where it will be kept dry in case of rain, and as a spare in case you lose the one carried outside.

"in case it rains" OR if yer on a situation woodswalk and ya "loose" yer pack and the next station is ..fire startin.. :shake: trust me it happens! :haha:

:haha: No Tea at that station eh RC? :grin:
I carry mine in my Ranger at all times.

 

[Desert Ratxx]

I think Russell mentions carrying a bag on his belt with pipe and fire fixins to light it. He may of had another kit somewhere else but there is documented evidence that they carried some fire starting stuff on the belt.

 

[50cal.cliff]

What no pics? I would think it would be an item carried in your possibles bag.

 

[Rod Lassey]

I've got a leather bag with flint, steel, tinder, charred wood, & burning glass that I carry in my packs. I also carry a small emergency kit in my shot bag. This contains a steel, and a bit of tinder and charred wood--no flint as it's in the stot bag and so are the gunflints. This is all contained in an oval tinderbox, and tightly sealed with beeswax. I even tossed it in water to make sure it stayed dry.

My reasoning is that I use the main (big) kit all the time, but I've got a small water-tight kit in case of a dunking in the river. I keep it in the shot bag because I use the mind-set that it's one thing the frontiersman would almost never take off--even when sleeping. To have to flee a camp back then without your shooting supplies would have been near suicide--so the bag and horn are never out of reach. And would have been taken even when the packs and baggage had to be abandoned.

Rod

 

[Robert58]

My reasoning is that I use the main (big) kit all the time, but I've got a small water-tight kit in case of a dunking in the river.


I was at a Rendezvous where the Fire Starting Contest you had to forge a make believe river and dunk your Fire Starting Kit in a five gallon bucket of water,for one minute, and then find tender on the trees and start your fire.

Believe me, my Fire Starting Kit is in a water tight container now.

Robert

 

I just made my first strike-a-lite bag. I'm not sure how to "wear" it. I made it with a strap that will fit around my neck. I have read that indian women would wear them around thier waist on a belt. Any ideas or info would be a great help.

Wear it any way you want to, it dosen't matter. This is all speculation anyway.

As far as waterproofing goes, the flint and steel will spark immidiately after being dunked. Keeping the tinder and char dry is the trick.

In the old days watertight containers were scarce, as in nonexsistant. Char or more likely punkwood, would have been carried in a greased leather bag, stashed deep in the gear for added protection. The flint and steel was probably in the same bag. That is just speculation too, but is how I carry mine. Greased buckskin firekit bag inside an oiled canvas rucksack.

In the eastern woods, many of the cases where striking a fire was documented it speaks of the woodsman using his rifle lock to ignite the fire.

They were not the purists we are, with our char and punk and fluff. They'ed sprinkle some 2f on some fuzzed cedar bark, hit it with a spark and get out of the way!

 

[jbwilliams3]

I've had a small tinder box that I’ve been using since I was in grade school. When I got my first flintlock, my old timer friend told me to just use my lock to start a fire- he’s been doing it that way for thirty-five years so I figured that was gospel. I still carry my flint and steel, though, because I figure I ought to preserve the flint in my lock (and “always prepared” plays over in my mind like a bad 80’s song)- what keeps folks from just using their locks?

 

[mazo kid]

Well, for one reason, not all woods walks start with unloaded rifles; on some we load up and start off and then part way through we may have to start a fire. Now, would you rather pull your ball and load or just use flint and steel? Granted, the lock would be quick and easy, but I think for safety reasons they are not permitted in most locales.

 

[LRB]

These make a nice backup. 2 1/2" x 2 1/2".

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[50cal.cliff]

I like that little pouch Wick! :hatsoff: Is that a stiker made into bottom of pouch?
Really innovative idea and really like the pouch! :applause:

 

[FPDoc]

Very nicely done. Where did you find your fire-tube wicking?